Madaari (2016) Movie Review

I recently subscribed to Zee5 for watching Amrutham Dviteeyam(Review out after completion of the season). But, after scrolling through some of their movies I found Madaari. A film that caught my attention but then I did not know what happened to this film. It did not get much attention from considerable amount of people making it just a semi-hit. My family and me are fans of Irrfan Khan and his acting. It is always the case that whenever we see Irrfan Khan, we feel it is a good film before we actually see the film. That is the impact of him. This was one reason for watching this film. Then, I found out the director was the same guy who made the Hindi Drishyam. So, I definitely know this guy has some good skills of making a good thriller. Also, our family loves thrillers. So, I watched this film with my family.  How the film is? Let us find out after this poster image.

Madaari is a 2016 thriller drama starring Irrfan Khan, Jimmy Shergill and Vishesh Bansal in lead roles directed by Nishikant Kamat. The film revolves around Nirmal Kumar who kidnaps the son of the Home Minister to avenge the tragedy occurred in his life. This film is not actually a thriller. It keeps you engaged throughout the film but never thrills you. What it does though to make you think. It makes you question about the social hierarchy, rich and poor, rampant corruption and all kinds of party politics in how they lure a voter by money. This film is realistic in that sense. All the scenes of Irrfan Khan and Vishesh Bansal especially are too real. The film also has a deep and tragic core to all this questioning. The flashback of this film although simple carries a lot of depth and add that to an actor like Irrfan Khan...you get pure gold. But, after the 1hr 30min mark, the film takes cinematic liberties to set up a climax that would never be possible. It is good, no doubt. But, when we think of the perfectly made 1hr 30min before this, it does not feel the same. Overall, though this film is an under appreciated gem that all people have to watch.

The acting performances are good. This film is mainly centered around the person himself, Irrfan Khan. He has been a consistent performer and any film I watched that he starred in, he is the best part in it. Here, he shows how large his range of acting is. He laughs, cries, loves, gets mad, speaks softly, shouts. He makes some of the weaker scenes good. The hospital scene though, he nailed it and brought tears in my eyes. Vishesh Bansal who played the role of child Shubh in the now acclaimed series Asur is very good as well. He is able to blend in that innocence of childhood with all the knowledge that is not meant to be learnt by him. He gives a wide variety of cute expressions that makes you chuckle. Jimmy Shergill actually has equal screen time with all the other actors in the film. He is good as the officer dealing the case but there is not much scope for him to act. All other actors deliver according to their role.

The technical departments are good. The production values of the film being a low budget film is good. Cinematography captures the scenic locations of Rajasthan and Mumbai well. There was use of stock footage in this film which is smart because paying close attention to them will bring out the various cases it is based on and indirectly questions the society. Editing should have been improved as the film's pace slows down as the film goes on but it engages you, so editing is good but could be better. There are only two songs in the film and both composed by different composers. While one song is almost background score, the other song Massoom Sa pulls at your heartstrings. Sukhwinder Singh put his heart into this song. Other than that all other departments deliver according to the given job.

Overall, this film is an under appreciated gem that every body has to watch. It has it's flaws but at the end it delivers with Irrfan Khan being the driving force of this feature. It questions the governments with clarity. Enjoy this film on Zee5 in an engaging experience.

iMDB Rating : 7.5/10

My Rating : 8/10

Contagion (2011) Movie Review

Coronavirus, an WHO declared epidemic that can cause a lot of deaths in the next 3-4 months or so. This situation called for a lockdown of 21 days in India and in other countries, it is extended for months. So, would you believe that a 2011 made film has shown all the proceedings of our current situation with accuracy? Well, you have to believe it because Contagion, the film trending on all social platforms has done that. I watched it today and I'll tell you how the film is exactly constructively without any bias. Note that I am not a medical student and have no connections with medical sciences. So, I am a newbie to this subject. Let us dive in this ride.

Contagion is a 2011 Hollywood Virus Thriller film directed by Steven Soderbergh starring Matt Damon, Lawrence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard in lead roles. The story revolves around COVID-19 oh Sorry, MEV-1, It's origins, effects on people, scams on it and every other thing surrounding it. 

The screenplay can be described as well documented. The research this team of filmmakers did on this topic is extraordinary. Why? It is because every single detail of this film is exactly accurate to this day and how our world is functioning. Also, the film's emphasis on equality has opened a new door for me. But, the director maybe forgot something important about this film. The characters. First, there are a big pool of talented actors here. Second, they do not get enough screentime to shine. The problem now is that we are not enabled to connect to any of these characters. They are just a cluster of characters running around. This can also be because of Overall, the screenplay has good detail put into it but dramatically, it becomes weak.

All the actors as I said earlier have less screentime but each of them shine. First, Gwyneth Paltrow. She just smiles and becomes a dead body. But, her character herself is the pivot to the MEV-1 Virus.

Matt Damon who is the husband of Gwyneth Paltrow gets to shine as his love for her daughter is shown via his eyes and his tension. Next, Kate Winslet gets a short character as the Epidemic Officer and she acts well. Jude Law gives the best performance according to me as he gets more character than anyone else. He succeeds in being a writer who wants to faux many people by suggesting another drug instead of the vaccine. Lawrence Fishburne and the other doctor's crew act well as doctors. Lawrence himself brings the equality aspect in front of us. So, he gets the second-best performance. 

The technical aspects are very good. They move according to the director. The score of the film is especially good because all the silent parts of the movie are elevated by the score. The cinematography is very good. The editing is good but the film is slow. The artwork is well designed with good costumes.

Overall, this film is a research-based film more than an actual film. It is dramatically weak and the characters have little characterization. But, the film keeps us engaged throughout while we are bored due to the accurate representation of the Virus and its effects. I would highly recommend you to watch this film with your family to know more about the virus. It is an important lesson for many careless wanderers on the street now. It is available on Amazon Prime Video. Go have a look.

iMDB Rating : 6.7/10

My Rating : 8/10

Yeh Saali Aashiqui (2019) Movie Review

This film is quite unknown to many people. But, it got it's own fanbase later on. I really did not know about the film until the award season came. Long story short when social media was erupting on Ananya Pandey for winning the Filmfare Best Debut Award they pointed out Shivallika Oberoi(the lead actress of this film) to be the potential winner. So, I took a look at the trailer of the film which was quite interesting. It got its digital release on Zee5 and I saw it today. How did the film fare out? Let's find out. 

Yeh Saali Aashiqui is a 2019 romantic thriller drama directed by Cherag Ruparel starring debutants Vardhan Puri, the grandson of legendary actor Amrish Puri and Shivalleka Oberoi in lead roles. The story revolves around Sahil Mehra who falls in love with Mitti Deora. After that, the film goes haywire and that you have to watch on screen.

The screenplay of the film is amazing. It consists of all the ingredients that a perfect thriller should have. Good buildup, good twists and overall a solid 2 hours of tension. But, there is also this unpredictability they added to this film that really elevates the twists. The film begins in a hotel management institute and ends at a police station while going through mental asylums, chainsaws and cheating. Apart from the thrills, I really want to thank the filmmakers to address the issue of men being unsafe in this country. The laws in favour of women have been misused by some crazy women to corner some innocent men. This issue is addressed not realistically but dramatically. The characterisation of the 2 lead characters is also really good. They are similar to the Judgemental Hai Kya leads but have some strong foundations given unlike the other one where they are just mental. Overall, it is a damn good screenplay.

The acting here is brilliant. Vardhan Puri in his debut performance hits the ball out of the park. That can be because he also co-wrote the film. He shines as Surya and Sahil Mehra showing the innocence and anger of youth and the psychotic acting with ease. He is a real prospect to the industry. Shivallika Oberoi gets a damn challenging role and she pulls it out really well. She gets to dominate the lead hero in occasions of the film. Playing both the lead heroine and villian is tough but she proves everybody that she should have won that Filmfare award and many other awards. Other actors have less screentime in the film and they act accordingly. 

The technical aspects of the film are very good. The editing here is crisp.The perfect kind of editing for a perfect thriller. The music is good. It is apt for the movie. Even the background score is excellent keeping up with the pace of the film. All other technical aspects are pretty good but they are standard.

Overall, this film is a treat to watch. A perfect thriller in a difficult time situation. It tackles the social subject well and is an excellent debut for both the actors. Check this film on Zee5 and enjoy Yeh Saali Aashiqui.

iMDB Rating : 8.2/10

My Rating : 9/10

Disco Raja (2020) Movie Review

After the Sankranthi bonanza of the Tollywood industry with Ala Vaikunthapurramloo and Sarileru Neekevvaru, Ravi Teja's movie Disco Raja came into the theatres on 24th January 2020. I avoided watching it in the theatres courtesy the reviews. But, some spoilers of the movie really made me curious. Therefore, I watched this on Sun Nxt today. Let us see how this film fares out in just a second.

Disco Raja is a 2020 Telugu sci-fi drama starring Ravi Teja, Payal Rajput and Nabha Natesh in lead roles directed by VI  Anand. The story revolves around Raj and yeah, the story is hard to describe. It is a very simple plot yet at the end of the film, I really got puzzled at how convoluted it became. Seriously, how can a director screw up concepts such as re-birth or post-war stress disorder. Yeah, the director added a gangster drama and an unnecessary family sub-plot where I cannot recognise even a single character instantly. It is very messy because the director concentrates more on some of the commercial elements such as the action or comedy but because of that, the intensity of the main plot gets diluted. The comedy or action he tried too are failed because of the lack of focus. The director does give some uniqueness to the whole film. The film looks very good. But, it is not enough. Especially, if I look at the climax twist(spoilers) it is very neat but whoa, it is very botched up by Sunil. He tries hard with that chapters intros or the changing frame rates but it is vain. If I look at the positives, the 20 minutes of Disco Raj and Helen are good and that's it basically. The director fails to emulate some of his earlier works like Ekkadiki Pothavu Chinnavada due to lack of focus.

The acting is good at best and mediocre at worst. First of all, why are there 3 heroines. 2 of them are not even necessary. Tanya Hope does not act. She could have been replaced completely. Nabha Natesh is just an extra addition for glamour. She could have been completely removed and yet the story will be unaffected. Payal Rajput though, despite her short screentime, she shines as the deaf and mute Helen. I did not expect such a good performance. Ravi Teja himself acts very well as Disco Raja. He can get really artificial sometimes but it can be ignored. His physicality though cannot be ignored. In some scenes, I see his stomach bulging out. OMG that I did not expect. Sunil as the twist villain is very bad, it is tough for me to say this. He has no significance in his scenes as Uttam Kumar and we never get hints to clearly understand why does he kill people. Sunil, himself overacts and hams his heart out to glory. Bobby Simha as Sethu proves yet again that he is a force to reckon with. He is the only person who becomes naturally evil. He is menacing, mean and just damn good. Bad luck that the director does not give him meaty scenes. Other actors such as Ramki, Raghubabu, Satya, Satyam Rajesh, Annapurna and more just add beauty to the screen and are just standing dolls.

The one place the movie is very good is its technical aspects. The cinematography by Karthik Ghattamaneni is excellent. He is the main reason for the look of the film, colourful and vibrant. The disco scenes shine in particular. The music by SS Thaman is mixed. But, the BGM is solid. Problem is that it is repeated to its death. The Freak Out is the most attractive part of the promotions of the film. So, it is clear that it goes overused. The editing could be improved. This inter-woven screenplay type clearly was not understood by the director and it reflects on the editor. The art direction is good but maybe the team could have researched a little more. The sets are colourful and apt for the requirement. The hairstyling though is based on the 1970's where the film itself is based on the 1980's. The costume design too has the same issue. Is Gold Spot, the only cold drink served at the time? Seriously, that bothers me now. 

Overall, Disco Raja is the disappointment of the year according to me. The story has elements which could have worked wonders. But, the lack of focus by the director ultimately makes it a mixed bag. If you are a Ravi Teja fan, you can watch this film for some entertainent. But, maybe skipping this would be the better option. This film is a good but failed attempt at bringing sci-fi to Telugu cinema once again.

iMDB Rating : 7.2/10

My Rating : 5/10

Love Mocktail (2020) Movie Review - Is it Better than Dia?(Also, some movies to avoid)

------------------------------BREAKING NEWS--------------------------
PM just locked down India for 21 days from today. i.e., until April 15th. India has promoted itself from self-quarantine to enforced lockdown. With this, my movie marathon is extended. So, this time I want you guys to recommend some movies in the comment section.
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Now, coming to the matter. There is this film that is trending on Amazon Prime Video these days. It is a project of love produced by the lead pair and directed by the lead hero. A very rare combination is set named Love Mock tail. I have high expectations for love stories after watching Dia as I have stated in other reviews. Could this film reach the expectations? Let us find out just in a second.

Love Mocktail is a 2020 Kannada romantic drama starring Darling Krishna, Milana Nagaraj in leading roles directed by Krishna himself. The story revolves around Aadi and his love story as long as his lifetime. 

As the director-producer of the film, Darling Krishna has pulled off a very good love story. The screenplay has similar beats of many other love stories. It can almost be called generic. But, the sheer care and love the director gave this love story, it shines. The first 30 minutes of the film showcase the teenage nature of love effectively and is very good. The next 40 minutes or so, we see how a lady falls for money when times goes by. This part is the weakest part for me but still considering the film, it is still good. The best part of this film comes after that when Aadi meets Nidhi. This complete saga gave me a warmth and purity that I miss in many love stories. The film goes several levels higher when the ending comes along. It wets our eyes of a second. There is a realistic tone to this film and it helps in extracting the emotions out of you. Overall, the screenplay is very well done despite the generic structure. 

The acting is well realised. Milana Nagaraj as Nidhi won my heart. The purity and innocence of the character is well done and she brings a very happy atmosphere and mood in this film. Her best scene is the climax where she is in her deathbed.  Darling Krishna himself transforms himself into several looks in an all-in-one performance. He makes you laugh, cry, smile, angry and he makes you invested in the film. All the other credited cast including Aadi's best friend couple, Vijay and Sushma are good as the support to Aadi. The other girls in his life including Reema and Jo are good in their respective roles.

The technical departments shine in their own way. First, the music by Raghu Dixit. These songs are melodious and are a perfect fit for this film. The songs after Nidhi enters Aadi's life are even better. The background score too is soulful. The editing is very breezy despite it's length. It picks up after a slow 30-40 minutes at the start. The cinematography is very realistic. It captured the beauty of love in the best way possible. All other departments do a very well job in their respective jobs.

Now, let me address the elephant in the room. Is Love Mocktail better than Dia? Screenplay wise, Dia has a better and well thought out screenplay than Love Mocktail. But, Love Mocktail itself has more warmth and heart than Dia. It is a very tricky situation. I think Love Mocktail is better than Dia as it has more love than Dia. 

So, overall Love Mocktail is a solid love story which delivers in its acting. Writer-Producer-Actor-Director Darling Krishna pulls off all his jobs very well to give this film a very good feel and mood.
As, I am writing this it is already 12:28 AM. So, I wish you a very happy Ugadi. May our year go well after we tackle this pandemic. Also, enjoy Love Mocktail on Amazon Prime Video. I will be back soon with the review of the much-anticipated Amrutham Season 2.

iMDB Rating : 8.9/10

My Rating : 9/10

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Also, I was desperately trying to find a good film on all streaming platforms until I found Love Mocktail. It is very time consuming for me and so I am going to give 2-3 movies every review that you can skip immediately. The first one is definitely Choosi Choodangaane. I could not go through half an hour of this movie pleasantly. The fact that it was shot partly in my college just showed how misunderstood early love is in this film. The next one would be Bloodshot. Remember, if you are looking for an action film which has action without any actual need of it, you can definitely watch it. But, the film is a crashing bore and Vin Diesel acts mediocrely. 

Corona Virus Movie Marathon 2020

Corona Virus. The thing trending on social media. The thing which united the whole world(by attacking millions of people across the world). The thing which shutdown major attractions, films, sports etc. The thing which is dragging stock market to the bottom. The thing which which has told people to live their lives. 

This WHO declared pandemic has caused shutdowns all over the world and India is no stranger to it. My state has declared a shutdown until March 31st i.e., 10 days from now. I have nothing to do in my home, other than watching movies and studying. So, for the last 5 days, I have been reviewing some good films and bad ones too. I crossed the 25 mark and am running towards the 50 mark. For that, I have decided that this 10 days, it is a movie marathon. I named it the Corona Virus Movie Marathon 2020. Many of the well acclaimed Hollywood films are gonna come straight to VOD this week. There are a line of Bollywood, Tollywood, Sandalwood, Mollywood films waiting to be watched. There are 3 web-series to be watched. But, this is certain that I cannot review all the films or series. Due to my studies taking half my day and me not willing to sacrifice my sleep, I can only give space for about 2 films per day and in 10 days, it would be quite difficult to cover all films. I am gonna put the watchlist of 30-40 films and series here. Make sure you comment the films you want me to watch down below. 

WATCHLIST

1. CONTAGION(AMAZON PRIME)
2. THE WOLF OF WALL STREET(AMAZON PRIME)
3. TUMBBAD(HINDI)(AMAZON PRIME)
4. KATHA SANGAMA(KANNADA)(AMAZON PRIME)
5. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON(AMAZON PRIME)
6. BLOODSHOT(VOD-MARCH 24)
7. BIRDS OF PREY AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN(VOD-MARCH 24)
8. PANGA(HINDI)(HOTSTAR)
9. ASHWATTAMA(TELUGU)(COMING SOON ON SUNNXT)
10. DISCO RAJA(TELUGU)(COMING SOON ON SUNNXT)
11. THE WAY BACK(VOD ON MARCH 24)
12. LITTLE WOMEN(NETFLIX)
13. JOJO RABBIT(VOD)
14. ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD(AMAZON PRIME)
15. SPECIAL OPS(WEB-SERIES)(HOTSTAR)
16. ASUR(WEB-SERIES)(VOOT)
17. SHE(NETFLIX)(WEB-SERIES)
18. RICHARD JEWELL(VOD)
19. ZOMBIELAND : DOUBLE TAP(AMAZON PRIME VIDEO)
20. GANTUMOOTE(KANNADA)(AMAZON PRIME VIDEO)
21. 96(TAMIL)(NETFLIX)
22. SUPER DELUXE(TAMIL)(NETFLIX)
23. AMRUTHAM DVITIYAM(WEB-SERIES)(TELUGU)(ZEE5)
24. CHHAPPAK(HINDI)(HOTSTAR)
25. PANIPAT(HINDI)(NETFLIX)
26. THE BODY(HINDI)(NETFLIX)
27. JAWAANI JAANEMAN(HINDI)(COMING SOON ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO)
28. MALLESHAM(TELUGU)(NETFLIX)
29. SPIES IN DISGUISE(VOD)(ANIMATION)
30. THE GENTLEMEN(VOD)
31. SUPERMAN RED SON(VOD)

Make sure you comment more movies so that I come to know about them. I may watch some atrocious movies like Cats just to analyse them. Grab your popcorn and enjoy this vacation with movies.

Onward (2020) Movie Review

My passion towards Animation is partly because of Pixar Animation Studios. The studio which brought us the first ever CGI animated movie i.e., TOY STORY. These guys make legendary animation with love, care and with ease. These gems include the Toy Story quadrology, Monsters Inc. series, Finding Nemo series, Cars Trilogy and their original gems such as Coco, Inside Out and many more. But, these days it has become hard to get an original movie from Pixar.The films Pixar released after Coco is Toy Story 4 and Cars 3. Now, there are back to original cinema with Onward. I had my concerns due to the director of the film who has previously made Monsters University, which is one of their weaker works. Onward is now out on VOD earlier than expected due to the coronavirus pandemic. Could Onward meet the standards of Pixar(You see, they have set a standard for themselves)? Let us see after this picture. 

Onward is a 2020 animated adventure drama starring Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Octavia Spencer among others. The story revolves around Ian and Barley who are elves and their quest to restore their father for one day as part of a spell. 

The screenplay is very good. The beginning was kind of cliched. You know the Once upon a time cliche. Then we see fantasy creatures living a normal urban life. These scenes of the movie are the most boring part of the film. But, quickly they move away from suburban life and move to pure quest. The movie builds upon step by step and in the end, our eyes get teary. Seriously, I have cried only thrice while watching this film. On two of those occasions, I was watching a Pixar film. One is Inside Out and one is this. The ending really squeezes out the brother relationship. It got the adventure and it got the emotion. The heart of the film is kept in the right place. The father character with two legs though loses its presence from time to time. The idea on paper sounded very creative but then it is quite half-baked. This story is more about the brothers. In that perspective, the screenplay is very well done. It is definitely in the middle of the Pixar's best films list but it is in upper middle(Onward >The Good Dinosaur > Brave).

The voice acting is absolutely spot-on. Tom Holland as Ian is very good. The fact that his age matched his animated character adds to the charming and very relatable performance. Chris Pratt as Barley is very good. But, he tends to go on the bass a little too much. He tried hard to make it natural but it shows on the screen that it is not so natural. Octavia Spencer is very energetic and having fun in the role given to her. As Corey, a manticore she has the best lines in the film. All the other voice artists give a very nice performance as well.

The animation is excellent. Pixar has reached to a point where each scene they animate is almost photorealistic. The creativity and passion with which they work is incredible. All the creatures in the film are different from each other and all have a unique design and different movements. The climax of the film had this dragon made with debris of a school building and that is quite brilliant. The character animation is smooth. The backgrounds are stunning. The magic effects have more colour and makes the audience feel excited.

Overall, Onward is another well made animation gem by Pixar but this time it impact is lower than expected. It has great animation and has a great ending but lacks in parts. This is definitely a great film but not as good as Toy Story or Inside Out. Grab a popcorn and enjoy this wild adventure ahead with Onward.

iMDB Rating : 7.7 / 10

My Rating : 8.5 / 10

The Invisible Man (2020) Movie Review

In an attempt to attract users of digital platforms, Universal Studios has decided to release some of its films ahead of their actual releases. These include films such as The Hunt, Emma and the movie I am reviewing today, The Invisible Man. It was a surprise hit at the box-office of the US and so I was excited and curious about how a 90 Lakhs USD budgeted film gross 122.9 million USD. Now that I've watched it, how is the film?

The Invisible Man is a 2020 Hollywood Sci-fi Horror Drama film directed by Leigh Whannell starring Elizabeth Moss, Adlis Hodge, Storm Reid among others. It is an adaptation of the H.G.Wells novel of the same name. The story revolves around Cecelia Kass and her toxic relationship with Adrian Griffin. When she escapes him, an Invisible Man starts to torture her. Can she escape this Man? Who is the Invisible Man?

The screenplay of the film is very sophisticated. The director acknowledges the fact that they do not enough budget and takes conscious and smart decisions to tell the story. The first and best of all is the minimal use of effects in the film. The film takes a realistic route of not actually showing the invisible man not like other pictures where they show the existence of him by some effects. Due to that, the scares in the film become more effective. The science fiction take on this subject is also well made and the attention to detail the director has given is very amazing. The next best thing the director did is to cast Elizabeth Moss. She is the best part of the film. She brings the emotional heft to the film as she encapsulates the effects of abuse in her perfectly. All the other actors have got simple roles to do and they execute them perfectly.

The director's vision has helped the technical crew to shine a good bit. The cinematography shines the most. The one-shot fight scene at the hospital or the scares he gave in the first act say that the cinematography has been excellent. The editing is such that is it keeps the audience edged to the seats. The word is 'tense'. The VFX as we know is minimal but it's use is effective and it does not look cheap. All other departments give good contributions to amp up the quality of the film.

Overall, The Invisible Man is very good film which punched above its weight to give us quality content. If you are in a mood to watch a good thrilling movie, then this is it. This film actually was supposed to be a part of the Universal's Dark Universe but after the disaster which is The Mummy(2017) starring Tom Cruise, this film became independent and thank god it is good. This film is available on VOD for $20. For any other countries, just torrent it.

iMDB Rating: 7.5/10

My Rating : 9/10

Rajagaaru Ranivaaru (2019) Movie Review

An end of the year release which received a lot of praise from audience and critics alike but due to the dominance of films such as Venky Mama and Mathhu Vadalara, could not rake in good numbers at the Box Office. I was really curious about this film. After watching Dia though, it was almost certain Rajagaaru Ranivaaru should do wonders to beat it. It got released in Amazon Prime Video. How did the film fare out? Let's find out.

Rajagaaru Ranivaaru is a 2019 Telugu romantic drama starring Kiran Abbavaram, Rahasya Gorak, Yazurved Gurram, Rajkumar Kasireddy, Snehamadhuri Sharma among others directed by Ravi Kiran Kola. The story revolves around Raja. He loves Rani but fails to express it. The rest of the story revolves around will he expresses his love or not. 

As I went through some of the iMDB reviews of the film, I came across the right sentence to describe the screenplay.Like a cool breeze on the face after a heavy rain. The director succeeds in bringing a feel to the film that carries throughout the film. It is a slow burn but yet engages us till the end. I guess this is the only film where a love story has no lead heroine for about 40 minutes. The 10 minutes where the heroine is seen, she never talked. That is quite amazing. The second half is very nice although the last 20 minutes seems to be stretched to meet up to the mark of 2hr. The director also has to be commended for how he has sucked the audience into the village setting. That is the major benefit for the story.

The acting in here is quite good although they lack experience. The lead hero has great acting chops. Sometimes, his eyes become expressionless but when it is required, he delivers. His perfoemance is restrained and subtle. Both him and the lead actress have little dialogue and more expressions to emote. The heroine turns out to be more successful than the lead hero. Her expressions are cute, sweet and her performance is charming. But, the meat of the film is actually the two friends Naidu and Chowdary who are right by the hero's side whenever required and provide for some key turns in the hero's life. They have got a natural comic timing especially Chowdary. Other actors deliver good acting performances in their brief appearances.

The technical aspects delivered well despite their budget constraint. Let us begin with the music first. They fit in well with the mood of the film and are soothing to listen. My favourites include the title track and the song which comes in the climax. The cinematography is beautiful. All the frames of the village is well done and how every colour just popped out is just mind-blowing. The editing is good but I do not understand why he opted to use some of the gimmicky stuff like rotating frames etc. I think they are a bit off with the setting of the film. The production design, make-up design and art department have to be commended to actually give some heart to the nature in the film.

How does this film fare in comparison to the recent digital sensation - Dia? Well, it is not recommended to compare both the films because one is a village setting and the other is an urban setting. The emotions differ but both films deliver the heart and love very well. I would want to know your opinion, Dia or Rajagaaru Ranivaaru. Post your opinion in the comments section.

Overall, Rajagaaru Ranigaaru is a well made love story in a village setting that sucks you into their world. This film is a recommendation for love story fans and people who want to support small budget Telugu cinema. Have a fun time and tune into RURS Reviews for more such reviews. 

Please follow me and make sure you check out my other reviews. I review movies of any language with subtitles whenever time permits. So, please do recommend some films for me to review. Enjoy your iso-vacation.

Deyyam (1996) Movie Review

I have stated earlier in my 25th review that RGV was a trendsetter of the our previous generation but lost his touch lately. So, when I asked my mother to recommend a classic telugu horror film, she recommended me 'Deyyam', a horror movie which actually scared the hell out of my mother's generation directed by RGV himself. I had a watch of it on Youtube. Just to mention, that I've watched countless number of horror films before in many languages. So, it would be quite difficult to scare me. Just to set the bar, a horror film for me should atleast scare me and at most the film should make me shit in my pants with its story alone. How did the film turn out to be then?

Deyyam is a 1996 Telugu horror film starring the usual faces of RGV films JD Chakravarthy and Ram Jagan with Jayasudha, Maheswari and Murali in lead roles. The storyline is a template now for all horror films now. The lead couple Sindhu and Murali shift to a new farmhouse. Ghost haunts them. A sub-plot is added where the cousin of the heroine Mahi and Narsing are in love. 

This is the 2nd horror film RGV has directed after his masterpiece 'Raathri'. This screenplay follows a template. It also follows that horror movie logics(and fails). It is not the movie's fault though. It is just that makers have used this formula until it became a rag. The farmhouse, multiple jump-scares, dark tone etc. The buildup to the film is boring. The makers were maybe not interested in this part and so the outcome. But, this film is still good because RGV had the guts to scare the hell out of people. The first thing which strikes me is how he used hands as a tool of horror. Jeez, that is unique. Next thing is the scares themselves. They are meticulously designed. Personally, I was more fascinated  than scared with the scary scenes. The climax of the film is spine-chilling. We are in desperate need of such films now as what we get now are manufactured stuff without any effort. 

The actors get things to do rather than getting roles. This applies to JD Chakravarthy and Maheswari the most. The boy looks good, speaks improvised Telengana dialogues and loves the heroine. The girl looks good, speaks Bheemavaram dialogues, shouts at ghosts and loves the hero. Murali does not even get those. He looks happy and tensed. That's it. The only exception is Jayasudha. She gets a role to do and she shines. She is scary in her ghost get-up. She is very lovely as the mother and in between as the mental patient, she gives her best. One scene actors in this film like Jeeva, Tanikella Bharani and Chidambaram are natural in their acting.

The technical aspects are mixed for me. Let's begin with the music. The songs are unnecessary but the BGM is scary. The best is the crying score in the opening credits. That is absolute gold. The cinematography is exceptional and follows the path of RGV, the theda way. The camera angles in this film are never straight and always rotating or reversed which works for the film. The editing is sharp at the least and phenomenal at best. Seriously, 1hr 40min length for a 1996 film... That is enough to say how good it is. 

Overall, Deyyam is a good horror film which will scare you even now. Although, the screenplay is dated and the first 20 minutes or so is boring, the other part of the movie is bone-chilling. It is a definite recommendation for horror movie lovers. A recommendation for RGV fans. Tune in to prime video and enjoy this treat.

iMDB Rating : 6.4/10

My Rating : 7/10

Helen (2019) Movie Review

I will always say that Malayalam cinema is the best cinema in the Indian film industry. So, I always look out out for more platinum standard content in this industry. My brother recommended Helen as loves thrillers and genres related to that. Add to that, the trailer is very interesting showing the lead stuck in a freezer. This is my second movie in other language after Dia. This has happened only for the second time after I watched Asuran, Android Kunjappan 5.25 and Kavaludhari all at once on the New Year's Eve for the first time. Does Helen rise to the standards of Malayalam cinema? Let us find out.

Helen is a 2019 Malayalam survival thriller drama starring Laal, Anna Ben, Noble Babu Thomas, Aju Varghese and others directed by Mathukutty Xavier. The story revolves around Helen Paul, a B.Sc Nursing graduate now studying for the IELTS to go to Canada. Also, she has an affair with Azhar Mohammed. In a difficult situation, Helen finds herself trapped in a freezer of about -16 to -20 degrees Celsius. Can he find her way out safely? 

The screenplay based on the Kenneka Jenkins event is excellent. The format of the screenplay i.e., 1 hour buildup and 1 hour thrills is familiar but used effectively. In the buildup, the relationship between Paul and Helen is beautifully established and it becomes the driving force of the film. The relation between Azhar and Helen is also well done and helps in the climax of the film. The last hour of the film though, take a bow. It is one of the best experiences I have ever had. It is chilling(count it as a pun also). The writers took motivations from various sources across the Internet and converted them into a riveting screenplay. The screenplay is also very realistic and so it becomes very unsettling at times as I was feeling the cool air myself. Overall, this screenplay is the best.

The acting is top notch. Laal as Helen's father pulls your heart-strings out as he delivers an emotional performance. He proves yet again why he is a legend in Malayalam cinema. Aju Varghese gets a special mention as Ratheesh Kumar. He acts as the only roadblock of this story and he delivers that grey shades with ease. Nobel Babu Thomas as Azhar is a good performer. You can feel the sheer love he possesses for Helen in every scene. But, the star performer of this film is Anna Ben as Helen. She is a wonderful performer. She plays the role of a young girl who survives in -18 degrees Celsius with utmost dedication. She is breath-taking to watch in this film. But, when you know that it is just her 2nd film and her 1st is Kumbalangi Nights which is a modern classic, you have to surrender to the future superstar. Hats-off.

The technical aspects also deserve special credit. The score by Shaan Rehman is excellent. Editing by Shameer Muhammed is sharp and on point. Cinematography by Anend C. Chandran is absolute white gold as his scenes in the freezer elevate the mood of the picture. Art department also needs to commended for the design of the freezer. Makeup department for the makeup of the frozen face has to be credited as it is very realistic. 

Overall, this film is a gem. Not in the top-tier maybe but this because of the standards of Malayalam cinema now. This film can qualify as the best film of the year if in any other industry. A rare piece of survival drama we may not get in years. So, I would recommend you to watch it and cherish this experience.

iMDB Rating: 7.7/10

My Rating: 9.5/10

Dia (2020) Movie Review

My brother is a learner of the Kannada language. I have love towards films beyond language. So, our interests came together and we searched for the best Kannada films around now. Then, we found Dia on Prime Video. The trailer was quite interesting. So, I decided to watch. Also, expect some other Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil movie reviews in the next 3-4 days. Make note that I have no exposure to spoilers for this film. How the film turned out to be. Let us find out.

Dia is a 2020 Kannada romantic drama starring Kushi, Pruthvi Amber and Deekshith in leading roles directed by K.S. Ashoka.
The story revolves around Dia Swaroop, an introvert whose routine life turns around with arrival of Rohit. But, when this story abruptly comes to an end Adi comes to Dia's life and how it changes her life for ever is the rest of the story.

The one word I would describe for this screenplay is mature despite some flaws. There are a number of clichés used in this film. The usual accident scene, the love scene, the coming back to life scene etc. The climax of the film too leaves a sour taste. It comes out of nowhere and leaves me thinking. But, these setbacks are overshadowed by its biggest strength, the heart. The relation between Dia and Rohit, Dia and Adi and Adi and his mother are so well constructed that when drastic events take place they leave you teary-eyed. The writer shows the clash of two ideologies in two lines which are "Life is full of problems and pain" and "Life is full of miracles and surprises". The film does a great job balancing this clash well and we understand it to the fullest.

The acting is very well done. Kushi as Dia is the star performer of this film. She is a heartthrob in the first 15 minutes. But, after that her acting takes over as she is given a meaty role to perform and she delivers with ease. Prudhvi Amber as Adi is very good as his ideology shows in his face and his gentle nature wants us to be friends with him. Pavithra Lokesh as Dr. Lakshmi gives a very good performance and in the end, she leaves you in tears. Deekshith as Rohit is very charming in his smaller portion. His expressions talk more than his dialogue.

The technical aspects need to be mentioned. B.Ajaneesh Loknath best known to us for his work in 'Kirik Party' gives a very well realised and soothing BGM for this film. It elevates some of the scenes in the film. The editing of the film is fast paced. We never feel the length of the film which is 2hr and 17min. The cinematography is very well done. Especially, some of the frames depicting nervousness or the nature scenes brings depth to the scene.

Overall, Dia is the best love story I've seen in a long time. Although, the ending comes out of nowhere, the heart of the film is in the right place which makes Dia a very good watch. I recommend this to hardcore love story lovers, hardcore film lovers and Kannada film lovers. Love birds can easily relate to this film.

iMDB Rating: 8.9/10

My Rating: 8.5/10 

Sonic The Hedgehog (2020) Movie Review

This film has the best drama off-screen. Let us rewind the story. A trailer dropped 2 months ago with a Sonic who is bad.This led to an outrage from fans all over the world. The team realised the situation and postponed the release of the film to work on the model. After 2 months, when the new trailer dropped, fans got satisfied and buzz got created for the film.  

I know Sonic The Hedgehog and its gaming history but I only played the Sonic Rush game on android. So, I am partially a fan. This is the perspective of the review.

 Sonic The Hedgehog is a video game adaptation of the SEGA produced film of the same name directed by Jeff Fowler starring Jim Carrey, James Marsden and Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic himself. The story revolves Sonic, a super fast, hyperactive 10 year old Hedgehog who is always in danger. He is sent to Earth by his care-taker via a ring. Due to unexpected events, he has go to another planet but he loses his rings. Can he get to the other planet with the help of the Donut Lord? You find this in the film.

The screenplay is appealing mostly to children to teenagers from ages 6-15. It is a family movie by nature and does not try to be too hard-hitting in its emotions. This light, fun-filled tone of the film is its biggest plus point. Then comes the action scenes. They are inspired from X-Men: Days of the Future Past but they cannot be considered copied because it's Sonic doing it. The friendship developed between the Donut Lord and Sonic gives the heart to this feature and it shines throughout. Other than that, it is a cliched and manufactured product building to become a film franchise that will earn big bucks. Even for that, they made it a buddy cop road trip film. Surely, they could have made something else with Sonic. Overall, it is a fun time despite the shortcomings.

The acting of the film is the main reason for the entertainment of the film. Jim Carrey is the only person on Earth who is given a gift of over the top acting which is not overacting. He brings back the days of Ace Ventura Pet Detective, The Mask again with his comedy timing. He is the best part of the film. James Marsden has got a habit of doing these kind of buddy roles. See him in Hop(The only Easter Film). Ben Schwartz does a great job voicing Sonic. He nailed the innocence and hyperactive nature of the character with ease. Other actors too give solid performances in the film to really give the film a good fun-filled feel.

The VFX team, obviously have to be credited for working overtime to get the big glitch fixed. Sonic looks and feels like the OG model and the movement of the character too is very smooth. The editing is fast paced like the main character and all other aspects are well handled. 

Imagine if the old character has been the part of the film. (Me After Imagining) OMG, that would have been horrible. The light hearted tone built up by the team would have been wasted and this film would have been a bomb. 

Finally, this film is a good video game adaptation. That is quite rare considering the pile of shit many video game movies are. It is not the best but personally it is behind Pokemon: Detective Pikachu and the Angelina Jolie Tomb Raider series for me. It has got great acting, good VFX and a light hearted tone meant for repeat viewing. I definitely recommend this film to families for some fun time in this lockdown situation. 

iMDB Rating: 6.7/10

My Rating : 7.5/10

 Films mentioned in this review other than Sonic the Hedgehog are X-Men Days of the Future Past, Hop, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask. If you want a comedy film, watch Ace Ventura and The Mask. If you wanna watch superhero stuff, watch X-Men(The whole series if u wish to). Definitely do not watch Hop. Pokemon Detective Pikachu and the Tomb Raider both are recommended to their die hard fans respectively. Also applicable to Ryan Reynolds and Angelina Jolie fans.

Amma Rajyam lo Kadapa Biddalu (2019) Movie Review - 25th Review

RGV has been one of the trendsetters in the Indian Film Industry. Some of his films are so good that my family watch them repeatedly. But, it is a thing of the past. The films he made recently are (thinking of a good bad word)....... Seriously, the director is just making what he wants and producing some shit. His focus shifted to politics now and made 2 films, Lakshmi's NTR and Kamma Rajyam lo Kadapa Reddlu .. Oh Sorry Amma Rajyam lo Kadapa Biddalu. This film caught my attention in how satirical this film has come out. The trailers did attract me a bit.

THIS REVIEW WILL BE IN A PERSPECTIVE OF NON-POLITICS GUY. I DON'T CARE HOW THEY GO BUT I HAVE A CERTAIN DISLIKE TOWARDS THE INDIAN POLITICS.

Before moving on, look at this poster

And this.

The poster is not fan-made but official. This team is creatively bankrupt. 

So, Amma Rajyam lo Kadapa Biddalu is a 2019 satirical comedy drama suspense directed by Siddharth Thatholu with assistance of Ram Gopal Varma. It revolves around the 2018 AP State elections and how it affected ex-CM. That's it. We have no need to discuss about the story because the crew do not care. The screenplay tries to satirise the AP Politicians and politics. KA Paul, PSPK, Pappu, all get the same treatment. It is actually not bad. But, after 30 minutes, the writers realise they do not have a story and they make a suspense story. Oh dear, does it become a mess. They write this story instantly. No real thought and effort is put into it. It becomes so laughably bad that it becomes one of those films which are so bad its good. Some things I like. RGV satirises himself in this movie which takes guts which I respect. The person who played KA Paul is very good in his scenes. 

The acting is one note throughout. The ex-CM maintains the serious expression. Present CM gives a tense expression. The guy who played PSPK mimics him until it gets irritating. The ones who know how to act are not given proper direction. Seriously, Ali and Brahmanandam, two of the best comedians in India get to do these shitty roles.They do not PM and his sub-ordinate. We can sum up the technical aspects in one word : sub-standard. Special mention for the music which is bbbbaaaadddd. 

I am losing patience to write this. It is such a pain in the arse to review this epic disaster. I should have read the Wikipedia page once. It read "this film is one of the epic disasters in India. Recommended not to watch this film" 

...........DO NOT EVEN DARE TO WATCH THIS FILM............

...................................   -10  /  10    .........................................

The Test: A New Era for the Australia's Team (2020) Series Review

I am a cricket fan. I don't care which team plays. Of course, this has come through generations of cricket lovers in my family and all over India. It's equivalent to football or basketball in the USA. So, when I found out about the ball tampering in Cape Town, I was agitated. I threw a negative light on this side. But, I just forgot it and followed this team. I like how ruthless they get when in prime form. So, when they announced that there will be a docu-series on this complete journey, I was excited as hell. There are documentaries on cricket which many do not talk much about. So, let's dive in immediately to find out how this series turned out to be. I made sure that my love for cricket did not push me to ignore the flaws which there are.

The Test is a 2020 cricket docu-series directed by Adrian Brown starring the Australian coach Justin Langer, atleast 25-30 Australian cricket players including David Warner and Steve Smith, some Australian legends like Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh and a list of cricket journalists and experts with our very own gem Harsha Bhogle.

So, this is the story. In March 2018, Cape Town saw one of the most shocking incident in cricket history. The infamous ball-tampering Scandal where the culprits Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft along with the vice-captain David Warner(Seriously) were banned for 2 tests by ICC and for 12 months by CA. This affected the Australian Cricket Team where they road-rolled themselves in England(0-5) in ODI's and were swept by an in-form Indian Cricket team in all formats despite having success in UAE where they beat Pakistan(1-0) in tests. Then they played Sri Lanka and boosted themselves up(2-0). But, they took real confidence when they beat India in India in a closely contested series. Then, Smith and Warner return to the side where they take a warmup with a series with Pakistan and head straight to the world cup. They lose the semifinal to England but they had their chin-up and were pretty confident. Then came the Ashes. They outperformed a World-cup winning England side to retain the ashes but it was a tough fight a the 5 match series ended at 2-2.
This thus brings the end to the series but just the beginning for the Australian cricket team to reach the same levels as their predecessors.

This complete story has been segmented into 8 episodes with each having a length of about 40-60 minutes. This series has its pluses and minuses. First, let us go with the positives. The series really taps into the individual players of the team effectively. So, now I know that Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa are best of the best mates and many more personal things about the team. Next is the cricket itself. Although, the footage is sourced the crew of this series effectively fits them to build a good sense of drama. Another thing they did a good job with is the team meetings. After watching this series, I know how the team strategy works and how the players know their strengths and weaknesses. The talk of cricket journalists and commentators like Harsha Bhogle, Isa Guha and the Australian reporters fill in to the voiceover and that is a smart decision. So, the promotion of the series as the unprecented access to the Australian Cricket Team is right. This series tells us about some universal values like handling pressure and expectations, how bad times come and we have to bounce back , team spirit and many others which is the best part.

Now, the flaws. The focus this series puts on other teams is unequal. I think if they would have some attention to teams like South Africa, Sri Lanka or Pakistan which are the 3rd level teams, it would have been a little respectful. They give a lot of attention to India which is very good but it felt a little gimmicky for me. It feels like the praise given to Virat Kohli is just to please some Indian fans. I love Virat Kohli but it is just about the series if any guy thinks I am crazy. The series could not dramatise the situation and so when those moments arrive it does not give you that kick if you understand what I mean. For a non-cricket guy, this series may not give proper introduction to cricket as this is just about a team and it's rise. This series completely ignores T20 cricket. For that you can watch Inside Edge on Amazon Prime.

Overall, this series is a definite watch for cricket fans. They will enjoy the personal feelings of the Australian Cricket Team. For non-cricket fans, it depends upon how you view it. It is definitely not a window to know about cricket-the sport. It is definitely a window to know about cricket-the emotion. So, this Corona Season where you are isolated even if you are not affected, you can tap into this series and get access to the Australian Cricket Team.

My Rating: 7.5/10

1917 (2020) Movie Review

As a part of my Hollywood movie review month, I watched 1917, released in 2020 all over the world but considered for the Oscars because it was shown at multiple film festivals. It won 3 Oscars for Best VFX, Achievement in Sound Mixing and Best Cinematography. It is now available on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K and in digital platforms. I was patiently waiting for the best time to watch it as this was my top priority movies to watch. now that I watched it, how the film turned out to be? Is this just trying to play tricks by the one shot stuff or is it the best WWI in recent times? My opinion after this title picture.

1917 is a British War drama starring George Mckay, Dean Charles Chapman in lead roles with cameo appearances by Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch and Mark Strong. It is directed by Sam Mendes. The story revolves around William Schofield and Tom Blake and how they deliver a message to Colonel Mckenzie to stop the attack they were staging on the Germans. The germans were trapping these guys and this would had led to a massacre of 1600 lives.

The plot line sounds very simple. Deliver a message from point A to point B. But, this is WWI. It's easy to travel 9 miles now but then it is the toughest task. The screenplay by Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns take advantage of it and stage some exceptional hurdles for the leads to pass and it makes the experience more thrilling and gut-wrenching to watch. As this film was shot in one single take, the screenplay had to be filtered to the maximum extent before shooting and the director has done a great job. The best part of the film though comes in its emotional parts. In the first act of the film, we see the death of Blake and Schofield is not given enough time to recover as there is a more important task ahead of him.That 10 minutes is one of the best. The best part though is the complete night episode of about 30 minutes. That is the perfect example of how this film is. The thrill, the spectacle, the emotion and the magic. OMG, This is the best I've seen in a long time.

 The main leads carry the movie with them. Of course, they had the director's support but if not for them, the connect would have missed just a bit. All the cast has performed exceptionally. I personally liked the cameo of Benedict Cumberbatch after the two main leads.

But, the real stars of the movie are its technical department. First of all, the cinematographer Roger Deakins, take a bow. He's 70 years old and he's taking some extreme challenges and succeding in them as well. This is the platinum standard for cinematography. I guess 2-3 cuts were made while in the tunnel and while the bomb blast but that too is questionable. Half of the thrill and gut-wrenching stuff is due to this. We cannot move our eye away while watching this film. Next comes the Set design and locations. They range from being absolutely gorgeous to bone-chilling in a millisecond. The meadows and cherry blossom lead to floating bodies half rotten. This is that department which got depth into this film after the screenplay. The VFX. I did not even notice it. VFX ix getting very photorealistic nowadays and it is showing. The score by Thomas Newman was very good and was hooking me in instantaneously. Finally, Sam Mendes with his amazing technical achievements has shown that storytelling has no limits.

If I had to pick a negative, it is hard but I would say that a streak of 5 minutes every 30 minutes were boring me but I completely ignored it after the next scene. So, not a big problem. Had to be extremely picky throughout for negatives.

Overall, this film is a masterpiece in its own right. It picks the essence of WWI and war in general. IT shows us that hope is the best motivation and whatever the circumstances, utmost sincerity and discipline and determination will pull us away to success. A must watch for anyone(except kids, there is a lot of violence). Please check this out. It will be quite a ride. Definitely deserves its Oscars.

iMDB Rating : 8.4/10

My Rating : 9.5/10

Gravity (2013) Movie Review

Well, when a film gets 7 Oscar wins and it is instantly available on Amazon Prime Video we immediately watch it. I was thinking of a series of Hollywood films which unexpectedly started with this film.(Also, the reviews before are just precursors). The beginning of this series is with a space film. A technical achievement as its output is in the elite league of Avatar.As a result, it was one of the best films of the year. Let us talk about this film in a second after this picture.

1. Gravity is a 2013 space thriller starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in lead roles directed by Alphanso Cuaron. This film revolves around Dr Ryan Stone and Matt Kovalski, two lone survivors of mission STS-157 and their quest to return back to Earth. But, a Russian satellite smashed into pieces poses a threat to them. Will they return back to Earth?

The story is simple but because it is a space film, it becomes complex. To say the screenplay is good is an understatement. It brings great detail, skill and determination to bring such stories to life. There is absolute greatness involved with how the buildup is done, how voices communicate the threat, how living in space in tough as hell and that feeling when you are the lone survivor and you are on Earth touching sand and feeling gravity after a long time. The screenplay is engaging and puts us in the edge of the seat. I was not able to even go to toilet when this movie was going on.

This film has 2 cast members and 4 voices. The 4 voices of Houston Mission Control, Chinese Space Station, Explorer and the Engineer are good and are apt choices for their respective roles. But, the 2 main leads are spectacular. Giving a good acting performance is one thing, but wearing the space costume and putting themselves in a zero gravity environment is not actually possible for many actors. Sandra Bullock in particular is in her own league as her performance is lasting and real. George Clooney is great too bringing a light feel to an almost unsurvivable situation. He is the most experienced and the actor's experience too shines.

This film is an achievement in how realistic space could be. The space is the main part of the film and if it failed, the film would have become a joke. The Oscar wins mainly come from these departments. The score of this film is absolutely engaging and riveting. I actually thought this score in one of my favourite scores of all time. The editing of the film is sharp as hell. It's cut of exactly 90 minutes sounds fishy but actually it is very sufficient and immersive. The cinematography of the film is solid and the angles the cinematographer shows in this film are unseen and in a space film, the visuals are the most important thing and he delivers. Speaking of visuals, the VFX. It is the best part of the film. It's use is very unnoticeable. They show the Earth, a Satellite, 2 space stations and 2 escape pods. All of them are rendered to perfection and the best part the use of practical effects. The set design, costume design are made to perfection. The director of this has worked for years to make this film and his clear vision shows in the film.

Overall, this film is an experience we may not get anytime soon. Watch this film in IMAX 4K or UHD or 2K at least. 24 crafts with the best vision always give the best output and so, the 7 Oscars and the many accolades. I recommend this film to everybody. Enjoy this film.

iMDB Rating:7.7/10(Some say this film is overrated)

My Rating: 9/10(The story is simple)

Tanhaji The Unsung Warrior (2020) Movie Review

The first release of 2020. Collections of over 270 CR Rupees. Tanhaji has been minting money in a run of almost 50 days. Now, it got a digital release in Hotstar and I watched it. This film review will be from a perspective of a neutral. I have no roots of Maharastra. I know nothing about Shivaji Raje. So, I tried to gain knowledge and keep my opinions aside to judge this film as a historical drama action film. So, how this film turned out to be? Let's find out.

Tanhaji The Unsung Warrior is a 2020 historical drama action film starring Ajay Devgn in his 100th film, Kajol, Saif Ali Khan in a negative role and a plethora of acting talent. The film revolves around Subhedar Tanhaji Malusare and how he keeps his son's wedding aside to save their pride, The Kondhana fort. 

This story is simple. Therefore, the director takes advantage of it and makes a well thought out screenplay. Like, there are some iconic moments in the making in this film. The director was never too indulgent in his world. That shows in the world building. He basically shows the skeleton of this world and builds some skin around it. The director stages an action film with this world after the building. This is the best part of the film. The strategies they thought are some creative strategies. I really like the dialogues of the film too. They are very powerful and motivating. The usage of Marathi adds to the mood of the film. Overall, the film has a very good screenplay.

The acting is very solid. Ajay Devgn gives a good performance. Restrained and calm, the actor drives the film with him. Kajol in her 4-5 scenes delivers a powerful performance proving women are always the reason for their or other's win. Saif Ali Khan gives a menacing performance. His beats are inspired from Allauddin Khilji of Padmaavat but his performance is original in his own way. Sharad Kelkar as Shivaji Raje is excellent. He looks and feels the role and as per my knowledge this is the perfect portrayal. His scenes with Tanhaji work well. Neha Sharma, Padmavati Rao, and others give good performances as well.

This film is more a technical achievement than its acting. The VFX team has to be lauded. Except for 3-4 shots, the VFX has been top quality in this film. The cinematography is very good. His contributions are well found in the climax and the one shot battle sequences. The editing is top notch. A sharp cut of 2 hours is a miracle for a historical drama which attracted the masses. The art work, costume design, make-up work together in tandem to create a very good world. The music and BGM is great. The Ra-Ra-Ra BGM is still running in my head. The songs are hummable while fitting well in the film. 

The only negative I find in the film is that the film does not explore the other side much. It is actually a positive for the film because it has a clear direction. But, the exploration could have brought some meat to the film and made this film from good to great. There is almost worship of a person which is questionable for me at-least. 

Overall, this film is a great watch and as an action film, it serves its purpose. As a historical drama, it could have improved with a little depth but it is solid in its own right. Enjoy this ride.

iMDB Rating: 8.4/10

My Rating: 8/10

Mana Oori Ramayana (2016) Movie Review

Mana Oori Ramayana or Idolle Ramayana is a 2016 Telugu-Kannada bilingual film written, produced and directed by Prakash Raj. It is a remake of the 2012 Malayalam film Shutter directed by Joy Matthew who also wrote Mana Oori Ramanayam. This film is now available on Prime Video after 4 years of its release. This movie is a disaster at the box office due to less promotion and lukewarm reception. I did know that the film was releasing but yeah, did not see it. Now that I watched it, how is the film?

At the time the film released, the Telugu industry was in a dry period to say the least with flops every week. It may be a factor for the disastrous collections of the film. But, this film is actually a solid entertainer. If this film released now and clicked with the audiences, it would have been a great hit. Anyways, this film stars Prakash Raj, Priyamani, Raghubabu, Prudhvi, Satyadev in lead roles. It revolves around Bhujangaiah and how a lady changed his life.

The mood of the TFI was filled with good and simple stories along with commercial elements. Audiences were enjoying the emotions and fun. But, the type of story and screenplay, the audience was not ready for. The writing by Prakash Raj is excellent. Every detail is well thought out and intricately placed. It's reference notes to the Ramayana is very nice. It is also very tight and engaging despite its slow pace. It pulls you in the film. Small twists are added into the film but they are quite predictable. The middle portion of the film is the best part of the film. The discussion it makes about friends and honour is the thing to learn from this film.  But, the film is quite light and with the story in hand, they could have intensified some scenes. Altogether, the film is quite nice.

But, even better is the acting. Satyadev in the beginnings of his career has been given a meaty role and he delivers big. Raghubabu, Prudhvi give great performances. We see another side of both these actors who are just subjected to doing comedy roles in many films. Prakash Raj shows his experience and class to the role of Bhujangaiah. But, by far the best performance of the film is from Priyamani. He lived the role. Her scenes with Prakash Raj work so well. She definitely deserves another national award for this film.

The technical aspects of the film are very good like the captain. The cinematography brings the village like environment alive. The editing is phenomenal. The runtime of 1hr 48min is unheard of in recent times. Also, this film is void of any songs. But, Maestro Ilayaraaja's BGM brings the essence of Ramayana into the film. The artwork in the film also have to be commended for the same cause.
The colours of the temple and the grit of the shutter are well pictured.

Overall, this film is a very good watch. I definitely recommend you to check this out. A great direction and writing along with some beautiful performances and an engaging screenplay return an heartwarming watch although improvement can be done.

iMDB  Rating: 7.5/10

My Rating: 8/10

Sakhi (2000) Movie Review

20 years back in the beginning of the new millennial, a new actor made his debut with his dream director. That movie was a blockbuster and was a trendsetter in Tamil and Telugu cinema. It remained one of the best for a generation of people. That film is Sakhi. The actor is Madhavan. The director is Mani Ratnam. I watched this film just now. Does the film fare well or does it get dated? Lets find out.

 Sakhi is a 2000 romantic drama starring Madhavan and Shalini in lead roles directed by none other than the legendary Mani Ratnam. The story revolves around Karthik and Shanti, two modern(in 2000's) individuals divided by class but united by love. They fall in love and get married. But, they start struggling and quarrel while trying to sustain their relationship. Finally, a tragic incident unites them forever. If you haven't watched the film, watch it right away.

Expecting many would have watched this since it is a 20 year old film, I am moving to spoiler territory from now. The film tackles a subject which is eternal. The concept of love and how it is very difficult to sustain a relationship. Mani Ratnam after his film Dil Se makes an urban, new, fresh and feel good film for the 2000's. The screenplay has a good flow and we never feel the length of the film which is 2 hours and 23 minutes(long for today's standards). If the 2 hours of the film is good, the other 23 minutes is awesome as hell. The guest appearances of Arvind Swamy and Khushboo are a surprise anyways but their roles are good that their 10 minutes of screentime is also very valuable. The tension builded for about the film about the missing heroine is fleshed out in this segment which is damn good. Overall, the story and screenplay is a complete wonder. Also, I guess it is one of the earlier films to attempt a non linear screenplay and the director maintained good clarity and it shows in the film.

The ensemble cast is absolutely mindblowing. R. Madhavan's acting is phenomenal even if we do not consider that it is his debut film. Consider that and it is one of the best debuts of Indian cinema. Of course, he is a successful actor in almost all south languages. Shalini in her last role gives a great performance balancing the youthfulness of the younger sister and the confusion of a struggling wife. Jayasudha gets little screentime than the two leads but she shines as the loving mother who goes through tough times. Swarnamalya, Vivek, K.P.A.C Lalitha, Karthik Kumar, V.Natarajan,Azhagam Perumal all shine in the smaller moments they get. Arvind Swamy and Khusboo give some good performances even though it is their guest apperance.

Sakhi is incomplete without its music by A.R.Rahman. Each song is so timeless that it a 17 year old teenager's staple and I am younger than this film, you understand it. From Pachchadanamey to Snehituda, from September Maasam to Kalalai Poyenu, from Yede Yededey to Kailove Chedugudu, all songs are complex, soothing and moving all at the same time. Believe it or not, this film was a debut for Clinton Cerejo. A break for S.P. Charan, son of S.P. Balasubrahmanyam. A.R. Rahman you beauty.

Editing by Srikar Prasad is great in fact all technical aspects shine. The cinematography by P.C.Sreeram is excellent especially his work in Pachchandanamey has to be appreciated. The colours were popping in this song based on colours. Lyrics by Veturi Sundarammurthy is very good. It was his lyrics that inspired the famous song Pachchandanamey. That is quite an achievement.

Overall, this film is a masterpiece with its great acting, great story and screenplay, fantastic music and a great time. This film is available in youtube. It also has a hindi remake named Saathiya starring Vivek Oberoi and Rani Mukherji. You can watch it too as it is a shot for shot remake. It is a recommendation for each and everybody. If I have to dig for any negatives, maybe the film has gotten a little dated with few scenes in between the movie but that is nothing. 

iMDB Rating: 8.3/10

My Rating: 9.5/10