suhasbaliga

The underlying premise is strong - many important and timeless themes are touched upon. Immortality, consciousness, attachment - this could have been a movie that fused a meaningful action sci fi with deeper questions of life, relationships and existence.

What you will end up going through is an unnecessarily prolonged emotional drama, that is out of place in the dystopian world it inhabits and divorced from the underlying premise.

The CGI is good in parts but disappointing where it matters. Performances are so-so and the editing could have been slicker.

Though some of the over the top storylines and context are typical to South Korean action dramas, it is rare for South Korean films to have a story this week on a good budget.

All in all - watch only if you have absolutely nothing else to.

Watchable if you are a fan of Victorian whodunnits with a dash of the Hitchcock.

Though inspitedy, stands on its own as a work of cinema. Cliched story line with a few twists. Keeps you entertained even if the plot is full of holes.

Counter to expectations, the story, direction, sets and production values are great but unfortunately, Craig is a let down. The film would have done better with a stronger screen presence of the central character. Marta too, is underwhelming.

If you just watch Hollywood in the Xmas season this might make it to your list. There are just so many great movies being produced out there today, this one is just one of them.

That being said, I enjoyed it late on a weekday night. It is passable in a good way.

A movie which brings out cinema for the art that it is.

Powerful characters, themes and a stunning setting. Strong performances, exceptional story, complex characters. Haunting soundtrack. Dash of humour, existentialism, yet soft at the core.

There are not many ways to describe great cinematic experiences, except in hyperbole.

Appan is a film that is made in the picturesque cultural heart of Kerala but tells a timeless story, in the manner of a Shakespearean tragedy. A tragic comedy, if you will.

The direction, visuals, script and camera work are understated yet powerful.

Not too many movies like this - makes it that much more important to indulge. Don't miss.

One of those - As formulaic as it gets, but fun to watch.

Throwback to super America movies of the 90s with action anti-hero, stylish shots, overdose of moral tropes, characters with cliched back stories.

What's not to love?

Watch it, enjoy a late afternoon or evening over a glass of whisky and feel free to miss things when you have to refill or pee.

Tom Cruise looks and acts as great as ever. Jamie Foxx is exceptional. The Latino, soundtracks and LA influences are a positive. Mark Ruffalo is underused.

All in all - not bad at all, not world changing, iconic or exceptional. But movies weren't always supposed to. They are meant to be fun, light and yet - cinema. On this, Collateral does the work.

Producers/directors have created an interesting comic book style action universe that feels so much better due to the great acting, that smooths out a sub-par script with over the top sequences.

Right on top, scoring the best is the great music - soundtracks and high energy bass, blending well with the stylish movie that it is.

Definitely recommend one watch, if not more. Interested in sequels, the story carries potential.

Will it break from being just another vigilante-revenge-action hero? Not in this one, but if it doesn't in the next one - it would be a disservice to the ambition of the project.

Vikram can also be counted among the Indian movies this year that give Marvel/DC style movie making a run for their money.

Western to warm your heart. Good performances and great cinematography. Brings out the Rajasthan deserts and makes a badlands revenge story work. The story is a bit too gory and unspectacular, made up by good direction, dialogue brevity and action.

If you are a fan of crime, drama and art coming together, appreciate the gift of a good script and storytelling. If you like a novel. If you love great performances.

Don't miss this.

Plot and writing is weak. Performances are so so, except by Freeman who truly towers in his role as a forensic psychologist. If you like the genre, its not a bad watch.

One of Dhanush's good performances, though there are better. The runtime is a little too long for the story, a classic revenge story twice over could have been edited more concisely.

That being said, the film is in large parts watchable with super-hero style action bordering on surreal, yet exploring how societies allow differences to boil over. There is considerable social commentary on caste, class and government structures, themes that are universal, yet the rural Tamil setting is caricatured in a way that takes the viewer close to the heart of these story.

Worth a watch - absolutely!

This is my first 10/10 review for a movie. I will not say more except be prepared to experience cinema at its finest, an epic that will refuse to let you go.

An intense, witty masterpiece that will leave you smiling.

Leaving aside the civil justice warrior biography template that's slightly overdone in Hollywood - this film works on every other front. The acting is exceptional, the script and storylines well selected.

For a biography, enough shades of grey though there could have been more, the story is an important one. The direction and editing also deserves a mention. The character of Sam is very well created/portrayed and despite the high brow thrill of courtroom drama, it brings home truths and lies close to reality.

If not for anything, it is a story of America, its history and its values told from the perspective of one phenomenal man's fight along the way. Watch it for the story if not anything else!

To the very end, this film takes you on a winding road pushing you to the edge of the seat. But you can't stop seeing the story unfold, the wreck of circumstances, powerful character portrayals.

The acting is down to earth yet stands on its own, the locales and camera walk with you as you wonder where this dark sad tale will take you next. Many unexpected places, some that speak to the bigger questions that confront us, as a society, a democracy or as professionals. At a certain point, you don't know whether to be impressed by how sharp the thriller is or whether to be carried away by the existential questions is poses, about life and the meaning of love, honesty, truth, betryaal, bureacracy, professionalism and dedication.

Subtle reminders of Kafka's Trial. Don't miss.

This is one of those movies that reminds you how great cinema can be in exploring the human condition.

Multi-dimensional and multi-generational, a timeless tale that asks the most important questions. All this while not taking itself more seriously than it should, and providing complete entertainment.

Did not expect to be this impressed, and would like to see this on more all-time lists.

The sequel transforms the original into something better, it plays on a higher scale. Tour de force! Don't miss.

Too many things wrong with the movie and plot, don't know where to start.

Incompetent gangsters, a stupid mob boss, unlikeable protagonist, amoral premise and a plot that is unbelievable in most parts and ludicrous in some.

Given the stars who signed up, a waste of good talent and a waste of everyone else's viewing time.

A mix of drama and sci fi, the series is fresh, gripping and watchable. I watched the whole thing at one go, it doesn't lack in entertainment.

Also, great background score and interesting post apolayptic take. However, there are glaring plot holes everywhere if you look for them, from the absurd to absolute. For a sci fi, that can be a turn off. Whole cities with power grids on, and usable operation theatres in the world that the show creates, is quite a stretch. That being said, the show does make a reasonable attempt of capturing a diverse European cast with some amount of character written in that keeps the story going.

If you want to binge watch, it isn't a bad option given the dearth of engaging TV in this genre,but don't take the show too seriously, and you should enjoy it.

Let's start with whats good:

A bit of the action, and a seemingly one take shot but that's about it. A bit of Chris Hemsworth, though maybe still pretty average.

Bad, quite a lot.

1. Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi, great actors wasted. 2. Story line is completely not believable. Bangladesh is far from a yellow anarchic apocalypse zone with a failed state. Much white saviour stuff that was unnecessary in a mercenary story. Plot was nonsensical - for instance, why would an Indian mafia guy hire a non Bengali to infiltrate Bangladesh. 3. Much of the action was barely believable, and the climax didn't come together well enough to be believable. 4. Why was Bangladesh yellow? 5. Not too many great performances.

Summary: Avoid, even if it's just on your Netflix subscription, there are too many good movies out there to waste your time with this.

The movie deserves much more success and following than it has. One of the lesser known projects by Anurag Kashyap but unlike his other movies - with a headline cast, music and a love story! Imagine, Martin Scorsese making a love story, yet with his stamp written all over it. Let's move to the review:

First the cons (this is very difficult since the film is stunning!):

(a) Length perhaps? No, I give up. Have no idea what moments could have been cut down. So tightly directed!

Pros:

(a) super script, great direction, tightly edited, completely engrosses you. Every scene was important, and every character complex, realistic and well crafted. (b) background track, lyrics, dialogues are poetic and infuse intensity. The locale - Punjab and Kashmir, the culture, the social mileu is the canvas on which this film is pained. Silences are as powerful as the noise. (c) on the performances, Tapsee and Vicky are as good as ever, shape shifters as they are and playing complex characters. The biggest surprise is Abhishek Bacchan who outperforms himself and channels some of the skills his father is known for! The acting cannot be faulted. (d) common to many AK movies, there are Shakespearean influences (the twins, characters who deteriorate or change, fundamental human dilemmas, rich in existential questions). (e) making a love story from a centuries old tale that grips you like this is in itself an experience. Exploring, love, lust, sex, heartbreak, commitment in this manner is quite something. With the exceptional music and song writing that ties into the movie, have the subtitles on!

Go and watch this movie! This is my third review on IMDb and i dont rate movies this highly often!

Immensely enjoyable and satisfying. Here is the review.

First the cons:

(a) the first episode is extremely weak and may throw off many, or make you impatient. Soldiers through it, subsequent episodes will make up. (b) the animation thought very artfully done, could have been better especially the level of detail and quality of backgrounds. (c) there can be many views on the way series 1 ends, i would have liked it to resolve the series better. (d) bob odenkirk's brilliance could have been used better, but this is only a minor criticism. (e) thought the story and script are intelligent, the dialogue writing could have been better.

Now to the pros:

(a) stunning script and storyline, explores multiple themes such as traditions, mental health, spirituality, science, time travel, philosophical and life dilemmas with elan. (b) strong characters, great performances; (c) the medium is innovative and there is so much beautiful art work, its a joy to watch and experience. (e) episode 2 onward, very entertaining, engrossing and satisfying. (f) background and music score, visual effects, transitions are top notch.

The quality of the show and throwback to comics/anime is reminiscent of some great Japanese art work/anime shows and the metaphorical/magical storyline is impressive for a Western production.

Highly recommend, you will thoroughly enjoy it.

Let's list the good things first:

(a) having never been experienced anything Iceland, it was new and helped discover the country/culture though there might be other things out there that do the same. (b) the series keeps you hooked, its not boring and moves through the story fast, sometimes too fast. (c) the lead actors are passable, though the performances aren't powerful.

Now coming to why the show was disappointing: (a) poor script that builds up well initially but loses control in the second half. The resolution of the story lines is too fantastic to be believable, and in hindsight too many plot holes and things that don't resolve logically. In fact, as many have pointed out, the central premise of the investigation wasn't resolved intelligently. (b) since it's a police procedural, you would expect basic research on how police and court systems work and as a lawyer, I know some things don't vary much across the world, in terms of how institutions work and drive accountability. The writers seem to display serious gaps in their understanding of basic police, forensic and court procedures/practices. (c) the genre shift is nonsensical. The show starts off as a serious slow burn police procedural and towards the last 3 episodes turns into action pulp fiction. (d) character building is weak and immature, the lead characters could have been explored better. Background stories seem to have been patchily included without much context or resolution. The viewer is left hanging. (e) if this is a set up for a second season, it doesnt work well and i am not intrigued enough to watch it because the last few episodes insulted the intelligence so i am not inquisitive anymore. (f) even if you are entertained for the 8 hours you spend on this, it will leave you high and dry at the end.

Watch only if you have run out of shows rated 5+ on IMDb thought the high ratings on this show seems to be undeserved.