chandanshivaramu

IMDb member since November 2011
    Lifetime Total
    50+
    IMDb Member
    12 years

Reviews

Ad Astra
(2019)

One of the best space thrillers that are realistic and emotional.
OK. Let's not compare it to the idiosyncrasies of interstellar or the sheer genius directed gravity but to the other space flicks out there.

It 8s one of the best space experiences, the emotional journey not overly dramatic of the hyper overacting MM nor is driven by the brilliance of the director. It's a space journey revealing in the end as one of the life's solved mystery when a genius becomes a traitor for reasons which are questionable.

Brad Pitt is more realistic than those other 2 masterpieces. It is grounded. And it is very real I mean the story. No exaggerations no silly things. Bare knuckle fury ww2 in space.

Archive 81
(2022)

Terrifying and unique!
What I liked : almost everything and everyone. It just builds on a suspenseful story into a hauntingly eerie chain of events... almost makes you linger on each episodes even after you have watched and gone for sleep or dinner.

It just made me glued to my couch for atleast 2 days and no other TV shows or movies in between the start and finish.

The only gripe is that the antagonist some how turned less creepy in the end due to subsequent change in the priorities of the lead pair and toning down of scary moments.

The finale nicely sets us up for another couple of seasons!

What could be improved in the sequel seasons : characterization improvements of villains and keeping up the terror quotient and blasting us through the roof in climax 😉.

The Witcher
(2019)

Falls mighty short of huge expectations.
After the season 1, I really longed for more mature and serious adventure of ciri and geralt to coast through dangers and tackle the villains with some good action trauma and romance.

Instead we are taken through more diluted story line.. Absolute disregard for yennifer, triss, elves and more importantly the villain.

Cahir was someone so mysterious and grande in season 1 and this season didn't have such a worthy opponent to the trioka was the biggest weakness. Also the tree like monster and the ones that come out of finale are laughable to say the least.

Overall a pale version of the previous season.

Stranger Things
(2016)

Well. If you like Thrillers and scifi and classic 80s thus is it.
For me, this tv show is everything I dream off.. Edge of my couch thriller, classic 80s and goofy characters and the suspense and mystery quotient... You will never be disappointed.. Especially me 😉

Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey
(2018)

Heart wrenching and yet relieving to see the brave child beating the odds.
I've seen many serial killer flicks both fictional and based on real life.

I rate this one the best because of the unique and blessed lead actress who nails this gritty drama head on with such sheer maturity.

And also for the fact that this one is a real life story.

Hats off to the brilliant lead actress and the real life Lisa.

Mare of Easttown
(2021)

Calm before the storm, Kate and the whole cast cast a spell on us.
It's a familiar bomb at the end of episode 2.

But, these 2 episodes have been one of the best in your face gritty real story arc.. Almost every cast member does a commendable job here.. Kate is as real as she gets... After ammonite this is her true best (and the reader of course).

A smouldering and sensational thread is developing in this murder mystery sleepy town tv show.

Leonardo
(2021)

Hurriedly done. Not upto the mark.
All you have is a great lead cast. Rest is patched up. None of the episode is gripping, poor character study, aidan is also not that great as he was in poldark.

A very mediocre show with shallow storytelling.

Come True
(2020)

Can't sleep anymore after watching this slow burner.
Subtle, eerie and mystical. This psycho sleepy dreamy thriller grips you from the start and never let you off the tension. This is partly due to the enigmatic charm of the lead actress who dazzled us in the killing tv show season 3. I couldn't understand the ending though but again it looks very familiar to Tim Robbins yester years classic flick..

Equinox
(2020)

Great start gone horribly wrong in the finale.
Kudos to Danish production and direction, this tv show was more intriguing than dark or strangers in first episodes.. But it gets rudderless and muddy and finally it all gets blown up on its face. People are saying season 2 is unnecessary. I say there has to be more than 1 more season to fully justify the convoluted and spineless ending and fix it in them. Some characters are so powerless and remote controlled, I wonder how this original story /novel like. Overall I'm totally disappointed with the finished product.

Tenet
(2020)

Worst music + bland storytelling + torturing climax
I think this is the worst Nolan movie I have ever seen since memento and insomnia. Yes time travelling theory looks enticing but he has taken viewers for a rough ride and it's more than over the top of everything... Wasted enough production set just to prove a point. Why do you have to twist your arms and eat when you have athe plate in front of you and your arms are alright. I'd say audaciously atrocious. Washington, Debecki and Pattinson shine but Branman steals the show! Inception was super brilliantly executed but this falls short in every act. Nolan needs to get his act straight.

Rubicon
(2010)

Spectacularly subtle and intriguing.
I've just completed 3 episodes but I can't stop thinking how measured and thought provoking each scene and each frame this rich and complex tv show brings to the table. James successfully doing an u turn here from all those typical action flicks... He quite aces the whole proceedings. My review is a bit abrupt.. Will come back once I complete watching the series!

Carnival Row
(2019)

Fantastic Fantasy Thriller show with steady dose of excitement in every episode!
There have been many many fantasy flicks n TV shows out there. But, I find this utterly original, top class production values, great acting, gorgeous cast and some complex story. The only gripe is.. Except for lead characters, others don't have much depth. I foresee atleast couple of seasons more given how tight they have squeezed the current narrative. Whodunit mystery was truly a mystery for me till the last episode. The special effects, the makeup, the visuals, the locales are so beautiful! True binge worthy show IMO.

Chasing Coral
(2017)

Reality kills you. This show is a true eye opener!
Destruction of Corals due to climate change is breathtakingly presented in this painstakingly told TV show. This is one of a kind reality show which moves any sane human being. Accidentally found this on Netflix. My best TV show (90 minutes) till date!

Altered Carbon
(2018)

Season 2 : Objective is to ridicule the season 1's success.
I don't understand why these franchise hungry producers bungle every one of promising, unique TV shows with a bunch of rehashed, remixed plot in their 2nd seasons. Altered Carbon is no different. Starting with a dead cast, story, action and production... It is a C class, boring show with no real suspense, seriousness, passion or mystery. Westworld took more time to it's doom. But, this is 'dead on arrival'. But I'd still like you to watch it to gauge how the season 1 was so terrific and ground breaking.

Chambers
(2019)

Chilling and Imaginative Storyline. Brooding direction and beautiful starcast.
Perfect summer 2019 binge show for horror and thriller fans. It's got an ingenious and highly imaginative storyline making your heart jump at the very thought of it. Lead gal Sasha looks ultra normal but acts super confident. Nancy looks little jaded and rusty. Ben is okay. I felt the end result is not that scary as the show runner is not actually unraveling the mysterious sect and its primary purpose here but slightly indulging more of the lead character who turns out to be a C grade detective IMO. The series starts slow but the mid episodes pickup breezy pace. Many questions about the entity and the original conduit and Becky are left unexplained. Looks like more in the offing in the next season!

Uri: The Surgical Strike
(2019)

Quite simply the best Indian movie on counter-terrorism
Brisk pace of the story, electric star cast, taut n intelligent direction, crisp cinematography and some innovative ideas make this the best movie on Indian Counter-terrorism. Also hats off to the foreign stunt/action lead as does complete justice to the edge of the seat action scenes. Vicky Kaushal is the racing pulse of the movie and he stands and delivers. Jai Hind.

Poldark
(2015)

Beautiful portrayal of human values. Spectacular cinematography
I have rarely given a 10/10 rating to any flick/series. This one scores a perfect concoction of beautiful and talented acting, brooding story, surreal locales, author backed story and its nuances. Aidan Turner steals the show in this epic period drama ably supported by Eleanor. Demelza is fiesty, wild and free spirited. Viewers will get impacted by some raw emotions here as the actors really ignite passion and sorrow simultaneously to make us shed tears.. I binge watched first 2 seasons... It was just sheer luck having gotten hold of this show thanks to the movie "the man who killed Hitler and the Bigfoot". I never knew Aidan before this flick..!

The Punisher
(2017)

Good action. Fake emotions. A b grade TV show loaded with flaws.
You have to watch this show only for the charisma and chutzpah of Frank Castle. The story development of others are either flat or wasted. Adding wooden and dud Mr. Barnes is an absolute shot in the foot scenario. He is a massive letdown be it portraying deviousness, raw emotions, rage.... All plasticky and synthetic.. You may never get the feel of watching a true nemesis in both seasons. Rawlins and pilgrim could have been better and almost fill the void created by the supreme weakness of Billy. All the love making scenes are with Billy mostly.. They fail to invoke any curiosity or thrills or excitement. Fight scenes are good especially with punisher and pilgrim in apartment scene. Another blatant weakness is the illogic, lazy and almost post processing operations of NYPD Mahoney. No sense of urgency, cleverness or a hint of smartness. Home land security Madina dunno how to lay punches or fight or catch the enemy. Every time she confronts Billy she goes numb. When Billy and Doctor are making out in her flat, almost no one suspects... What a joke from the 2 elite police forces. On the flip side Georgina impresses us in season 2. Unfortunately she doesn't have a strong origin story... But she lits up the screen entirely.. And the dumb doctor who acts smart and loves Billy... Almost comical... All her interactions with him are watery and plasticky. The show runners obviously wanted to follow the path of daredevil S3 but don't do justice as they simply don't have the character of the calibre of Kingpin. Given the amounts of twists and turns in the last few episodes, punisher comes out of a mildly satisfying TV show. And the major back story of the larger agenda concocted by the god fearing political and church going elderly couple looks rather vague and sketchy and too far fetched to say the least. If not for the subdued and superlative performance of Mr Bernthal, the show would have been an absolute disaster!

Frontier
(2016)

Savagely entertaining.
Frontier is a breezy tussle in the New World. It is highly entertaining and visually stunning on 4K! Some folks have rated poorly for this show i reckon they are looking for facts, historical accuracy and other trvia but not pure unadulterated entertainment which this tv show provides. Restrained romance, raw emotion, pride, empathy, greed, the power of british empire and the inevitable destruction of natives are all superbly presented. The cast is gorgeous headed by the 3 lead actors; Declan, Grace and Michael. I completed 3 seasons in a week savouring every moment. The title song and visuals are great but seem to be truncated for whatever reason. It just flashes and vanishes in less than 15 seconds. Hats off to producers, Jason and Discovery Canada for providing us this fantastic piece of TV Show.

Medal of Honor
(2018)

Gritty, pure, unadulterated real life heroes in action.
The range of protagonists is just awesome. Clearly told, no exaggerations, no filmy moments, pure real emotions. Thoroughly enjoyable and as brilliant as the Band of Brothers in execution.

Daredevil
(2015)

Season 3 is a smashing introspective blockbuster.
First of all I havent completed watching season 3 and just in the middle of episode 9. Just to say this season is at its prime giving every chills and thrills to the viewers. Standout performer has to be the new entrant and her sad story arc.. So painstakingly constructed the character buildup.. Im completely blown over by the story telling and the impactful performances. I'd say Daredevil is the modern TV show at its very best even rivalling any similar legendary feature movies ever. The biggest takeaway is how people lose their humanness when dealing with life without their parents and without right guidance, how will they thrive, live, or carried away by powerful elements good or bad. All deftly shown in this emotional gut wrenching superhero super show! Kudos to the makers!

La forêt
(2017)

Suspense elements are absurdly suppressed in this botched script.
Great potential. Some of the lead actor's character developments are zero. A veteran policewoman acting sloppy all the time and even throwing up at the sight of naked dead woman in the forest. Not the hallmark of a decent series. The plot makers never fully explore the mysterious drawings and the life of abandoned protagonist when she was estranged from her mom. When a serial murderer is on the prowl, the girls dont even think they are next and continue doing shady things... Silly and utterly unrealistic. Another big loophole is how memory is handled in human minds.. So many allegories but none impactful or shocking. Its a disjointed effort for a superior story.. I wish David Fincher was one of the executive producers of this gem..

Karppi
(2018)

Very laidback and amateurish. Good production values.
Good cast. Good story. Great visuals on bleak, arresting finnish backdrop. Greatly let down by the pacing of the story and lame direction. Could have been a great suspense thriller. Appreciated the usage of tech gadgets everywhere!

Jack Ryan
(2018)

Wooden faced John doesnt enhance this good b-grade thriller tv series.
Firstly, production values of this tv-series is top class. Ali Suliman is top class along with his on-screen wife. This Jack Ryan is devoid of any emotions, absolutely drab, unfit to be the agile, nimble Jack Ryan doesn't do enough justice to the weight of the series. Almost all the climax scenes of all episodes are utterly predictable and they are heavily favored towards the success of CIA.. Abbie Cornish has become super chubby and all her emotions are lost inside her super sized cheeks and for a hotshot doctor she looks like a old aged medical practitioner. Jim Greer looks cynical and tries hard to act smart and snobbish. His screen presence doesn't lend CIA authority but more of a mafia boss. And, he is utterly foul mouthed ooozing f word in every sentence of his which is uncharacteristic of a high ranked CIA official. I'm quite disappointed with the narration and lame endings. With a better cast and aggressive story this series could have been as great as Looming Tower if not better. On a final note, Ramin Djawadi fails to impress in the music department as he lifts some of his GoT tunes and end up being monotonous and dull.

The Titan
(2018)

Those looking for some action in the land of Titan please refrain from watching this dud.
This movie is not about the following: 1. space travel 2. life in titan moon 3. action on the titan However it's just about side effects of human DNA tampering without doing enough research by some cynical frowning research scientist. The movie is truly fitting that is produced by a movie rental company devoid of any interesting sci-fi production values. There are too many plot holes and silly setups which are utterly unconvincing kills of the intent of the storyline. Just wasted.

See all reviews