The Grand Budapest Hotel review

FITZPLEASURE

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

The Grand Budapest Hotel is the most Wes Anderson movie Wes Anderson has ever made. It’s his most idiosyncratic film yet and also the second slam-dunk at the peak of his career. The niche he carved for himself is expanding as the carvings become more defined and distinctive. If you look at one frame from his films, you can recognize who made it. With his new film, you can see the same frame blurred out and still recognize it is from a Wes Anderson movie.

Begin Again review

LOST STARS TRYING TO LIGHT UP THE DARK

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

“There’s a lot you can tell about a person through their playlist”.

Dan (Mark Ruffalo) says this to Gretta (Keira Knightley) in one of this film’s most and many wonderful scenes. They use a headphone splitter and discover her personality 3/4^th into the film. I knew she would love Frank Sinatra and Stevie Wonder. I don’t know how but she is that kind of person. Maybe because she had already name-dropped Bob Dylan and Randy Newman. Dan thinks she should be like Norah Jones. There is a connection between these singers, which I will get to later. If you’ve ever used a headphone splitter or love sharing one headphone with someone, chances are you will love this movie.

The Fault In Our Stars review

ALL OF THE STARS

Rating: 8 out of 10

The Fault In Our Stars is a truly romantic film. They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. It’s been ages since we had one of these simple romances about two human beings. Love stories where people talk about *something* and not just speak in the language of sweet-nothings. For a film like this to work, it constantly keeps a check on one vital dosage: it makes us care for the lovers.

Queen Review

THERE SHE GOES

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Queen is a gem in the crown of contemporary cinema. It is perhaps the most delightful surprise you will see at the cinemas right now. There is a dialogue in the film where Rani Mehra (Kangana Ranaut) tells a bad joke to her Russian friend in Hindi. He has no idea what in the world she was talking about, but Rani decides to euphorically laugh at her own joke. She adds: “Mera sense of humor bohot achcha hai, aapko dhire dhire pata chalega”.

If I have to tell you what Queen is, it would be exactly this line of dialogue. Queen ka sense of humor bohot achcha hai, aapko dhire dhire pata chalega. It will first make you chuckle, then you’d be laughing at that character doing something funny at the edge of the screen and gradually you will find yourself laughing out loud at almost everything. Gradually, you will end up caring for Rani; you will end up enjoying each little moment in the film. I was left with a wide smile on my face when the film ended. I think I smiled for the entirety of the last half hour. It refused to wear off. This is such a happy film; you would have to pray hard to the gods of pessimism to make you dislike it.

Oscar Predictions 2014

Oscar Predictions 2014 

Gravity, 12 Years A Slave, Her, The Hunt and Frozen. These are the films I would be rooting for this year. Any award they get would be brilliant. While American Hustle and Dallas Buyers Club deserve their nominations, any award given to them would leave a sour taste in my mouth. Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett and June Squibb are the actors I'm rooting for. One out of these will surely win. My star of the evening would be Alfonso Cuaron whose Oscar is already in the bag. 

BEST PICTURE

Winner: 12 Years A Slave

Could win: Gravity

Should win: Gravity or 12 Years A Slave

BEST DIRECTOR

Winner: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity

Could win: Steve McQueen, 12 Years A Slave

Should win: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity

BEST ACTOR

Winner: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Could win: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years A Slave

Should win: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street

Highway review

ALI ALI... TERI GALI 

Rating: 9 out of 10

It’s hard for me to put in down in words what I loved about Highway or why I loved it. There are moments when Alia Bhatt’s character, Veera, laughs and cries and doesn’t know why she is expressing her emotions this way. Honestly, I decided not to review this film. Not because I don’t want to, I really want to. Except this is one of those rare times where I might not be able to explain why I loved a film so much. Considering the fact that my job is to do exactly that, I would be doing a disservice to it.

Hasee Toh Phasee review

LOOKING SO CRAZY IN LOVE

Rating: 8 out of 10

I am going to begin this review with a personal impression. Hasee Toh Phasee opens with a scene where we see a little boy called Nikhil sneaking out of his house to watch his favorite film. In my head I pointed at the screen and said “Oh wait, that’s me”. Basically, this film had me at hello. Name and everything.

If this is not relatable for me then I don’t know what is. The fact that rest of the film is in equal parts relatable and charming is not just a surprise but also a relief.