Sunday, February 22, 2015

Oscar Predictions 2015

Welcome to the worst Oscar season of the current century. It all started when the real best film of the 2014, Boyhood, got unanimous critical praise. Why wouldn’t it? It’s one of the greatest movies ever made. Then the awards followed. Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards. It seemed like a done deal.


Friday, February 20, 2015

20 Best Films of 2014

(Apologies for the typos ahead)

2014 was not the greatest year for movies. This doesn't mean it did not offer great films, it did. When it came to the year taking cinema further, it made significant contributions but it wasn't a memorable year. At the awards, films that ended up being called best turned out to be major disappointments. At the box office, films that deserved to have a good run, ended up collapsing and films that have no business making pot-loads of money, ended up topping the charts. Of course, there are always movies that deserve to be seen by more people, that deserve to make the money it made and deserve all the praise and awards it's getting. I'll be talking about those mainly.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Whiplash review

LITTLE DRUMMER BOY

Rating: 9.5/10

When the end credits of Whiplash rolled, I couldn’t help but break into an adrenaline-filled applause. If I had to transmute it into words, I’d have to bang my hands on the keyboard and pretend I drummed up a review. This, we all know, would lead to the opposite of you taking this seriously. Here’s what you can take seriously: Whiplash is a great movie. It is an absolute triumph of moviemaking, a flat-out sensation. How good can a movie about a drummer and his mentor be, you ask? The answer can only be discovered after watching Damien Chazelle’s sophomore tour de force. In all likelihood, you will discover: it can be… (drum-roll)… bloody brilliant.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Top 5 Hindi Films of 2014

The cinematic year of 2014 draws to a close. There is only one word to describe Hindi cinema this year: Lull.


No, not the English word which means:

lull
verb
calm or send to sleep, typically with soothing sounds or movements.

noun
a temporary interval of quiet or lack of activity.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Boyhoood review

I DON'T WANNA BE A BIG MAN

Rating: 10 out of 10

Five seconds into Boyhood and I could tell this would be great film. One hour in, I knew I’m watching one of the greatest films ever made. Or at least one of the greatest film experiences of my life. I don’t like to throw this word around for every great film I see but I guess it’s time to write this one down. When the film ended, I was convinced that Boyhood is a flat-out masterpiece.


Thursday, November 13, 2014

Big Hero 6 review

COOL KIDS

Rating: 8 out of 10

It’s here! This year’s lovable character from a lovable animated movie is here! I’m talking about Baymax, the white inflatable robot-hero, who gets the most laughs and tears in this vibrant, funny and enjoyable animated superhero entertainment. He is a cross between the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and Wall-E but doesn’t wreak havoc over a city or fall in love with another robot.


Friday, November 7, 2014

Interstellar review

LOOK AT THE STARS

Rating: 10 out of 10

The filmgoers of today should deem themselves fortunate to be living in the present space and time to witness Christopher Nolan’s cinematic odyssey on the big screen called Interstellar. This is phenomenal cinema. It is visually elegant, emotionally resonant, ambitiously bold, imaginatively tall, an absolutely phenomenal piece of cinema.  It is what cinema used to be – a motion picture event. IMAX? I wish I could see this film at a planetarium.