Reviews

I was looking for a comprehensive documentary covering the history of Central Asia and this was a great find. The sequence of episodes starting from pre-Roman times to spread of Islam to Turkey to modern times was perfect! Episode 1 started on the right tone with some interesting pieces of information. And then from Episode 2 onwards it seems the documentarians came together and aligned what's the main motif we want to get through the documentary - and the rest are just partial, half-baked parts of history which align with the message.

For eg, in Ep 4 on Renaissance the documentary focuses highly on how the East enabled Renaissance because it translated the Greek books of the yore but complete ignored the rest of the history between 600AD to 1500AD which was marked by murderous raids all over the world from east to west. Again in episode 5 it focuses on some of architectural wonders built by the Mughals & Mongols but completely ignores what funded these conquests and the brutality and beastiness the rulers displayed. The knowledge experts the documentary uses to make a point are so biased themselves that its almost jarring - repeatedly saying the same thing ad nauseum

Its one thing to worship the best of what a region/ sect has to offer, and its complete 'fake news' when you harp on just some random facts and use it to draw a wider conclusion.

A very partial view of history for some self-conceited reasons.

'96 is a classic in the making. The movie is very nimble, effervescent and intricate. I think it might be difficult to connect with if you haven't lived in India purely because K. Ram's character is like that of a roadside Romeo who would never speak of his love but build palaces in his mind. He just expects a love by looking at the female lead, which is strange for a foreign audience to understand. For me though, I could relate because I've seen friends living such love all the time (a non existent but countryside definition of love in India).

Overall, I didn't like the first half much because the love story of the child leads was a bit of a drag, not because it wasn't important to build bu t because it was slightly unbelievable. For me the movie started once the direction moves to current day leads. And it is just exhilarating from thereon..! Perfect background score, good (if not the best) performances backed by a very strong storyline. Very relateable in every aspect. Great movie making!! Hats down to very Tamil cinema is headed. Its so mature and nimble. No doubt we could see hints of Before Sunset/ Sunrise series, but this is a way more Indian version which has a soul of its own. This movie just build on you.

The best part in the movie is its maturity. The relation between the leads just grows as they speak to each other more. Ram becomes more normal with time from his previous stalker version and develops into this comforting friend. Its a great advice to the relationships that never happen (not that we have a dearth of them these days). I would have loved to see more of the imagination sequence that comes towards the end of the movie when Trisha is speaking of the supposed "proposal" from Vijay Sethupathi. It would have been awesome to show an entire 5mins sequence to show how their lives would have been lived had they just been together and lived a life of their own. It would have matched the 5min sequence from the animated movie UP which everyone can't get enough of.

All in all...watch this for its a feast!

I was reborn..!!

What locales, what angles, what direction, what music, what theories, what mysteries...!! An amazingly well written series. Some of the episodes are, of course, much better than others. Especially, the Empires of the sun and the thin blue line were amazing.

Cox takes you from one extreme to another while nourishing one's hunger for cosmos and other worlds. His analogies and examples are very engaging and simple. The way the whole episodes reaches a pin-pointed theme at the end is very fulfilling. Apart from that, the amazing screen-shots one can get from roaming around from one exquisite part of earth to another are simply stunning.

I have seen a lot of hatred for the presenter but it is ill-meant. Brian Cox does seem lost at times, but that is because he gets so immersed into whatever mystery he is explaining, that he himself moves to some other level. His passion and love for explaining such intricate details (whole world's Gold is no more than 3 Olympic pools) is amazing. And, the way he relates such esoteric topics to real life was simply superb.

This series is the most reinvigorating series I have ever witnessed. Cox's Wonders of the Universe is equally engaging (but not of the same level and it does get repetitive at times...but still worth a watch). I feel bad though, as its new season isn't coming anytime soon.

I saw this movie 2 days back and I am still shocked why is this movie becoming the talk of the town. the critics loved it, and so did the audience (as per the IMDb rating). But I am perplexed. I have always relied on IMDb for an indicator of a good bollywood movie but this one seems to be an exception, as per me.

The movie starts very pregnant with a rustic feel with that 'batman' punch, and from there on I was looking forward to meet that character again (some solid vocals there!), only to be disappointed. The movie never picks up, actually. It starts with an interesting contest, a modern day weird swayamvar based on poetic skills (mixed with shooting..??). From there on it becomes a slow train that keeps on giving black smoke. Vijay Raz is good but his character is ambiguous. Madhuri is terrific though. Shah looks pale, Huma is decent, but the show-stealer is Warsi.

Anyhow, the story is too laboriously over-stretched. The movie expands over 152 minutes when the plot becomes a bit too obvious just after interval. The twist was too weak to be called so as it was visible from miles away. The explanations and the motives behind the so-called twist , as explained in the denouement, are too weak and poorly crafted.

To top all this crass, the climax is so harrowingly weak and Tarantino style that it takes away all the "real-feel" of the movie (which anyhow one never experiences).

Even a 6 rating is a tad bit generous on my part.

The movie starts with hints of usual Guy Ritchie stuff i.e. twisted plots, awesome action, weird sequences, and an out of the blues climax. Though Martin McDonagh does offer hints of Ritchie but he establishes his forte with a panache, a kick-ass one. But once it puts on its burners, oh its fun all the way...

Its not a regular run-of-the-mill gangster movie with loads of blood and low on substance. It has mystery, mastery on characterization,wit, charm, and "layers".

The movie starts slightly direction-less, but as it progresses and characters develop, especially Sam Rockwell's, oh the charm...oh the charisma...!!! Colin Ferrell, who seems to be a favorite of Mr. Martin, looks flawless in his role. His slightly blurred acting skills (the ones he used in In Bruges as well)looks ravishing in this role of an alcoholic writer who is looking for motivation. The deranged friendship between Colin and Sam also hooks your interest. However, it turns chilly as the movie progresses.

The best part about this movie is its climax. Just like the movie -'The Adaptation', the movie criticizes itself throughout the movie and ends in a totally stray but powerful zone.

Psychopaths rock...!! ("though only for some time..after that it becomes tiring..")