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Reviews
What are the Odds? (2019)
What the heck is this?
I keep searching of off-beat movies and hidden gems that could be some best works gone unnoticed. When I saw the poster if this one I must say I was fairly impressed as it was interestingly hand drawn and rather beautiful!
The worst thing about some 'art house' film makers in India is that they kind of deliberately screw it up either by making it meaninglessly cryptic or perhaps following rather copying some foriegn language movies.
I personally found most of the behaviors and actions performed in the movie were quite inappropriate for an Indian context. Also why on earth English? Seedhe Hindi main kar lete? Better still, since the setup was Mumbai, Bambaiyya Hindi, hmm? Would have been way better! One notable thing in this movie is the acting of leading girl. Great job from you! You were way too honest in your work and the rating star I gave goes to you!
When it is a nice 'art' movie, it needn't be so cryptic and overstuffed with jargons. Simple stories of life make way better cinema.
This work will neither entertain you, nor amuse you or surprise you. You will end up thinking "WTF did I watch just now?!" So avoid this one with all your might.
The Willoughbys (2020)
Brilliant animation style wasted for a pathetic plot!
The Willoughby's. Throughout the movie one question asked by my 10-year old son: "They call each other father and mother - and why they are kissing?!"
It seemed that the writer of this film was high while writing this, the references made no particular sense, the imaginations were dark, unsuitable to any child.
The animation was very interesting but its a pity that such quality was wasted on poor plot like this!
Panchayat (2020)
'Malgudi Days' re-visited!
#Panchayat - Series on Amazon Prime.
This one refreshes you to the nostalgia of Malgudi Days! The dynamics of 'Panchayats', our little Indian village republics come alive with some simple yet brilliant writing. A small season of mere 8 episodes captures you and its highly possible that you might just wind up the whole season within a day!
A pure gem from #TVF. Been following these guys on YouTube right from the beginning and seen its actors grow from ordinary meme video makers to full-blown performers. Jitendra Kumar 'Munna Jazbati' is one such actor! No introduction needed to the genius of Raghubir Yadav or Neena Gupta.
Must watch.
Notebook (2019)
Notebook and the message within
'Notebook' might seem like an average movie on surface. But you need to dive deep in it without prejudice. Indulge in the magic of breathtaking vistas of mighty Kashmir. Listen to the sound of silence. Let yourself loose in the tranquil silence of the lake and the school that stands in the middle of nowhere. Like a cold breeze, the events around this little temple of knowledge refresh you and make you feel very alive!
The innocent smiles of kids contradict to the contrast of man made war and violence. It had to be there. After all it is a story set in Kashmir's framework. The film unwinds beautifully, with Bollywood overtones, of course! But that doesn't hurt. The music is beautiful, the cinematography is smart and the newcomers, just do their job well! This one is pulled well by Salman Khan Films!
The 'love story' is a mere excuse. The movie is beyond the love story. The bottomline? A lovely 'feel good' Hindi film I watched in a while :-)
Aladdin (2019)
Extravagant entertainment!
Apparently there seem to be lot of negative reviews for this gem of a work. I personally prefer World Cinema for updating myself for works from around the world. Fantasy genre is not my type. I had watch this movie for the sake of my son.
But, let me put it in simple words: the movie was fully enjoyable. The music, dances, songs, extravagant sets and the 'magic' blows you away! I was smiling and laughing throughout, what more can be expected from a cinematic production then? I found the movie fits perfectly in its genre. Fine, there must have been couple of glitches - but then nothing can be 'perfect' so to say.
I recommend families with kids to watch this one as there is not just Aladin story but also some gems of wisdom in dialogs! I don't want to spoil it for you by quoting any, so watch the movie yourself in a cinema.
Barakah yoqabil Barakah (2016)
Clever political taunts tactfully packaged in a heartwarming romantic comedy!
My first ever Arabic language film in spite of having spent 17 years in the Middle East! Yes, a shame indeed. I am happy that my eye opener towards Arabic Cinema is a neatly made film and a pleasant surprise!
Clever political taunts come tactfully packaged within the framework of a heartwarming romantic comedy. It is surprising how Saudi passed a film that is clearly critical of their regressive society. It smartly shows mirror to Saudi's medieval practices of religion-influenced administration.
Highly recommended for World Cinema lovers!