Reviews

I'm reviewing Birdman years after its release, because I think it's a widely misunderstood movie. A lot of people call it pretentious, which I get. A lot of people love it because of its supposed caricature of comic book movies (disclaimer: I love my MCU as much as I love my indie flicks).

The thing is, it's neither. I don't blame the "pretentious" tag completely, because that's what I thought as well on my first viewing. Yes, Lubezski is a God behind the lens, but something about the movie reeks of elitism, especially with its characters always bashing Disney/Marvel-like entities. It took me a few viewings to truly understand that the characters of Mike Shiner and Tabitha Dickinson simply exist as parodies of people who call themselves the "beacons" of high-brow art. High-brow art is a concept people made up to feel good about "truly" appreciating cinema. We end up figuring out Mike Shiner is a horrible person, beneath all that talk of talent and blood and sweat.

No. This movie is a mirror. Especially for Michael Keaton, without whom this movie wouldn't have been as good as it is. Keaton shot to fame as Batman. He had a fairly rocky career after, and didn't see the same level of success as when he played the Caped Crusader. In fact, as I write this, I also find out that Keaton was the first choice for the role. Birdman is incredibly self-aware of its identity as a work of art. It also knows that it'll be a tough job navigating that identity, moving between being perceived as pretentious, as a critique on supposed low-brow art, and above all, being what it always wanted to be - a story about an actor's self-discovery, and a potshot at that pretentious culture.

I'll also strengthen my case with Edward Norton's casting. Edward Norton is widely known as a very difficult actor to work with (he literally hijacked American History X), while also being very talented. In a number of ways, Norton is playing himself in Birdman. The movie doesn't endorse Mike Shiner - it only seems to, while eventually you discover something else (won't divulge more).

Which is why I think the movie is written so well. It knows when and how to reveal itself. Keaton is completely feeling himself as Riggan, because he's been there before. He gives a career-defining performance as a flawed man, trying to find himself in a world that doesn't need him anymore. A relic of a time everyone likes to talk about, but is okay with not having anymore. You know, a lot like Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher's Batman movies. It is simple deception by the writers that deservingly earned the movie an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. It's also why the addition of magical realism makes so much sense. It's for you to truly feel what Riggan is feeling, what he's thinking. It's also deliberately funny.

And I'm not even talking about the score or the cinematography yet, both pitch-perfect for the movie's atmosphere. Antonio Sanchez deserved a nomination for the score, it was a crime on the Academy's part to not give him a nod. Emma Stone went off, too (when is she not good). Norton was pretty good, but then again, he played himself. I honestly feel Michael Keaton deserved an Oscar for this. It'll be a while before we see a performance as honest as this. Chivo is, well, I've already said it - a God.

This movie's biggest flaw is, of course, the fact that knowing some of the context I've outlined might help you as a viewer if the satire doesn't get obvious for you soon enough. It didn't for me, till the second/third viewing. And if you don't get the hype about the movie after your first try, try it again. It worked for me. No, I didn't Google the context before my second or third viewing, I just love Batman.

Not my pick for Oscar for Best Picture that year, that honor belonged to Whiplash for me. But I can't complain either, because it's brilliant.

Honestly, that's all I wanted to write. Usually, I write full-blooded reviews on IMDb. But I think I won't be saying anything about my favorite show ever, that hasn't already been said. Except that I've probably seen every episode at least thrice over. Some episodes, like Funhouse, at least 10 times.

And that's what makes The Sopranos the greatest show ever. The fact that you can watch any random episode again and still be entertained the same way as the first time. No other show (Succession and Atlanta are close) made me feel this way. The best thing I did in the quarantine.

Much of the end of that horrible year was me trying to figure out my favorite show. I loved I May Destroy You, which is probably one of the finest outings of anything ever. There was Scam 1992, which as an Indian I'm so proud of. But either show had a little something missing, not in terms of lacking something - they were both perfect in what they did. But I needed something else. Something raw, something driving and inspiring.

2020 was the year I got into basketball, which really helped me in a tough year. Obsessively watching videos of Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James' clutch shots, epic moments in NBA history. I tried to trace back why I got into a sport that for 20 years of my life I never played, and probably low-key hated a little. The root cause happened to be a Netflix documentary series about what I now think is the greatest team ever assembled in the history of the NBA.

The editing of this show is unreal. The idea of making this show in a non-linear narrative was genius. It assumes everyone knows the story of the glory of the '91-'98 Chicago Bulls, or at least has heard of Michael Jordan. It's very dedicated to now telling intricate details of it all, introducing new information with every new development, slowly unfolding a deftly made origami piece. If you, like me, don't know why the show is called The Last Dance, you're going to have such a beautiful time watching the show.

The music. I can't talk about how well the music was used. I still think about the use of Pearl Jam at the end (which is masterful), seeing as how Dennis Rodman was such a huge fan (and his nose features in the No Code album cover). MJ got some 7 scoring/blocking mixtapes for him in this show alone, my favorite being the one with "Down With The King" by Run-DMC.

If I had to point out one flaw, it's that the show often tends to be hagiographic. Neither Scottie Pippen nor Horace Grant were great fans of their depictions in the show. Although TLD does a good job of making the show about the Chicago Bulls in its entirety (despite the hugeness of the man that is MJ), it could have been better in that regard.

However, the show expertly drills down to all the things big and small that break us, drive us, and ultimately make us. It does such a good job at it (yes, that includes the "And I took it personally" meme). I don't look at Michael Jordan as a flawless sportsman, he's made some mistakes that he's tried to defend (and as a critical viewer you shouldn't buy the defenses at face value). But what he is, is one of a kind we will probably not get to see for a long while. He was right about one thing: if you don't think he's a good role model, then he's not the person you should be following. The fact that he has not been as political as other sportsmen of our times will not gel with many, and that is very fair to have as a concern. It's also understandable why he would choose not to. His trash-talking ways may even come off as toxic. The show doesn't sugarcoat his attitudes. We get to know from his teammates well enough how it impacted them, in both positive and negative ways. In the end, you see them trusting each other enough to not have those ways anymore, and perfecting what it means to be a team.

Thank you, ESPN and Netflix. Greatest basketball franchise in any given decade, and one man who made it happen by being with the team for 14 years, and changed the entire face of the game. If I really have to say it, for all his flaws, I have a shrine made for his Airness, too. GOAT.

At the outset, I think it's imperative to say that the whole show is a walking trigger warning for caste-based violence (including r*pe), gender-based violence, depictions of Islamophobia, and some gruesome depictions of murder. Amazon should take care when they're dealing with sensitive topics like these. It's not easy material for everyone to watch, and giving people heads-ups might help.

That being said, Paatal Lok is so incredibly tight and well-written. Conspiracy thrillers can go wrong in so many ways (looking at you, Sacred Games season 2). Paatal Lok never misses a step in that vein, primarily because it chooses to explore the behavioral foundations of that conspiracy: how different members of Indian society function. Some of the finest use of the backstory device and the cold open allows for that. It takes a lot of inspiration from actual real-life events, but never feels like a cheap rip-off. In fact, the allusions made to such events are hardly on-the-nose. They feel a natural part of the story and the evolution of all its characters.

The acting is top notch. It's a fun way to see Paatal Lok as a buddy cop movie, because in many ways, that's what it is. The characters of both Hathi Ram (who definitely has his flaws) and Imran are lovable. Enough has been said about the stoic nature of Hathoda Tyagi's character, which is bone-chilling. All the other suspects really delved into their stories too, which makes it easier for the viewer to get lost in the show. We also finally have more Indian shows that write characters that advance the idea that "trans women are women", although there was a lot of scope for improvement in that respect also (especially with the violence). The show has a pulsating electronic score, which can often be subtle, but it adds to the vibe really well. I fully intend to check it out in isolation from the show.

While all of the subplots eventually make sense by the end, there is space for improvement. Dolly Mehra's character served almost zero purpose in the grand scheme of things, and to write her not as an independent character, but just as a foil for her husband didn't stick too well with me. Most other subplots, however, made complete sense in cohesion with the other.

The show was controversial when it came out, because it said a lot of things that ruffled a lot of uncomfortable feathers. That happens when it's the truth. Don't be misled by ideas that the show is Hinduphobic or anything. It dissects the caste divide that we have created inside of other constructs like religion and gender. Anybody telling you that caste-based violence isn't real needs a reality check. No better show than this at the moment to give that perspective.

Scam 1992 functions both as an exposition of a rags-to-riches narrative, and as a cautionary tale about financial and political accountability, financial literacy, and the Great Indian Dream. Not since Sacred Games S1 have I seen such brilliant effort, and to expect that on a platform like SonyLIV, and not a bigger one like Hotstar, was even more astounding. The show doesn't go overboard, deftly manages the financial technicalities with a tight script, and features performances that will blow you away, especially if, like me, you've never seen most of them in the mainstream. Pratik Gandhi, of course, primary amongst them. But also the roles of Sucheta Dalal, Ashwin Mehta, and the RBI governor.

I knew that Hansal Mehta is one of the boldest filmmakers of India. He didn't hold back when he made Citylights, Shahid, or Aligarh. He has taken potshots at every hotbed of injustice in India. But consider me surprised when the show takes even bigger names like Citibank, erstwhile-PM PVN Rao, and of course the CBI. Nothing got sugarcoated. Maybe redacted, because it does adapt a book and it's not possible to talk about everyone and everything. But Mehta makes sure that you're left with a distaste for the system and the people that allow it. It's important to note how much of an insane decade the 90s was, at least economically. Amidst a period where you had extensive liberalization reforms, unstable governments, one horrible and despicable terrorist attack on Mumbai, and this humongous scam, the show manages to capture the tone of the decade accurately enough, whilst maintaining razor-sharp focus on the main subject.

10 episodes, not one misstep. No clichés. And lovely use of music, something too rare for Indian content, reminiscent of how the best shows in the world (like The Sopranos, The Leftovers, among others) use music to symbolize and contextualize events. And I'm not even talking about the intro, which I've played on repeat for so long I've lost count.

An absolute must-watch. This is the new high point of Indian entertainment.

Edit: On further pondering, this absolutely deserves a spot on the IMDb top 250 TV list. One may always debate that it may be too high, but it is excellent not just be Indian standards, but by any standards whatsoever. Brilliant.

Why I was attracted to watching Succession in the first place was because I had heard that it had no likeable characters. Coupled with a backdrop of corporate America, it seemed like a show right up my alley. I had absolutely no idea that the show would exceed my expectations by a large mile.

Not since The Sopranos have I seen an interplay of character dynamics this good, especially the toxic traits of those characters. Every little interaction is important, and affects another character on some or the other level significantly. Succession makes sure that behind the gaudy, showy nature of the Roy family, the ugliness of their existence is visible to you, even in the most subtle ways. The show both revels in and critiques the world it bases itself in. And I don't remember a character-driven drama being this thrilling. Hostile takeovers are usually not exciting to people uninterested in the financial world, but this show makes sure you understand the stakes involved. Like, Breaking Bad-level of tense.

Of course, much of this is possible because of the phenomenal cast. I want Jeremy Strong to win an Emmy this year so badly. Kendall Roy is one of the most brilliant (and surprisingly sympathetic) characters I've seen, a mixture of Christopher Moltisanti and Jesse Pinkman, with a slice of your average venture capitalist. I just hope it doesn't typecast him as a Wall Street-type, although I love him in The Big Short too. I want him to win more than Brian Cox, who scares the living daylights out of me as Logan Roy when he merely enters a room. Then there's Sarah Snook as the prideful Shiv, an excellent, pitch-perfect arc like no other. And my man Kieran Culkin as the foul-mouthed-but-concerned Roman, another truly surprising sympathetic turn. And of course, when I talk about Roman, I will talk about Gerri, a role that actress J Smith Cameron absolutely kills, and should have received an Emmy nomination for. And this paragraph is incomplete without my love for Matthew McFadyen and Nicholas Braun in the most hilariously paired people that are Tom and (cousin) Greg since Chris and Paulie Walnuts.

Succession doesn't mince words (or chicken hahahaha). Nothing on the script feels wasted. And the insults are ingenious. As long as Jesse Armstrong remains showrunner, this show will surprise us in the most insane of ways. The research shows (the writers' room is apparently asked to read the Financial Times everyday), and it adds to the authenticity of the show, one which I appreciate. I would also be stupid not to talk about the best original opening theme I have ever heard in any TV show. Nicholas Britell has made a masterful score which does not sound excessive at all. Much like in Mr Robot, the score amplifies the mood.

If you're watching Succession, don't be thrown off by the first 2 episodes of the show (I actually like them). Give it time, because by the 6th episode you'll probably fall off your bed. And come season 2 (which I consider one of the greatest executions of anything in television history because it's flawless), you'll drop your jaw every 25-30 minutes of screentime, which is basically every halftime moment of an episode.

Succession deserves every honor coming its way. HBO has landed another absolute winner in its roster, one that will likely age extremely well with a season or two and be compared to the other Golden Age dramas of this generation. Yes, by that, I mean shows like Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Leftovers, and maybe, just maybe, The Wire and The Sopranos. Good call on ditching Westworld for marketing this, HBO. This is arguably going to be my favorite deconstruction of capitalism right now.

I can't wait for season 3 at all. I'm just going to rewatch season 2 till then. All the white kids fight for a kiss from daddy, and that might not sell the show a lot. But the fight spins into so many nuances it's hard to look away and just dismiss them as that.

One of my all-time favorite TV episodes is "Funhouse", the season 2 finale of The Sopranos. In the same vein, "The Test Dream" from season 5 of the same. Two episodes where the lead goes through his worst fears in a surreal nightmare where he doesn't understand jack.

Going into this episode, I was happy I stuck with The Leftovers, but I wasn't calling it one of the greatest seasons or anything. And season 1 was, while good enough, hugely frustrating, and season 2 was a needed improvement anyway. It was damn good this far, but it seemed like there was a jolt waiting to happen, and the episode before this seemed to set it up.

Turns out, the jolt wasn't just a jolt, it was an electric chair. "International Assassin" is one of the finest hours of television, and I saw it on my TV screen which made the visually dazzling experience even more enriching. I was screaming my brains out at the end, a deeply satisfying catharsis that takes us through Kevin's mind and Patti's existence. It will make you feel for someone you didn't care much about earlier. It's a surreal piece of television that'll stay with you, if only for the last conversation between these two characters if nothing else. But there's a lot more than just this. There's a dark cloud hanging all over this episode which eventually brings rain (and one pretty cool action sequence). It's rich in character exposition, and a tad bit funny too (I'm looking at you, Wayne).

I called this season "damn good" earlier. Nope, now it's great. And having finished season 2, I am very pleased to have stuck this ride out. But I'm not reviewing the 2 episodes after this as of now (both extremely stellar episodes, mind you). It was this one that has me believing in miracles. Miracles like season 2 of The Leftovers which on any other network would have likely been dropped after season 1. Of course, Funhouse and The Test Dream are up there in my rankings, never to be upset. But, International Assassin is legendary, in its own right.

Martin Scorsese is one of my favorite directors. Goodfellas, The Departed and The Wolf of Wall Street happen to be movies I love rewatching. So when plans of him making another mob movie with Pesci, De Niro, and, finally, Pacino came up, I was excited.

I think I was pleasantly surprised by the movie. It is by no means a by-the-numbers gangster movie. It's a massively reflective and introspective piece that also doesn't happen to be a nuanced satire. It's, well, sad. And that's the quality that makes this movie a winner for me. The idea that Frank Sheeran was most likely in a limbo of thoughts as he inched closer to his end was so beautifully expressed that it might just make you a little emotional.

Despite being 3.5 hours, I don't think that even a single minute was unwarranted. I wasn't bored. The first hour was good, felt a lot like Goodfellas and just showing the trappings of being in a crime family. The second hour was even better, focusing on the dynamic between Hoffa and Sheeran, and De Niro, Pacino and Pesci reached a new peak this time. Of course, it was made all the more exciting by the plot.

The final stretch, however, is everything. It should just be the basis for an Oscar for De Niro. I mean, sure, Joaquin Phoenix was great, but De Niro in the last hour of the movie was absolutely phenomenal.

I think Scorsese is at that point of his life where he's looking at the various ways he can contribute to cinema. He's made excessive stuff, fun stuff, thrilling stuff. This is unique. It manages to be both fun and introspective without being too broody at the expense of boring people with long shots (I'm looking at you, Tarantino). It reminded me a lot of El Camino, which was similar in terms of what it wanted to be, but nowhere as good as The Irishman. This isn't saying that the movie is good because it's Scorsese at all, I've been bored by some really famous movies before. This movie is objectively good. And I can see why it's not a miniseries.

Thank you, Martin Scorsese and Netflix. 2nd favorite movie this year so far, behind Parasite.

(Just one problem: this deserved the theater treatment. Totally. Gorgeously shot.)

The greatest thing about Drive to Survive is that it will tell you for real how talented the drivers really are. They risk something big every time they go onto a track, every time they battle it out head-to-head. A simple mistake like late breaking can cost you a position. And there are drivers who may not be Lewis Hamilton or Seb Vettel, but are fierce and have the potential to be that amazing.

Of course, we all know that mid-table F1 is currently more exciting than the actual championship race. And that's where the show turns its head: it focuses on being a lens for the underdogs, the veterans who don't rule anymore, the up and coming racers who want to scoop up spots at Ferrari or Mercedes, the problems facing constructors like Williams, Renault. I can go on and on about how the show focuses on the roots of how F1 functions today through all this.

I can't wait for the day we get Merc and Ferrari footage. Hopefully, 2020 is the year season 2 shows us new stuff.

It's impossible to place Atlanta in a particular box. What it essentially offers is a brutal, blunt (pun-intended, of course) slice of life every episode. And that's the genius of the show. It does so much without compromising on character development. If it has to comment on society, it'll do that and then also make that a comment about its characters.

It's difficult to find an episode you can't watch again, or an episode that hits. Be it the ridiculously hilarious B.A.N, or the soul-crushing Helen, or the soul-searching Juneteenth, or the absolutely horrifying Teddy Perkins. And if you're a hip-hop fan like me, there are some moments you won't stop laughing at (Norf Norf mom y'all, and "THIS IS DEFINITELY GOING ON WORLDSTAR"). If you're not a hip-hop fan, doesn't matter, you'll find those moments funny, too. The show has some extremely smart jokes nonetheless, and above all, poignant observations about race and gender that will stay with you no matter what part of the world you're from.

What kind of reviewer am I if I'm not talking about the performances? Incredible cast. Donald Glover has proved himself to be everything at this point. He's creatively unstoppable. Lakeith Stanfield as Darius is sheer brilliance, flipping the cliche stoner dude trope in great ways ("Why would I shoot a human?"). Brian Tyree Henry is a star, flipping the cliche rapper image to reveal layers of needs, wants, and insecurities that Alfred/Paper Boi has. Zazie Beetz is, just, well, insane, and a strong character like Van suits her really well.

Soundtrack: oof. Where do I begin? AutoTune croons (Skrt by Kodak Black still hits), soul music at all the right times, cold, hard trap at the more violent moments (I mean, they play Tay-K), psychedelic music, pop music, the soundtrack of this show is complete and the best right now. Just is. No question.

Atlanta is easily the most unique show this decade, and definitely one of the best shows this century so far. The awards don't reflect an inch of the true brilliance of this show. It's just beyond surreal. I will happily wait for Donald Glover to cook up season 3 if he needs time to make a masterpiece like the first two seasons were.

This was my first Tarantino feature in a theater, and I was hugely excited because of that. I find it impossible to rank his films because I love all of them so much, especially Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained. I had some expectations from a QT movie.

What followed next was the most self-indulgent QT has ever been in his career. It's literally a movie about a normal day in a struggling actor's career, with a stunt double and a stunning actress as a next-door neighbor. Lots of 60s kitsch that helped make the movie, dialogue that'll make you laugh riotedly, and good performances all round.

However, it felt underwhelming. Maybe it's possible because of the marketing or what, but I didn't feel that same thrill I felt in most of his other movies. I like the subtle referential style he adopts in this movie, where he references his own filmography, or that of the old times. But, it feels too slow. Too much driving, for one.

However, I still give it a high rating because of how entertaining it proves to be. The final 30 minutes are full-blown Tarantino that we deserved. One could say it was worth the build-up, and it is a happy ending. There's some great, memorable scenes as well, most notably the one between Bruce Lee and Cliff Booth who's Brad Pitt's character. It also has everything else essential to a QT movie - killer (very killer, indeed) soundtrack, snappy dialogue, faithfulness to the period.

It's not QT's best, but it is his most experimental and self-indulgent. It's also a weirdly enjoyable ride, and doesn't feel boring for too long. It's not an instant classic, but it's a ride you should sign up for.

I watched Reservoir Dogs only recently, while having matches everything else except Jackie Brown. It is a great film, not one of Tarantino's best, or the best of all time, but still worth spending time on it.

The acting is top notch. Harvey Keitel was the best among the five, with a compassionate layer underneath the professional criminal experience that he obviously has. Steve Buscemi was also fabulous. Camerawork was very solid, and I love how most of the movie centers on there being a long-drawn Mexican standoff of sorts. The cross-blaming, self-doubting progresses the plot forwards very well, and the pacing is done really well. The movie has a perfect length.

However, this film does have flaws. The dialogue, while in much of the movie very stylish, sometimes feels hammy. QT could have done away with many lines, because a lot of it was telling us the same thing again and again. Of course, that has its own context, but it feels too much. The dialogue style is a precursor to how Pulp Fiction would be structured (a movie that, like most people, i consider one of the best ever made). But, even when the gangsters are talking about Pam Grier, it feels much inferior to the whole legendary Quarter-Pounder conversation in the first scene in Pulp Fiction, and underwhelming in general. The flashbacks were not all effective either, especially the one for Mr Blonde.

Granted, it was QT's debut, so it would be a little immature and excessive. It also serves as a great story about trust and compassion, because you're hooked to the end. When the end comes, you will be in disbelief, as to "Why did he say that?" But, it will make sense eventually. It warrants a watch for sure, if you want to know how it all started, especially since it was an indie film.

At its heart, Creed is a feel-good movie. It is a massively entertaining feel-good movie, with lots of great emotional moments. Michael B Jordan takes the franchise torch and leads the way with Creed, as the son of a legendary boxer who has difficulty trying to forge his own path against the backdrop of his dad's name and fame. He wants to prove something, but what?

Major props go to Sylvester Stallone. One might think he would be bored playing Rocky so much. Even if that were true, he produces the best Rocky after the original movie. He plays old, wise man Rocky, who is still troubled by thoughts of death and his wife, Adrian. Creed and Rocky are an excellent combination, and Jordan and Rocky have a beautiful chemistry that can go on for years if the studio chooses to squeeze a franchise out of it. Credits also go to Tessa Thompson. You may accuse the movie of having filler scenes, but they're all great filler scenes, simply because she was in them. However, she eventually proves to play a vital role in Creed's life.

Creed is the best movie in the whole Rocky franchise when it comes to technique. The first professional fight that Creed gets into was shot in one take. ONE TAKE, and it was way too awesome. It takes serious balls to do that, and skill to do it well, which this movie does. The final fight was extremely well shot, too. I love the decision of the movie to not use the classic Rocky score until and unless it was needed; possibly a metaphor for Creed's own story. The score is original, and memorable. I'll never forget the scene in which Jordan runs with the bikes soundtracked to (aptly) Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill, with traces of the score mixed. Great use of music.

I didn't expect this movie to be so good. Where most of us Rocky fans would have thought that this was another cheap attempt to make money, director Ryan Coogler proves otherwise. It convinced Marvel he was ideal for Black Panther (which he was eventually anyway). Creed 2 may not have been so good, either. But this movie, much like Adonis Creed, was not a mistake.

Edit: Creed is one of the best sports movies of all time.

I'm writing this review just 3 days before season 2 releases. I rewatched season 1 again, just to prepare myself for what comes next. And oh boy, is it rewatchable!

Sacred Games as a show flips on movie tropes exceedingly well, and gives them a distinct Indian flavour. The benevolent gangster who turns to questionable ideas only because of money is something that Nawazuddin Siddiqui has nailed. One may feel like he's getting typecast in roles like these, but he adds layers to his job every time. But in terms of acting, the real winner is surprise package Saif Ali Khan. He brings a grit to his performance never seen before in his filmography, possibly. The supporting cast is top notch as well, most notably Jatin Sarna - who plays the hilariously foul-mouthed and horrendously bigoted Bunty, and Kubra Sait - who plays the hugely seductive but ultimately human Kukoo. Many characters in SG are grey in terms of how their morality stands, and that makes for an enjoyable viewing experience. But, you also know who are the culprits who give twisted definitions of worldly ideas to justify their actions (that pianist Rob came out of cancer to become some kinda terrorist wtf hahahaha).

Where this show is a win for me is how it transforms Mumbai as something that has a role in this show. It lives and breathes as all these characters roam around the gullies and broadways of this magnificent city. I haven't been to Mumbai, but the feel that the city exudes in this show is amazing. It's a lot like how The Big Lebowski or LA Confidential are stories that revolve around the spirited oddballs and scheming plotters that make Los Angeles so interesting. Sacred Games achieves that really well.

The show takes potshots at everything - greed, politics, and most glaringly, religion. And it's not just one religion it targets, but the idea of this veil that religion has created. An appreciable creative decision is letting Motwane shoot the present narrative, and Kashyap shoot the past narrative. They may be distinct styles, but they maintain their cohesion. The show also has an excellent electronic score - something that could easily be overlooked by Indian shows. It adds to the tension.

I honesty can't wait to see what season 2 has to offer. Season 1 was so great with the build-up that it has left us wanting for more. Netflix knows it has a winner with this show, at least for another 2 seasons after the second one. It's easily the best Indian original right now.

I don't completely appreciate Q being so smart but not giving Bond any gadgets (although it does make some sense). But I love the fact that Bond became so realistic and vulnerable. Daniel Craig proves yet again why he is the best James Bond ever, period.

Ever since I watched this movie when it released, I've seen it multiple times, and each time was richly rewarding. The movie was never about how cool it could get. It was about the relationships that threaten the lives of these spies. The idea of maternal relationship overtones between 007 and M (or between M and Raoul Silva) was a masterful idea. One can see the similarities with GoldenEye (which is another Bond classic), but Skyfall is an improved version of the whole "expendable spy-turned-villain" trope. Bardem was brilliant as Silva, but it really was Judi Dench who took the cake. She played someone who knew the consequences of her actions, and was willing to live with them. She had the hardest job of all.

Let's not forget the jaw-dropping cinematography by a confirmed legend who goes by the name Roger Deakins. That shot of Bond running on the ice with fireworks behind is one of the best shots in movie history. Great opening sequence, all too haunting (thanks in part to Adele).

I didn't think I would ever say this, but Skyfall was actually one of the best movies of 2012. Certainly more memorable than that year's Oscar nominees for me. It only falls behind Casino Royale for me. Otherwise, it deserves a 10.

The original Blade Runner is great in many ways, but I wouldn't say I enjoyed it a lot because of the horribly slow pace. Great world-building, characters and all can only get you so far, in my opinion. The movie dragged on a lot. However, I was intrigued by how one could design something like this, so I was excited for the sequel.

2049 was a sequel I never knew I needed, or one that I thought would be better than the original. It expands excellently on the original film's concepts, while also convincing the audience why the sequel was important in the grand scheme of things. Great plot, brilliant twist no doubt, and cinematography that deserved an Oscar, and if Deakins hadn't won that year, I would have rioted. The sound mixing was amazing, too, and the score fits the movie perfectly (my respects to Johann Johansson, and kudos to Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallsfisch). Ryan Gosling was a great replicant, and provided a chilling, but ultimately heartwarming performance as police officer KD6 - 3.7. Great turns by Sylvia Hoeks as the psychopath replicant puppet of the Wallace corporation, Luv, and Ana de Armas as Joi. Let's just say Jared Leto was great, too, but he took it too far with the whole "almost blinding himself" thing.

Denis Villenueve has established himself as one of the best directors working right now with this movie. It's fair to trust him with any property, because most likely, he's going to make a classic out of it. He did it with Sicario, 2049, and Arrival as well. 2049 deserves every bit of praise that came its way.

As a kid, I was always enamored by Steve Jobs' larger-than-life personality. I have owned multiple versions of the iPod, and I couldn't be more wowed by his genius. That was until the Isaacson biography came out, and whatever I'd read of that book (which is an excellent unbiased piece on the man, although for some reason I couldn't complete it), I did recognize Jobs' flaws.

After the disaster that was the Ashton Kutcher movie (although kudos to Kutcher for nailing the mannerisms), I really wanted this movie. I was hugely excited when I heard Fincher was in talks, and the Fincher-Sorkin duo has yielded an excellent result in the form of The Social Network. But the Sony hack said otherwise. Much later, when it was announced that Danny Boyle would take over (another director who's very accomplished in my opinion), I didn't think very highly of him as a director for this kind of movie.

The movie was a lot of fictionalized dialogue and situational drama. But what the dialogue contained was surely true. Steve Jobs has created such an enigmatic image around himself, that nobody needed to see a movie of his greatness in my honest opinion. Which is why I loved the structure of this movie, and how it expressed those flaws, albeit in fictional situations. Fassbender was a great, great Jobs, even though he didn't nail the look of the younger Steve Jobs. Kate Winslet was evergreen, she is just, well, phenomenal. Rogen as Woz was also surprisingly a good turn by the otherwise goofy actor, and he nailed the Woz vibe. The dialogue was as Sorkin-y as it could get - rapid fast exchanges, solid retorts and burns, and ultimately a lot of closure.

You see a Steve Jobs that started out as an immature person who said that 28% of American men could be his daughter's father. The gradual development of how he settled all of that was heartwarming to see. There's a lot of anguish in between, which is why it feels so good to see the movie end like that. He realizes that it isn't a binary, that he could be decent and gifted simultaneously. That's why I loved this movie. It made me have a little more respect for the flawed Jobs that I knew. Of course, a Fincher version might have been better, but I'm not complaining. I thoroughly enjoyed what Boyle brought to the table. 9.5/10.