anish-25809 Reviews

The Fate of the Furious (2017)

A suitable one-time watch at best

[6/10 · 24 June 2017]

I personally liked this film much better than 7,and one of the biggest reasons for that is the wise decision of making us wait for the answer to the mystery : why did Dom go rogue? While I have no interest in the character relationships in this series anymore,the whole Dom thing did surprise me. Charlize Theron was quite good,but didn't really add anything interesting for the franchise. The main cast,particularly Dom & Team,put minimal effort. The stunts were a bit laughable but technically sound. The story,quite formulaic,other than the final act. Scot Eastwood was quite nice as Little Nobody.

As for the flaws,the humour was really bad,particularly during the airplane scene and the final act in the snow. I hope Roman Pearce just dies or something,he's got no reason the be around anymore.

With the unhinged action and good acting from the supporting cast (Kurt Russell,Jason Statham,Charlize Theron) the film was a good time at the theatre. Popcorn is a must.

Logan (2017)

No Country for Old X-Men

[9/10 · 22 June 2017]

This film really blew me away. It's my favourite X-Men film. It feels like a mix between a western and a superhero film. Hugh Jackman was amazing in his last portrayal of the titular character,it's gonna be tough finding a replacement. Thankfully,they didn't make Laura a humanized baby groot,her character is fantastic,and she did a really good job as the vicious predator in the form of a little girl. Patrick Stewart was quite nice,sad to hear he'll be gone too. Boyd Holbrook was good,but they never really do something interesting with his character. The action scenes are unflinchingly brutal,especially the ones between X24 and Logan. The final act,particularly the Wolverine Unchained part,just signified what the character is all about. It's an amazing film,quite possibly the best superhero film of the year.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Splendid & colourful sequel

[8/10 · 21 June 2017]

While the film may not be as fresh as it's predecessor and the soundtrack may not match up to the first one,this film's got great character development,amazing cinematography and visuals,with an ending which is easily the deepest moment in the MCU. Michael Rooker was the best actor in this film in my opinion,along with the deadpan Dave Bautista. But this time,Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana seemed to be putting in minimal effort. Kurt Russell was really really good as Ego,his character was really interesting. The cinematography and visuals are great as ever,particularly in Ego's planet. The humour is quite funny (and excessive,unsurprisingly) but that aside,James Gunn wrote and directed the film with great flair. Action scenes were well done,particularly the final act. Rocket was voiced very well by Bradley Cooper,and Baby Groot definitely elicited the aww from the audience.

I wish they left out the golden people from the film though,they don't really contribute to the film. Sylvester Stallone was on screen for too little time to be interesting or even memorable.

Overall,this continues the MCU's hot streak,they're doing quite well. I really expect a great sequel.

13 Reasons Why (2017–2020)

Deeply affecting teen drama

[8/10 · 20 June 2017]

This show is really good. While it may disturb viewers with it's depiction of rape and suicide,it's an amazingly acted show with one hell of a soundtrack.

The casting is just perfect,with Justin Prentice,Christian Lee Navarro,Dylan Minnette were the perfect choices for their characters. Katherine Langford did a really great job as Hannah,a girl who is tortured by mostly everyone around her. I didn't really like her character much,mainly due to her pushing away anything food that came her way. She acts like a real bitch at times. The life of a regular teen was shown very well,coming from a teen. It's also quite well written and directed. I'm yet to the read the novel,but I might get around to it now.

I think that it's wrong to accuse the show of glamorizing suicide,a show can't be enough for a person to be convinced to end your life. Its a great show,but not for everyone.

Split (IX) (2016)

The Return of MNS

[7/10 · 25 February 2017]

It's finally happened. M Night Shyamalan has returned to form after being dismissed as a has-been,following several mistakes like After Earth,The Last Airbender and The Happening. He's made an incredibly enjoyable thriller with a very limited budget. James McAvoy is fascinating in a tour-de-force performance,bringing to life a character with 23 distinct personalities,and a soon-to-be-unleashed 24th. The film has a very good tone and flow,with nail-biting tension that really gives us a throwback to the start of Shyamalan's career. I hope he keeps it up in his next film too. He's never been as good with the ending as he has with the incredible setup,and this one suffers from that too,but in the end,there are a lot of positive factors that make thus a memorable experience. The uncredited cameo at the very end is jaw-dropping,and highlights the possibility of a sequel. I can't help but think that film could be a good one too. Welcome back Mr. Shyamalan.

La La Land (2016)

Just fantastic.

[9/10 · 13 January 2017]

This is the film responsible for making me interested in the musical genre.Its an excellent portrayal of how two people bond over their dreams and their struggles. This has a shot at winning Best Picture.The musical numbers were toe-tapping,especially the opening track. The screenplay and direction by Chazelle is fantastic. They did the cinematography very well. It has a cheerful tone,one which will make you smile. It is a very memorable experience.Ryan Gosling is charming as ever in his role as Sebastian Wilder,a passionate jazz pianist. Emma Stone is now a major Oscars contender,her performance as Mia Dolan is heartbreaking throughout. JK Simmons was great as Bill. There wasn't,t a lot of focus on the supporting characters,but there didn't need to be either. LA was a great city to set the movie in,I can't really think of any other location which would be a better choice than this one. There was great choreography in the dance scenes. Chazelle smartly evades the happily-ever-after cliché,going for a bittersweet ending instead. It's a truly romantic film that is very hard to forget.I salute you Damien Chazelle.

Doctor Strange (2016)

The best MCU origin story.

[8/10 · 10 November 2016]

The main controversy surrounding this amazing film is the fact that Tilda Swinton plays the Ancient One.These SJW people are trying to destroy this film which required over a year of hard work,and a lot of money,all because they got offended.Swinton is an impeccable actress.And there is a surge of feminism through Hollywood right now,hence the gender swap.Please watch this incredible film as they intended.Now,on with the review!

The MCU has been on a hot streak since 2014,and this one pushed the streak forward.The effects were to-notch,kinda like Inception,but why not borrow from the best? The story,while a bit lacking in spots,was intriguing.Kaecilius was a passable villain.I had a problem with the runtime,a mere 115 minutes.Benedict Cumberbatch was the perfect actor for the role of the arrogant Stephen Strange.There was some great humor.The action scenes,supported by the effects,did not fail to thrill.The supporting characters were good as well.This movie,while not without its problems,was thoroughly entertaining.Congratulations to the team behind Doctor Strange for this amazing effort.

Jason Bourne (I) (2016)

Quite enjoyable,if not flawless. (spoiler-free)

[7/10 · 4 September 2016]

This film is quite good to be honest.Despite many problems,and a regurgitated plot being one of them,I have found this film to be really enjoyable.Matt Damon returns in the titular role after 9 years,and this time he's embroiled in a cat and mouse game played out at international locations. The camera-work is quite blurry,and dizzying at times.The action scenes are the greatest pro,especially the car chase in Las Vegas.Damon delivers a good performance but Alicia Vikander steals the show.Tommy Lee Jones is good to see too,nice to see that he is undertaking action films even at such an old age.The locations were chosen quite wisely.

On the downside,character development is kept to a minimum.There is a half-hearted attempt to tackle the timely topic of government surveillance versus citizen privacy.No scene lingers for more than 5 seconds.

I give this film a 7.While it does not match up to the original trilogy,it succeeds as a fun time at the movies.

Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

Special effects,unspecial movie.

[2/10 · 25 June 2016]

Obviously aiming to replicate the success of the 1996 original,mayhem-Meister Roland Emmerich raises the ante for more of the landmark-obliterating escapism.

The dearth of original script ideas is shown more clearly than ever in this unnecessary sequel.Notably absent from the movie is Will Smith,who launched his career with hs turn as a gung-ho pilot in the original.Jessie Usher strives to live up to his fathers reputation of his dad,who was killed in an earlier skirmish.With the exception of the ever-reliable Jeff Goldblum,the performances are uniformally upstaged by the pyrotechnics.

An underwhelming spectacle,I Day 2 doesn't even qualify as dumb fun.Curiously it has been released prior to America's independence day.Go figure.

Central Intelligence (2016)

Watch this while it's still playing.(Spoiler-free)

[7/10 · 16 June 2016]

Here comes another buddy cop film,this time with Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart in the lead roles.I thought this movie would fail miserably.I thought it was ripping off Ride Along(which is not a good film to rip off) but it surprisingly stands on its own and makes for a fun time at the movies.Bob Stone asks his old classmate,Calvin Joyner to help him with his computer skills.I don't really like Kevin Hart all that much,because he plays the same character in every film and even though he does have acting skills,he goes OTT in every performance.But his character is a bit more serious in this one and Dwayne Johnson is awesome as ever in his role.The main strength of this movie is the chemistry between the 2 leads.They are so much fun to watch.One is a fearless agent and the other a normal guy who can't even hold a gun.There are some nice jokes and gags as well.

On the downside,the film falters sometimes in the plot section.Yet another OTT performance by Kevin Hart(as mentioned above) I wish the action scenes had a bit more lustre in them.But do not be bothered by that because this is the action junkie in me speaking,and you may like this movie more than I did.

This movie isn't completely flawless,nor is it totally groundbreaking in the buddy cop genre.But it is still worth watching in the theatre,thanks to the chemistry between the 2 leads and a lot of laughs.

Game of Thrones (2011–2019)

Excellent

[10/10 · 16 June 2016]

This show is a phenomenon.It is so new and original.Very few shows can claim to be as great as this one.It gets everything right.Magnificent visuals,amazing performances and shocking twists around every corner.Even the child actors are really good.Every single season improves on the previous one.The characters are so awesome.My favourite is Tyrion Lannister.Peter Dinklage is amazing and is easily the best actor in the entire cast.This show has to be the most complicated and intricate show ever.And that is what makes it awesome.My favourite season is the fifth one.

Season 6 is going on right now,and the stakes are super high.This show shows no signs of running out of steam.By far the best on TV.

Housefull 3 (2016)

Brutally unfunny

[1/10 · 15 June 2016]

This is s**t,pure s**t in the highest form of the word.This run-of-the-mill,relentlessly stupid comedy movie will now enter the 200-crore club,and I simply don't understand how.This is so full of unfunny jokes which will not make anyone laugh or even smile,but will make everyone groan.Boman Irani has black housemaids,and when someone sleeps with them,he tells them "tumne muh Kala kar diya" Hahahahaha.This is the type of overrated crap which Bollywood is riddled with.Acting is horrible even with such talented actors.Why Akshay Kapoor is on this is in this I have no idea,he doesn't even use his 'player' persona to his advantage.There is nothing good in this movie,it is all a colossal s**t-show,totally unfunny and horribly written.This movie pretends to have a plot,but it doesn't.It is just a bunch of songs tied together with bad jokes.The joke is on them this time.

Fargo (2014–2024)

A work of art.

[10/10 · 14 June 2016]

This show is perfect.2 seasons,20 episodes and 2 separate sagas with a talented cast.How often do you see something like this? Not much really.Let's start with the first season.

The characters are the true strength in the first series,especially Lorne Malvo.A very interesting character with a devil-may-care attitude.The way Martin Freeman's character evolves from an unconfident and clumsy klutz to a very sinister murderer is very interesting.Allison Tolman plays her part nicely but cannot match the skill of the two main leads.The story is amazing and thoroughly unpredictable.You can never ever see what is coming.Story changes are everywhere and the characters give it a quirky boost.

Gonna start the second season now,and expecting a lot.I hope the third season is good as well.

London Has Fallen (2016)

American chest-thumping.

[2/10 · 12 June 2016]

This is really eerie,a city like London being overrun with terrorists and all its monuments getting blown up.I don't like this movie.At all.Olympus has fallen was a decent action flick that should have left these thinly developed characters well enough alone.Nobody ever,ever asked for a sequel.That movie wasn't meant to be continued.Somehow,Morgan Freeman,Robert Forster and Gerard Butler agreed to return to this movie.Obviously it is strictly for the paycheck.Feel sorry for Freeman,he is so much better than this garbage.If you want to make a terrorism movie,then make it.But why be so xenophobic? Go back to F*******istan is what Butler says to a guy in the movie! That is so offensive! This movie has no plot.Just A to B and B to C and so on for 97 long minutes.These guys mean to idolise the US but in their over-patriotism,they deface it instead this movie is Donald Trump in film form.Antoine Fuqua won't return(understand why) and instead cones another guy who botches the entire thing.This,as a sequel,should never have existed.Correction:This,as a movie,should never have existed.

Now You See Me 2 (2016)

Spoiler-free review

[4/10 · 8 June 2016]

Well,I had mixed feelings about the first NYSM.It had its fair share of thrills and flaws.But the movie left space open for a sequel,and here it is.This time,Walter Mabry,a tech magnate,recruits the Horsemen into pulling of their most impossible heist yet.Daniel Radcliffe does justice to his role of the above mentioned tech magnate.The entire cast returns,excluding Isla Fisher,who is replaced by Lizzy Caplan.She is good enough to replace Fisher.

Just like the predecessor,the movie's ending contains a lot of explanations as to how they did what they were told to do.This movie has a lot of thrills and some questions are yet again left unanswered,but this time it is forgivable.It does have you guessing a lot,and the characters are likable.The ending does seem a bit implausible,and that us one of the biggest flaws in the film.

Overall a decent thriller with a nice cast.I liked it better than the first one,and hopefully the next sequel coming toward us will improve on this one.

Money Monster (2016)

Good Enough for me

[8/10 · 6 June 2016]

Money Monster is a thriller in which an investor takes over the studio of a show called Money Monster hosted by Lee Gates.He forces Gates to wear a suicide vest.Him and Patty must work against the clock to uncover a conspiracy and get Kyle his answers.

Well,this movie is good,it is gripping and Clooney and Roberts' presence go a long way towards making this thriller compelling.The story is actually quite well-written and is well thought out,the ending seemed perfect and I didn't see any other alternative anyway.This was the perfect time to make such a film,given the current controversies involving Wall Street and the stock market.

On the downside,the attack on Wall Street is not as strong as they probably intended.The villains motivation is quite implausible and childish,even though he lost his money,why blame Gates? Even though he gave a tip for the investment,he isn't the one to blame,is he? But this movie overcomes it's flaws to become a gripping thriller and will play a big part in Jodie Foster's career as a director.

Furious 7 (2015)

As unrealistic as a fantasy movie,but not as interesting as one expects.

[4/10 · 4 June 2016]

First of all,I really want to like this movie because I love Paul Walker.I even tried to convince myself that the movie wasn't so bad.But,there you have it.This movie is just boring,and they are getting too optimistic.They got 3 more entries in the pipeline,and they somehow think that after seeing this farce,people still care about this franchise.After 2 good entries,the franchise slumps again with a movie with so many plot holes,even such an amazing cast cannot fill them up.Why does the team work so hard to find Shaw even when he literally shows up wherever they go? And how does he show up there anyway? This family thing has become very boring by now.Djimon Hounsou's talents are wasted yet again and this time,his character does not make any difference at all.There is no limit to what these guys can do.Somehow they stay alive even after their car falling of cliffs.Come on! How much time do they think this stupidity will go unnoticed? The tribute to Paul Walker is extremely poignant and is a very good send off for him.Never thought a Fast &Furious movie would make me cry.

This movie favours implausible car stunts more than necessary narrative focus.In the end,this thing just becomes a fantasy movie without the intrigue.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)

Back in form

[7/10 · 4 June 2016]

Well,I never thought I would say this for a Michael Bay film,but this movie was actually fun! I know it has been held in low esteem by critics,but when I walked into the theater with extremely low expectations,what I got was a movie which was actually funny with a plot which somehow made sense.The voice cast is quite energetic,which is exactly what is required for this kind of movie.

I have always liked the TMNT quite a lot,and this movie is a nice way to get them back in form after a horrible predecessor.Even though it is marred by problems such as some implausibility and some jokes that fell flat,it is all quite forgivable.

Overall,TMNT 2 has a fair share of flaws,but it makes for a fun time at the movies with a good voice cast.

Jurassic World (2015)

The best Jurassic Park sequel.....which really isn't saying much.

[7/10 · 3 June 2016]

Jurassic World will now join the club of movies that are actually rehashes but are not ready to admit it.Just like Star Wars,this movie tries to recapture the magic of the original movie and ends up nowhere close to it.I really like Chris Pratt and I wish his character had more depth.It is filled with other one-dimensional characters.The dinosaurs are portrayed nicely with CGI but the sight of them fighting among humans is just crazy and super hard to buy into.The Indominus Rex is one wild villain and is a lot of fun to watch.But this movie just does not bring anything new.The writing is not awful but not so great either,and there are a lot of unanswered questions such as -

How did the girl outrun a T Rex in high heels? Why did they give a creature which is supposed to be in public view the ability to camouflage? How did the main hero convince the raptors to fight for humans instead of their own kind? This has been seen before in the 2014 Godzilla,but that movie made way more sense.

Overall,the movie fails to entertain,involve or thrill,and though it puts up a valiant effort to recapture the magic of the original,it just can't do it.

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Avengers:a few days of Ultron

[7/10 · 1 June 2016]

Well,Avengers 2 was probably more awaited than the first one,but unfortunately,it doesn't quite live up to my expectations.Of course it is good to see our heroes go at it again,but the villain is insignificant and is beat at the drop of a hat.Another baseless army,this time,with bots! Sound exciting? The playful tone of the movie make for some fun moments,but stop the movie from having any sort of mystery or suspense.The CGI is top notch,and the destruction effects seem realistic.The new cast members are nice,particularly Johnson and Olsen.James Spader voices Ultron brilliantly,but sadly,the villain is just weak.This movie is good.Overall it is enjoyable,but I expect better from Marvel.

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

A Spectacular Smackdown

[8/10 · 28 May 2016]

Marvel continues its good form with Civil War,a movie which brings together Marvel's best superheroes and makes them fight in a tag team match.This movie has an amazing cast and great performances from Robert Downey Jr.,Chadwick Boseman and Tom Holland.The introduction of Spider-Man to the MCU was one that made everyone want to see him again.The plot is also well written and the final act is thrilling.The after credits scene,where Parker tests a new gadget he received from Stark,is one that planted seeds of suspicion in my mind.

On the downside,Daniel Bruhl was wasted as Zemo,a villain so forgettable,I wouldn't have remembered even if he did commit suicide.Also,the fight between the 2 factions is unnecessarily talkative.Just stop talking and fight,Spider-Man!

But overall,Civil War is a good superhero movie that shows that Marvel isn't running out of steam anytime soon.

The Jungle Book (2016)

Visually magnificent,but generic story-wise

[6/10 · 27 May 2016]

The Jungle book introduces Neel Sethi as Mowgli,the man-cub forced to flee the jungle after a threat from Shere Khan,who is voiced brilliantly by Idris Elba.The rest of the cast,including Murray,Kingsley,Esposito and Walken,are awesome.Lupita Nyongo is given very little screen time as Kaa.One of the only reasons to see this is to see the magnificent visual effects and voice cast.The problem is,if you've read the book,you've seen the movie,because this movie is so desperate to secure critical and commercial success,that it does not try to develop any storyline or move away from the book in any way.They're playing it super safe,and the death of Sher Khan by the fire is something already seen in the 1967 movie.Neel Sethi does well as Mowgli,the only human character in the film.

But this movie plays it safe - a bit too safe - to be memorable. You will probably forget it as soon as you walk out the theater.

Quantico (2015–2018)

Average but well-acted

[6/10 · 26 May 2016]

This is after seeing the whole season.

Well,this show is not original.It borrows from How to get away with Murder and the framed woman concept is a Blacklist ripoff.This was supposed to be a 13-episode season,and I would have liked it that way.Instead,it was stretched to 22 episodes,which caused it to go around in circles and make up excuses to keep the show running until it found a conclusion.Although I have to say,some of the twists are surprising.Alex Parrish cries in a crisis instead of using her brains,even though that is exactly what an FBI agent is trained to do.Good performance from Priyanka Chopra,even if she goes OTT sometimes. The CGI is bot so good,even though this show is produced in 2016.

Overall,Quantico is an average terrorism thriller which probably won't last till the end of the second season.

Olympus Has Fallen (2013)

Unoriginal but enjoyable

[6/10 · 25 May 2016]

I think Olympus has fallen is better than White House Down.First,its a rated R action movie,hence more violence.Sure,it is Die Hard in the white house.But why not to like that? Somehow,they convinced Morgan Freeman to come on board here,and the fact that he is so underused is something I did not like.Somehow these terrorists could take out the entire secret service except for one man who astonishingly wipes out the entire terrorist force. Somehow,even with all these flaws,the movie is enjoyable.Fuqua's tense direction gave the movie a suspenseful tone.Sure,its nothing original.Sure,its knee deep in stars and stripes.But it is still better than the other brainless action movies in recent memory.