Recensioni di arungeorge13

The poster gives you hints of something, and the logline tells you something else. It's kinda spoilery, but the film succeeds in what it tries to communicate, very candidly. This is a stark reminder of why we need strong filmmakers like Eva Victor (it's her debut? Damnnnn!) telling such stories. What seemingly begins as a light-hearted dramedy turns into something deeply affecting by the second chapter (or "year"), and that's where the decision behind keeping the storytelling non-linear truly shines. Even the "something bad" part is conceived and shot with such clarity, conveying everything it needed to, without being insensitive. The friendship between Victor's and Ackie's characters is also warmly written and portrayed. Lucas Hedges and John Carroll Lynch also get noteworthy roles.

What made me like the film a lot more is how Agnes (Victor), after what she's been through, still comes across men whom she finds unexpected solace in. Two scenes in particular are really memorable. One takes place on the side of the road, and another inside a bathtub. As much as the scenes highlight Agnes' inner feelings, they're also about navigating life as it comes. There's some situational dark humour at play too, without detracting from the core theme. If I were to zero in on a single takeaway from Eva Victor (as a writer-director first, and an actor second) it's in the art of balancing sudden tonal shifts.

P. S. What a lovely, poignant scene to close out the film!

I LOVE a horror film that covers its logline in the first 5 minutes. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE a horror film that doesn't spoil everything in its trailer cut. Zach Cregger follows up Barbarian with yet another increasingly tense and mysterious plot setting, where a (bizarre) incident rattles an an entire community. Once again, Cregger isn't a writer that spoonfeeds viewers. He wants you, the viewer, to fit the puzzle pieces together to form your distinct version of a cohesive whole -- this is smartly done through various characters' POVs colliding into each other's at specific (often unexpected) points. The pacing is apt, the (jump)scares are effective, and the score is splendid.

Besides the writing that oftentimes feels like the sharpest critical reflection of the current state of affairs in the US, the biggest praises from my end will go towards the cinematography (Larkin Seiple) and editing (Joe Murphy) efforts. Not only do the visuals manage to send chills down your spine, but the changing perspective makes us want to tune into everything that's going on, slowly and steadily unveiling the mystery. And speaking of satisfying endings, this has got to be one of the finest conclusions for a horror film in recent memory -- inventive, funny, shocking, batshit crazy!

Julia Gardner (sooo in love with that haircut), Josh Brolin (a needed masculine presence in a film like this), Alden Ehrenreich (one more "baddie" to his list), Austin Abrams (cool one-liners, bruh), Benedict Wong (shows his range), and Amy Madigan (chief creepy ANTAGONIST) all deliver really solid performances to elevate the plot and keep us invested in its progression. Justin Long and Sara Paxton show up in cameos. That's it -- enough reading -- if you're into psychological horror, head to the nearest cinema hall right away. You're in for a treat!

At this point, the D-Rex has more in common with a Xenomorph than a dinosaur (..are we getting an Alien x Jurassic World crossover?), but whatever. Such forgettable characters, mediocre dino-kills, and and a weak as hell payoff in the final act -- not what you'd expect usually of David Koepp (the writer behind the original JP), though this is what we get. Gareth Edwards is good at stirring tensions with "monstrous" set pieces, and while it works with the sequence at sea, the rest don't pack any punch given almost all the characters are disposable (and not worth caring about). Yeah, the film takes far too many storytelling liberties (like a character falling off a cliff and not having a single cracked bone; the dinosaurs seem to be great at playing hide-and-seek, and so on) and you'd easily be knowing which characters are going to be dino-dinner and when. Also, solid product placement by Lay's and Snickers!

P. S. The most disappointing thing about these movies lately have to be how UNSCARY the CG dinosaurs have become. It's not the worst entry in the series, but it'll be disregarded pretty soon. And no, ScarJo being present in it makes no difference.

I wasn't entirely sure how Ram's thesis-styled writing would marry into Shiva's comedic sensibilities (and one-liners), but they work like wine and cheese here. Shiva's constant replies in English seamlessly tickle the funny bone. At the same time, the film itself offers a wealth of engaging commentary on parenting, unplanned adventures, reconnecting with nature, and acknowledging our flaws and quirks. The road trip story is further enriched by N. K. Ekambaram's scintillating rural visuals and the presence of performers such as Grace Antony, Anjali, and Aju Varghese only help.

Grace especially shines in a scene where she bumps into her sister. Her character, while missing the road trip parts of the plot, still feels so integrally written into the proceedings. She's sure to land more roles (with depth and meaning) in Tamil after this. The surprising star here is Mithul Ryan (as the wacky, always-curious, and innocently adorable Anbu), who cracks the assignment spectacularly. My only major gripe is with the "explanatory" songs, which kinda ruin the visual beauty of some scenes. Otherwise, let's "keep flying."

As a remake to the Spanish film Campeones and its English counterpart Champions, it's decent. But when you give it the name Sitaare Zameen Par, it also has to live up to the legacy left by a film like Taare Zameen Par, and that's where it falls short. The Aamir Khan film spends slightly more time on the family dynamic bit than the original, whereas the Woody Harrelson version was basically just a straightforward sports comedy with a central redeeming arc. The first half of Sitaare Zameen Par was actually just okayish for me, not hitting the highs in humour or character establishment.

It's only at the interval point that scenes start to feel refreshing and authentic. Aamir Khan's performance, while better than some of his recent efforts, still needs to step out of that overzealous, overreacting zone. Hopefully, a director like Lokesh Kanagaraj is exactly what he needs for a course correction. Genelia's presence is such a breath of fresh air, and while the character isn't the most well-written, I absolutely enjoyed seeing her on screen. This is a film for the intellectually challenged ensemble, and they get their sweet, shining moments. The sports element doesn't leave much of an impact here, and if basketball was replaced by any other sport, it would've hardly made a difference. It's the in-between scenes that land well. Guddu, Golu, and the rest -- you guys were awesome!

One could deem this "middle-class propaganda," and it wouldn't entirely be wrong. Middle-class dreams have evolved just as much as the state of inflation in this country. The film sells an "idea," but it does so at the expense of not answering a zillion questions that come with it in the present. The emotions do land thanks to convincing performances from the entire cast, and you'll remember the family as a full unit here -- each one has an arc (of eventual acceptance). Amrit Ramnath impresses with his score and songs, flowing naturally with the proceedings. For writer-director Sri Ganesh, this is a more-than-solid comeback after Kuruthi Aattam. As good as Siddharth and Sarath Kumar are in their respective roles, I must also applaud the ladies - Devayani, Meetha Raghunath, and Chaithra J Achar for making theirs just as memorable.

However, I have issues with the writing. There's an attempt to pack too much into the script, and that's also to indicate the passage of time. Prabhu (Siddharth), landing in the wrong field of study and work, is not as deftly handled as the film's central plot. Prabhu's reconciliation with Aishu (Chaithra) could also have been less "coincidental." Aarthy's (Meetha) broken marriage is barely explored, but the actor sells one particular scene so well, making us not want to know anything beyond. I wish 3BHK had more scenes of Shanthi (Devayani) and Vasudevan (Sarath Kumar) discussing their hopes and problems in private, making me connect with their simpler mindsets a lot more.

This is by no means a bad film -- there's a good chance you'll be reaching for a hanky at some point -- but I really wanted this film to hit my sensitive nerves way harder, like the "realistic" middle-class drama it aspires to be. Right now, it's still a solid collection of emotional moments, told linearly, with a splendid cast holding up their side of the bargain.

Well, this is the 4th entry in the Conversations with a Killer documentary series on Netflix, and once again, it's a pretty solid Joe Berlinger effort. Having directed the other 3, Berlinger knows how to strike a balance between handling the sensitive side of the killings and conveying the essence of the series' title, i.e., the tapes. Berkowitz was not an easy person to understand - some of his actions stemmed from deep-seated trauma, anger, and hatred (right from his unsettling childhood), while some others felt spontaneous, attention-seeking, and trying to capitalize on notoriety.

Like the rest, we get 3 episodes of roughly an hour each, told in a non-linear fashion, cutting and stitching across various timelines in Berkowitz's life. The re-enactments are pretty good, as is the case with Berlinger's earlier works, blended with real footage from those times, adding to the retro intensity. How Berkowitz held a large section of NYC in fear for over a year is something that's worthy of a larger discussion. I appreciate how Berlinger concluded the series with the friends, lovers, and acquaintances of the victims sharing why they believe the victims deserve to be remembered beyond being Berkowitz's "targets."

P. S. Parts of episode 3 felt filler-like, especially because that was extensively covered in The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness.

Too many genre (and tonal) shifts ruin what could've been a memorable 'two-character' piece, a fun road-trip movie. Vadivelu basically towers over everyone else here, and that's not because of the way the character is written. FaFa repeats mannerisms that we've seen in Carbon and Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum, but still makes for a convincing petty thief. Where the film "lost" me is in its final hour, when a crime-thriller angle got going, and the writing just becomes extremely predictable, even though things unfold in a non-linear way. The script still carries some performative weight in these portions, thanks to its hard-hitting dialogue. But the direction just goes haywire. An action block towards the end looks poorly staged; Yuvan's background score, while effective in the first half, becomes too emotionally indicative in the latter. Also, the plot doesn't have enough for 2h 30m, what with its explanatory flashbacks, et al.

For a film that I was never too big on, it feels good to say that F4: First Steps is indeed a "step" in the right direction. Having seen all the other F4 films, I can safely say that the MCU iteration is one that balances chemistry (between the leads), heart (the momma angle in this is beautifully positioned), and scale (the threat is other-wordly). For starters, the cast sells their roles really well. Pascal is wonderful as the calculative scientist Reed Richards, who's still figuring out what it means to be a dad -- he never switches the scientist side off at any point -- a trait that makes him sensible and logical. Vanessa Kirby makes for an excellent Sue Storm, handling both superhero and mommy duties in exceptional ways. It is to no one's surprise that a good chunk of situational humour comes from the banter between Joseph Quinn's Johnny Storm and Ebon Moss-Bachrach's Ben Grimm. Julia Gardner's Shalla-Bal / Silver Surfer is splendid too, and including a backstory montage for her made all the storytelling difference. Ralph Ineson voices the intimidating planet-eater Galactus, a worthy, hard-to-defeat villain for this entry.

Now, another aspect that works pretty damn well is the CG. Unlike the last few MCU biggies, the $200 million budget seems to have been put to great use, with Scott Stokdyk (Sam Raimi's Spiderman trilogy) leading the VFX efforts working with multiple big names. The magnitude of the events and the retro-futuristic production design come across even better in 3D, and I've to also applaud the writers Josh Friedman and Eric Pearson (alongside Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer) for opting to tell an "in-between" story than an "origin" story. The last act feels a bit rushed though, and I wouldn't have minded seeing more of Galactus throwing things around and decimating the world before entering into a showdown with the leads. It almost feels like there were absolutely no casualties for an event of such scale.

P. S. No brainer but stay back for both mid-credits and post-credits scenes.

What a ride. More importantly, what a REAL, HARD-HITTING ride. At just 90 minutes, the film not only manages to strike an emotional chord but also tells the stories of so many people suffering various illness, through the POV of Floria (Leonie Benesch). That too, while carefully placing a spotlight on the real-world crisis of nurse shortage. Floria's really committed to her job, and it's shown to us through her interactions with several patients in the ward, including sweet ones, stubborn ones, depressing / terminally ill ones, and even the "entitled" ones. Director Petra Volpe closely follows Floria as she navigates a rather hectic evening, filled with spontaneous requests, immense pressure of follow-ups, and even having to deal with personal dilemmas.

The beauty of the storytelling lies in giving us tidbits of information on Floria and her patients, making the each incidental revelation all the more impactful. Leonie Benesch puts in a fantastic performance -- one that's sure to linger in my head for a very long time for the subtleties alone. And as much as I hate being physically at a hospital, the film aggravated that feeling with its solid sound design and cinematography (characterized by long shots). This unprecedented health crisis is alarming, and I hope the world is taking notes. Late Shift, for me, is cinema mirroring life.

Materialists, while nowhere as moving or intimate as Celine Song's earlier film Past Lives, still offers a few pearls of wisdom as an entry in the derivative, glossy, and inauthentic genre of romance (in the modern era, i.e.). This is NYC from the New Yorkian perspective, with inhabitants from different walks of life. Each of the leads are navigating life through distinct paths, but what binds them is a common denominator -- love (and its multi-faceted nature). As the film pushes through its first act, establishing the three leads, it becomes increasingly evident why it's difficult to emotionally connect with Dakota Johnson's Lucy even when she's THE CENTREPIECE. On the other hand, Chris Evans' John and Pedro Pascal's Harry (in his limited screentime) can still be understood better. As they say, men are just easier to comprehend (😛..and it's true!).

We're also talking about 3 incredibly good-looking people here, even when they're from varying backgrounds and follow different career paths. Because of this, a bias is also likely to set in. Chris Evans is such a charmer with his unkempt hair (and catering uniform), even when he's constantly whining about money issues and lack of growth. Pedro Pascal looks incredibly sharp in suits, making him the "unicorn" as rightfully deemed in the film. Dakota Johnson is torn between the both of them, and superficially speaking, it'd be a damn difficult choice to make (heh!). Within the confines of her character, I also get why Lucy does what she does. She is the titular materialist who believes marriage is a business transaction but also sells the event rather well, using verbiage like "grave buddies," "soulmates," etc.

Harry and John and two ends of a spectrum in today's dating perspective. Neither really checks "all the boxes" but they offer intriguingly different life experiences. I feel there was greater scope in exploring this from Lucy's end (which I also thought Celine Song would excel at), though it comes down to simple yes/no questions in the end. I wish it were that easy, but yeah, I shouldn't also forget that it's a film. Not everything is meant to mirror real life exactly as it is. Sometimes, the cinematic ending is sufficient.

This is no "romantic-COMEDY" however. It's a character piece, a low-brow relationship drama, with interesting dialogues and situations. I'm also not too sure what to make of the sexual assault subplot in this film -- was it just sharp critique on the perils of modern dating? Or something more? The victim is branded in an earlier scene by Lucy herself as "too normal" -- are normal people not worthy of finding love anymore? Anyways, the bottomline's that the film has issues in balancing commentary with emotional investment. It's still a GOOD film overall; not a GREAT one.

This could only be summed up as "INTERESTING IDEAS .. the movie." I believe there are quite a few small wins here in terms of thematic setup, but the payoffs are never as interesting. It starts with a tense thriller premise (that revolves around noise pollution), before diving into a bitcoin subplot and a larger real-estate conspiracy at play. No complaints concerning the performances -- Kang Ha-neul, Seo Hyun-woo, and Yeom Hye-ran deliver quite solidly. Writer-director Kim Tae-joon shows inventiveness in the staging, at least in the initial portions, before running out of steam in the final act, where it turns into a familiar, bloody showdown. Wall to Wall also suffers from the same issue as Tae-joon's earlier flick Unlocked, where the length of the film (1h 58m) lessened its conclusive impact. The nightmarish thriller part of the film ranks way above the rest, and most of that's restricted to the first hour.

One could call this the Irish cousin to 2022's The Beasts, telling a rural revenge saga that's unique in its own ways. Firstly, the framing is fantastically raw and unfiltered, letting us sink into the length and breadth of this beautiful-yet-haunting landscape. Secondly, the performances are striking -- Christopher Abbott and Barry Keoghan are both amazing -- lending so much depth and heft to their respective roles. The first half is incredibly tense and fast-paced, letting you see Michael's (Abbott) side of the story before it takes on Jack's (Keoghan) POV in the second. Since the setting and the number of characters are minimal, this gives us the opportunity to understand them better, with well-established arcs amid rising tensions.

However, the second half also suffers from having to re-tell the events (albeit from a fresh perspective) with added context. This is where the pacing takes a dip, as we're aware of what went down already, but we're curious as to the "why." The finale is not the most cinematically satisfying either, though given the circumstances (and perspectives shared from both sides), it's ideal. I liked a few of the soundtracks used in the film (Kojey Radical's 2Fs, for instance), going against what my mind would usually associate with something rural/countryside. The use of handheld shots is also commendable, especially in scenes that involve animal brutality (thankfully offscreen, but you still hear the painful bleating) and/or chases. It leaves most of the disturbing bits to one's own imagination; a clever choice by writer-director Christopher Andrews. Despite its flaws, I'd still recommend this drama-thriller.

P. S. I didn't expect to see Holly from The Descent age so beautifully.. Nora-Jane Noone is solid in her (significant supporting) role too.

M3GAN 2.0 is definitely an "attempt" to up the scale and the stakes, but in doing so, it switches genres from campy sci-fi slasher to campy sci-fi actioner. I didn't find this genre swap to be particularly fascinating, because I saw greater potential in a plot where M3GAN is a total menace to society than an "ally." The plot also overcomplicates itself as it progresses, sometimes villainizing the AI and sometimes glorifying it. Sure, the villains in these films eventually end up being "humans" in high positions (yawn!), and there's actually a 180° turn in the way M3GAN is written into this movie. Her arc feels less impactful this time, given the "there's ONLY one solution" setting, but the campy dialogues get an upgrade (hold onto your vaginas, lol!). Then again, I wanted this to be a 1h 35m horror film than a 2h actioner, so it didn't really win me over.

If there's one thing we can all trust James Gunn to excel in, it's in infusing a comic-book franchise with much-needed emotional depth.. and he does so by means of placing them in vulnerable situations and stressing upon why we need good people (and superheroes and furry companions) around us to make it all the way through. David Corenswet's Kal-El is probably the most "human," most "flawed" iteration of the character ever to exist. When we first meet him, he's already losing battles, getting captured (and nearly killed), and going through a rocky relationship with Lois (an excellent Rachel Brosnahan). There's a lot of dramatic baggage in place, plus it takes place in the era of social media -- so, you know when stuff hits the fan (in terms of "perception", i.e.) it really does.

Supes needs all the help he can get -- be it in the form of the Justice Gang (Green Lantern, Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl), Metamorpho, Lois, and his other pals at the Daily Planet. On the other end of the spectrum, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) is busy hatching big plans and making world-threatening, questionable decisions. But the motivations are clear -- he despises the idea of an alien like Superman being widely recognized as the saviour, while his "scientific genius" is not. The Lois we see here is also a committed journalist; her changing equation with Clark is interesting to see. Nothing bothers the Indian Censor Board like a good makeout scene - not once, but twice (ugh!).

Krypto, the dog, is clearly among the film's positive highlights - making for a fun, scratchy sidekick who pops up at the right moments. Gunn retains his GOTG & The Suicide Squad cinematographer DoP Henry Braham for all the right reasons. Gunn's staging of the set-pieces, with fascinating song choices, works like a charm. The visual and practical effects departments have a done a fantastic job - big names like ILM, Weta, Legacy, and Framestore are involved. But above all that, it's Corenswet and Brosnahan's dazzling chemistry that makes the film memorable.

Also, the cameos -- there are quite a few, I must say. Each of those has something to contribute to the larger universe, and at this point, sets the ball rolling for DC's future. The trademark Gunn humour takes a while to settle in, but when it does, the film flows like a breeze. Of course, it undermines a good emotional scene or two (like the interaction between Supes and Luthor during the climax, for instance), but in the overall scheme of affairs, this RELATABLE, FLAWED, POOKIE-FIED Superman is the need of the hour. Great effort by Gunn & Co!

Karate Kid: Legends looks to milk nostalgia from the other entries in the franchise that featured Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, and it does so at the expense of its new protagonist and the flappy situations he finds himself in. Apart from NYC still looking like a dream (albeit with lots of product placement), there's very little going on in the plot. The stakes don't feel emotionally-affecting, the whole tournament is captured like an after-thought (..in a flash), and even the two legacy characters (Mr. Han & Daniel LaRusso, i.e.) look kinda uninterested in their mission. Ben Wang is the fighting kid here, and while his performance isn't bad, the characterization is very plain, with an arc that lacks any real gut-punches. Same goes for the antagonist. I did like Dominic Lewis' efforts on the score, however.

I honestly did not expect to enjoy a film titled Heads of State, released as a "Prime Original" as much as I did. Much of the credit for that needs to go to director Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry, Nobody) for his inventive staging of the set-pieces. The guy understands the assignment here i.e. To create a buddy-comedy-actioner that relies on two things - the action (obviously!) and the camaraderie between the leads. Idris Elba, John Cena, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas deliver the goods in style, with a funny, wacky slice of Jack Quaid to go with. Priyanka does more arse-kicking here than in Don 2, for those who care.

The film takes a little while to get going, with a somewhat watered-down first 20 minutes and a dull opening sequence. But as soon as the "Heads of State" hop aboard Air Force One, this turns into the film it was rightfully advertised as. The comedic bits work thanks to Cena (in his naturally humorous form) and his chemistry with Elba, and their characters are written as such, even if predictably so. Yeah, there are some clichés too, like a Russian final baddie, and cinematic deaths never feeling real, though it doesn't stop you from enjoying the proceedings much.

Paddy Considine is 2/2 this year (with Deep Cover and now this). I don't know if this is a sign of better quality at Amazon MGM Studios quite yet, but if Deep Cover and this film are any indication for their upcoming catalogue of "originals," I'd say they're doing a better job than Netflix and the rest ..for now. Yeah, and like Road House last year, this too will certainly bring differing opinions. I enjoyed it ..just as much as I needed to!

At this point, Liam Neeson's situationship with perilous situations has become a tiresome actioner trope. All the characters, except for Neeson's and Bingbing Fan's, are directly imported from the generic action template guidebook. This could've been tagged a Taken movie, and it wouldn't be any different. And for a film titled "Ice Road," there were hardly any icy roads. I forgot almost everything about the first film except for the name, Neeson's character, and the poster.. so I didn't even realize that the protagonist's brother was dead (lol!). Also, I read that most of this was shot in Australia and not Nepal, which makes it matter even less. Can Liam Neeson do less of these and more of In the Land of Saints and Sinners types with better character depth?

It's crazy to think how much the Philippou brothers have altered the landscape of horror with just a couple of films, both pathbreaking in their own right. They rattle your inner core, remind you what the far-reaching impact of trauma can be, and offer truly disturbing imagery that'll stay with you weeks if not months. Bring Her Back is a technically stronger film overall, with the sequence of events packing a greater punch and characters one can connect instantly with. Sora Wong (with no prior acting experience) is an absolute revelation as Piper, while Jonah Wren Phillips is mind-blowing as the "possessed" posterboy. Again, I have to applaud what the Philippou brothers have done here with their cast -- extracting really strong, really impactful performances -- while making stupendous use of practical effects. The writing deals with multiple themes (trauma, grief, the supernatural) yet tackles almost all of them well, giving the characters (of Andy & Piper) just enough fleshing out to make us care deeply.

Sally Hawkins is cast against type as Laura (with cruel, selfish intentions) and does a spectacularly deranged job that makes her easy to hate. When you look at it, the plot is so simple, the setting is so simple. It sorta makes you think of M N Shyamalan flicks of the 2000s, but with lots of blood, rainwater, and teeth. Rain is used so impeccably in the film; the entirety of the last act unfolds during a downpour, making the proceedings drenched and uneasy. Overall, Bring Her Back is a film that hooks you right from its opening credits all the way to the end credits with its quality in writing, direction, performances, and special effects. Logically, there might be some misses, but it's still a FANTASTIC effort.

The bar for the MCU is set pretty low nowadays, so an entry like Thunderbolts* actually feels refreshingly enjoyable, albeit with its own flaws. The writers (Eric Pearson & Joanna Calo) flesh out each character in the ensemble through unique ways, and place Yelena (Florence Pugh, fantastic as always) at the center of it all. It's fascinating to see the theme of "loneliness" being tackled in a superhero film of all places, while also carrying that quintessential MCU brand of humour (i.e, cracking one-liners in wrong circumstances) which has kinda been missing in the last few films at least. Individually, the characters don't pack a punch, but collectively, this motley crew of superheroes is fairly fun to watch.

The action in the early portions is neatly crafted, but I can't say the same for the final act. It is mainly due to the plot writing itself into a corner, and there could ONLY have been one possible way out of that situation. There's too much "psychology" going on in Act 3, leading to a somewhat okayish conclusion. The post-credits tie-in to the upcoming F4 film (with very little hype going for it) doesn't do much except promise a future crossover (..that is NO SPOILER!).

P. S. Without David Harbour, the film would've been a lot less fun.

P. P. S. This needed more scenes of Sebastian Stan & Geraldine Viswanathan vibing.

There was already a lot of talk (read: buzz) around how this was gonna be like Top Gun: Maverick but on the racing track, given F1 is written by Ehren Kruger and directed by Joseph Kosinski. The trailer confirmed much of it, and yes, it's essentially what everyone (and their mom) expected from a plot standpoint -- I'm not explaining it -- if Ehren Kruger has cracked one kind of (tweaked) storytelling formula, it's THIS ONE. And mind you, it still works. BIG TIME!

Brad Pitt is still an effing badass on screen, and it's incredibly easy to buy him as Sonny Hayes. I certainly have a soft spot for Kerry Condon, and her pairing with Pitt benefits the film just as much as the Cruise-Connolly pairing did for Top Gun: Maverick. The lead characters carry arcs of their own, and there's more than sufficient breathing space for them to develop. The racing sequences are incredibly nail-biting, and edited with finesse (by Stephen Mirrione) - there are fast cuts done to match the soundtrack too, which I felt, was very stylistic and cool. The sound department is just on another level, making you feel every single vroom-vroom. It puts you right in the middle of the track, making you experience those thuds, crashes, and engine revs.

Hans Zimmer also brings his A-game on the score, fully immersing us in this world of corporate decision-making, race driver egos, what the pit crew essentially goes through as a result, and even a sweet slice of romance. Claudio Miranda (a frequent Joseph Kosinski collaborator) captures the action up close to let us know how one feels to be in the driver's seat of an F1 car, but the real winner here is the decision to film almost all of it in real tracks around the world. The podcast with Joseph Kosinski on the F1 website explains all of this, and more, in a super interesting episode.

As much as the film revolves around the characters of Brad Pitt and Damon Idris, F1 is very much Javier Bardem's. While he's the rich, corporate stooge, the friendship he shares with Pitt's Sonny Hayes also forms one of the core emotional points. Idris pretty much plays the Miles Teller character from TGM, and he's solid. On the whole, the film is very much an experience meant for the big screens. I enjoyed every minute of it -- the one-liners, the character arcs, the technical flair, and most importantly, the set-pieces.

Once in a while, a Bollywood film surprises you with its faithfulness to the genre, sincere performances, and minimalist-but-effective making --Stolen is one such. It shows you both sides of the country like a coin being flipped -- the "uncaring" urban and the "braindead" rural -- and how neither can be stereotyped. Never has mob lynching looked so real and brutal. The writing is brilliant in how events are stitched together; it's an extremely tense, 90-minute thriller ..all gas, no brakes. This adds one more feather to Abhishek Banerjee's cap, and I also loved the performances of Mia Maelzer and Shubham Vardhan. The cinematography is top-notch, with long-takes dominating the proceedings. Also, for a debut director, Karan Tejpal absolutely nailed it!

I wasn't gonna miss 28 Years Later in theatres for the world, especially having watched both the previous instalments several times with fond (zombie) memories. Danny Boyle's and Alex Garland's 28 Years Later basically retcons 28 Weeks Later in its frenetic opening scene. The virus has been quarantined in the U. K. and Ireland, and we're put right in the midst of a new set of characters, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams (what a fantastic find), and Jodie Comer. For a zombie film, I DID NOT expect 14-year-old Alfie Williams to play the protagonist here, especially with other big names in the cast. He's undoubtedly the emotional pivot, the character whose intentions are worth caring for, and his survival (over everyone else) is what matters.

The first hour of the film is a blend of everything that has evolved in zombie films and video games over the years. There's gory action, dynamic edits (including bullet-time zombie kills), and a sense of urgency in the plot even when it's just establishing the protagonist and his arc. It's standard Alex Garland fare (of recent memory), with the tone holding onto its utterly serious, adventurous nature. The second hour takes some captivating turns, embracing sudden tonal shifts, deeper social commentary, and another set of bizarre characters (whom audiences will definitely find divisive, in terms of portrayal), and concluding with a cliff-hanger-like ending.

Without going much into details, there are bits of silliness and darkly humourous moments, which I found really fresh and enjoyable for an otherwise moody, solemn flick. How the surviving society has regressed so much after being put through quarantine, requires something of a larger study (..remember COVID, anyone?). It's the kind of stuff that only someone like Alex Garland can cook, and in the capable directorial hands of Danny Boyle, I'm able to fully buy into their realistically cynical world view. And I'm ALL FOR IT! I want to see that showdown between iodine-red Ralph Fiennes and wacky Jack O'Connell, hopefully, with some unexpected Cillian Murphy interventions.

The score, by Young Fathers, was riveting. Boyle reunites with editor Jon Harris once again, and the intercuts of real war footage and modern zombie-filled societal madness, were fantastic to see on the big screen. It also contributes to viewers heavily staying on edge during those initial chase sequences, also reminding me of Harris' work in The Descent. Anthony Dod Mantle, another regular Boyle collaborator, captures the proceedings on iPhones, with those saturated frames looking incredible -- it's so contrasting to see flesh-craving zombies against the beautifully British countryside -- horror and natural beauty are a deadly combination indeed.

Jodie Comer is splendid in every film she stars in, and this one's no different. I want to spend more time with Ralph Fiennes' Dr. Kelson and his stoic philosophies while also understanding the deeper, futuristic relevance of that finely constructed "Bone Temple." Boyle and Garland succeed in milking all the goodness that's left in the zombie genre, and also leave us wanting more. I'm putting all my faith in Nia DaCosta to take this franchise forward, with Garland firmly in the writer's seat.

Well, can you believe it? The guys behind the Jurassic World films (Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow) team up with Brit comedy duo Ben Ashenden & Alexander Owen for a fun little comedy caper. While this is a thoroughly British film (with THAT sense of humour), the presence of Bryce Dallas Howard gives it a bit of an American flavour too. Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed bring in the laughs, with great support from actors such as Paddy Considine, Ian McShane, Sean Bean, and Sonoya Mizuno. The lead trio makes for perfect undercover misfits, and since they play improv actors, there's always scope for situational hilarity.

It's best not to dive into the intricacies of the plot, as this is a film riding high on the protagonists' chemistry. Each of them gets their moment(s) to shine within the screenplay. Despite some clichés and imperfections, I still found myself having a jolly good time with this 1h 40m flick. And for something that's streaming under the "Amazon Original" tag these days, it is indeed a major exception. It also made me wonder what someone like Guy Ritchie would do with a script like this, instead of working on forgettable schlock like Fountain of Youth.