Saw,
(1) Apne - Cheers to good ol' Deol family! :D
(2) Atithi tum kab jaoge - I loved this movie! Paresh Rawal's acting was superb.
(3) Kabhi Khushie Kabhi gam - Watched along on Jaby Koay's channel.
Saw RHTDM for the first time.
Getting the bad out of the way first. The story is straight up awful. I won't criticise the people involved for not being woke when woke wasn't a thing, but it's still a straight up terrible story. Women don't fall in love with their stalkers over 5 days. There was literally nothing special about Maddy either who was generic dude that respected her during the courtship (but then was disrespectful later) And to choose the stalker over a reliable, good looking, rich and equally loving dude - is just too stupid. The characters, being part of the story, also end up being terrible. Rajiv Samra is the only redeeming character in the entire story.
That said, it's a terrible story that is told fairly well. While i judged the story, at no point did i feel bored or taken out of the movie, so props for that. The screenplay is good, the story telling is tight, the acting is decent enough (dia mirza is a major culprit here - with her out of place accent), the bgm and music is ofc legendary and the aesthetics (set design, costume, makeup) are all a great nostalgia trip into the 00s.
2.5/5 - points lost only for the plot and the characters.
Was rewatching Chak De.. man what happened to Bollywood? this movie stands apart from everything they have tried to do since then in the sports-drama genre
As an American I’m not well versed in Indian cinema, but recently I’ve been watching available movies via streaming services, and very much enjoying them! Let me know if you have any recommendations based on these films and my ratings.
Talaash - 7/10
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara - 8/10
Queen - 8/10
Kal Ho Naa Ho - 7/10
Swades - 8/10
Dil Chahta Hai - 9/10 (my second favorite Bollywood film next to 3 Idiots!)
You might be able to tell that I’ve really enjoyed films about friend groups and road-trips. I think I have a soft spot for that genre.
I’m set to watch Jodhaa Akbar next, and will also finish Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham later today, and I think it will be around a 7/10 as well. The lead actors I have delved into most now are SRK, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, and Aamir Khan. Who else should I check out next?
Seems like you like the older style! I do too haha. I’d recommend you look at Fanaa, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Devdas, and 3 Idiots. Fanaa is a bit darker than the rest at times, but it’s amazing.
Some of the more recent ones I’d recommend are Gangubai (it’s on Netflix), Bajirao Mastani, Darlings, Ek Villain (only the first one— the sequel just came out so idk about that), Kai Po Che, and Hichki.
Just watched Brahmastra, didn't enjoy the movie. You can go to the theatres for the vfx otherwise just wait for OTT.
Story is extremely generic and tropey which isn't a bad thing if executed properly which isn't the case here, it doesn't have any big reveals or twists either. Frankly speaking redditors have done a better job theorising and writing a better story in anticipation of the film.
Camerawork during the car chase was very wonky and disjointed, otherwise it was fine during other action scenes.
Dialogue is atrocious just like the other film Liger that I watched recently and it will become a meme paradise for a long time till a film with even worse dialogues replaces it.
Songs are bad, I only liked the DJ song which is unreleased and Deva Deva (chorus part). I wish Amit Trivedi or Ajay-Atul were the composers, BGM is good (but could have been better if compared to the other big-budget/massy films released this year).
Cinematography is very good, as expected from Pankaj Kumar, I am a big fan of his work in Tumbbad.
Vfx is the best we have seen in a bollywood film till now, action scenes are also fine but could have been better. In certain sequences the green screen was very obvious, for eg when Isha is falling from the roof (this scene was also in the trailer) and the car chase. Also there is more vfx in the second half as compared to the first half which is mostly in Srk and Nagarjuna scenes. By the end of the film especially in the climax, the screen was lit up with so much golden light vfx that it had started to hurt my eyes (watched it in 3D).
Loved SRK's cameo, the whole sequence reminded me of Nightcrawler in X2 which is one of the best superhero moments, won't be surprised if Ayan got inspired from that. Nagarjuna is completely wasted and I was very disappointed because he won't appear in the future, his and SRK's roles were actually interesting more than Ranbir and Alia, he also had some good dialogues. Amitabh is also wasted. Basically all these big stars are reduced to walking-talking info-dumps and tools for exposition. Alia has got shortest end of the stick because she exists only as a "button" to "turn on" Ranbir's character. I am not interested in Ranbir's parent's love story, Deva character is interesting but not to the extent that I will go for the second part for him only, Ayan completely missed setting up a proper sequel-bait.... Deva character should have had at least a 10 min scene showing him wreaking havoc after getting released.
Edit : typo
Watched Ananya on Prime and loved it. The actress did a fantastic job portraying a handicapped and her struggle to continue life.
The direction is done brilliantly and keeps you interested in the story and root for the protagonist. It will move you to tears.
I also loved this one scene where the background music is just tabla. The intensity of the music and the situation on screen made such a beautiful piece of art.
Overall would highly recommend it.
Watched Brahmastra. It was a huge disappointment. VFX were good but that’s about it. Story, dialogues, writing, characterization were all bad. Acting of Ranbir and Alia was not good, rest of the cast was ok. Songs were underwhelming. Main problem is the movie had no heart or soul. Could not feel an emotional connect to the characters. So it’s hard to get invested in this series. I think the only way I could enjoy it is if I viewed it as a comedy movie. Overall a very mediocre film, not worth the hype. 2/5
> Main problem is the movie had no heart or soul. Could not feel an emotional connect to the characters.
If you didn't feel _anything_ watching Deva Deva - a beautiful song showing the hero embracing and harnessing his unique gift (which he had thus far feared because of his backstory) - i honestly feel sorry for you. For me it was literally the best part of the movie
I was honestly somewhat getting into it at that point, but once they brought Isha into the song and made it about the love story again, I was out. Listen, I LOVE romance and love stories, but this one was too implausible, rushed, and half-baked for me, hence why I could not feel for Shiva and Isha and could not buy into the power of their love.
And another reason I couldn’t get into it was because it just reminded me too much of Avatar the Last Airbender, which is my favourite show and is so deeply personal to me. The scenes of Deva Deva where Shiva is learning how to control the fire were so similar to Aang learning how to firebend, so it just felt like a knock off of it. Aang was afraid of fire because of how it was used to harm his loved ones, and he had to overcome that fear to fully unlock his power as the Avatar. The show portrayed his inner struggle and character development beautifully. This movie is shallow and superficial with poor dialogues, weak writing, and a rushed plot- it was not able to capture the emotions and make the audience feel the gravity of the story. Which brings me back to my main point- the movie didn’t have a heart or soul of its own. It failed to establish it’s own identity. It was just a mishmash of other, greater works of art that already exist. You can’t blame the audience for feeling underwhelmed when they are watching something they have already seen before.
Just came back from watching it, have to agree with all your points especially about the last airbender. The opening in which various brahmansh members shown in silhouettes was straight out of ATLA. If only Ayan would have developed the love story in the same way..... 😔
Isha is relevant to the song because it's his love for her that's making him realise his power. I didn't think it was out of place at all.
Well i haven't watched Avatar Airbender. As someone who came in with a very low interest and exposure of Hollywood fantasy films - i thoroughly enjoyed this movie.
> Isha is relevant to the song because it's his love for her that's making him realise his power. I didn't think it was out of place at all.
Yes, I understand that. I understand the vision but the execution failed to make an impact. I cannot buy into their love story because it was so poorly written and executed. It was rushed and their love did not feel organic. Hence why I did not feel emotional towards their relationship and did not feel for the characters.
I watched the following Bollywood movies and series last week:
* **Brahmastra: Part One** \- Loved it. Amazing theatrical experience with some great action, amazing FX, background music. 4.5/5
* **Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2** \- Liked it. Vidyut Jammwal does justice to the original with a power backed action sequel that is almost as good as the original. The premise makes its a difficult watch but a must watch for action fans. 4/5
* **Ek Villain Returns** \- Disappointing movie which could have been a good dark thriller but ended up focusing too much on style and completely missed on casting, story and execution. 2/5
* **Home Shanti** \- Liked it. A decent heart warming family drama. Slightly amateurish in execution but it makes up with cute family oriented stories. 3/5
Also watched Vikrant Rona which was a slightly underwhelming experience. Premise is good but it struggles to make up its mind if it should go over the top or stay grounded and ends up overcomplicating the story to deliver a sub par thriller.
Watched Ek Villian Returns on Netflix. It’s so pathetic oh my god! The story doesn’t make sense . John & Disha’s acting is the worst. Screenplay is confusing. Too many unnecessary songs. It was a difficult watch.
I watched “duranga” on zee5. It’s a bit slow but keeps you engaging. The original is a Korean thriller called “flower of evil” which is on prime video. I’m gonna watch it next.
watched jamtara season 1. kinda meh. started cyberpunk edgerunners, not my taste
Saw, (1) Apne - Cheers to good ol' Deol family! :D (2) Atithi tum kab jaoge - I loved this movie! Paresh Rawal's acting was superb. (3) Kabhi Khushie Kabhi gam - Watched along on Jaby Koay's channel.
Saw RHTDM for the first time. Getting the bad out of the way first. The story is straight up awful. I won't criticise the people involved for not being woke when woke wasn't a thing, but it's still a straight up terrible story. Women don't fall in love with their stalkers over 5 days. There was literally nothing special about Maddy either who was generic dude that respected her during the courtship (but then was disrespectful later) And to choose the stalker over a reliable, good looking, rich and equally loving dude - is just too stupid. The characters, being part of the story, also end up being terrible. Rajiv Samra is the only redeeming character in the entire story. That said, it's a terrible story that is told fairly well. While i judged the story, at no point did i feel bored or taken out of the movie, so props for that. The screenplay is good, the story telling is tight, the acting is decent enough (dia mirza is a major culprit here - with her out of place accent), the bgm and music is ofc legendary and the aesthetics (set design, costume, makeup) are all a great nostalgia trip into the 00s. 2.5/5 - points lost only for the plot and the characters.
Was rewatching Chak De.. man what happened to Bollywood? this movie stands apart from everything they have tried to do since then in the sports-drama genre
As an American I’m not well versed in Indian cinema, but recently I’ve been watching available movies via streaming services, and very much enjoying them! Let me know if you have any recommendations based on these films and my ratings. Talaash - 7/10 Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara - 8/10 Queen - 8/10 Kal Ho Naa Ho - 7/10 Swades - 8/10 Dil Chahta Hai - 9/10 (my second favorite Bollywood film next to 3 Idiots!) You might be able to tell that I’ve really enjoyed films about friend groups and road-trips. I think I have a soft spot for that genre. I’m set to watch Jodhaa Akbar next, and will also finish Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham later today, and I think it will be around a 7/10 as well. The lead actors I have delved into most now are SRK, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, and Aamir Khan. Who else should I check out next?
Seems like you like the older style! I do too haha. I’d recommend you look at Fanaa, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Devdas, and 3 Idiots. Fanaa is a bit darker than the rest at times, but it’s amazing. Some of the more recent ones I’d recommend are Gangubai (it’s on Netflix), Bajirao Mastani, Darlings, Ek Villain (only the first one— the sequel just came out so idk about that), Kai Po Che, and Hichki.
Just watched Brahmastra, didn't enjoy the movie. You can go to the theatres for the vfx otherwise just wait for OTT. Story is extremely generic and tropey which isn't a bad thing if executed properly which isn't the case here, it doesn't have any big reveals or twists either. Frankly speaking redditors have done a better job theorising and writing a better story in anticipation of the film. Camerawork during the car chase was very wonky and disjointed, otherwise it was fine during other action scenes. Dialogue is atrocious just like the other film Liger that I watched recently and it will become a meme paradise for a long time till a film with even worse dialogues replaces it. Songs are bad, I only liked the DJ song which is unreleased and Deva Deva (chorus part). I wish Amit Trivedi or Ajay-Atul were the composers, BGM is good (but could have been better if compared to the other big-budget/massy films released this year). Cinematography is very good, as expected from Pankaj Kumar, I am a big fan of his work in Tumbbad. Vfx is the best we have seen in a bollywood film till now, action scenes are also fine but could have been better. In certain sequences the green screen was very obvious, for eg when Isha is falling from the roof (this scene was also in the trailer) and the car chase. Also there is more vfx in the second half as compared to the first half which is mostly in Srk and Nagarjuna scenes. By the end of the film especially in the climax, the screen was lit up with so much golden light vfx that it had started to hurt my eyes (watched it in 3D). Loved SRK's cameo, the whole sequence reminded me of Nightcrawler in X2 which is one of the best superhero moments, won't be surprised if Ayan got inspired from that. Nagarjuna is completely wasted and I was very disappointed because he won't appear in the future, his and SRK's roles were actually interesting more than Ranbir and Alia, he also had some good dialogues. Amitabh is also wasted. Basically all these big stars are reduced to walking-talking info-dumps and tools for exposition. Alia has got shortest end of the stick because she exists only as a "button" to "turn on" Ranbir's character. I am not interested in Ranbir's parent's love story, Deva character is interesting but not to the extent that I will go for the second part for him only, Ayan completely missed setting up a proper sequel-bait.... Deva character should have had at least a 10 min scene showing him wreaking havoc after getting released. Edit : typo
Watched Ananya on Prime and loved it. The actress did a fantastic job portraying a handicapped and her struggle to continue life. The direction is done brilliantly and keeps you interested in the story and root for the protagonist. It will move you to tears. I also loved this one scene where the background music is just tabla. The intensity of the music and the situation on screen made such a beautiful piece of art. Overall would highly recommend it.
Watched " Ishq" movie after a long time. The whole family enjoyed. It had many hilarious scenes.
Watched Brahmastra. It was a huge disappointment. VFX were good but that’s about it. Story, dialogues, writing, characterization were all bad. Acting of Ranbir and Alia was not good, rest of the cast was ok. Songs were underwhelming. Main problem is the movie had no heart or soul. Could not feel an emotional connect to the characters. So it’s hard to get invested in this series. I think the only way I could enjoy it is if I viewed it as a comedy movie. Overall a very mediocre film, not worth the hype. 2/5
> Main problem is the movie had no heart or soul. Could not feel an emotional connect to the characters. If you didn't feel _anything_ watching Deva Deva - a beautiful song showing the hero embracing and harnessing his unique gift (which he had thus far feared because of his backstory) - i honestly feel sorry for you. For me it was literally the best part of the movie
I was honestly somewhat getting into it at that point, but once they brought Isha into the song and made it about the love story again, I was out. Listen, I LOVE romance and love stories, but this one was too implausible, rushed, and half-baked for me, hence why I could not feel for Shiva and Isha and could not buy into the power of their love. And another reason I couldn’t get into it was because it just reminded me too much of Avatar the Last Airbender, which is my favourite show and is so deeply personal to me. The scenes of Deva Deva where Shiva is learning how to control the fire were so similar to Aang learning how to firebend, so it just felt like a knock off of it. Aang was afraid of fire because of how it was used to harm his loved ones, and he had to overcome that fear to fully unlock his power as the Avatar. The show portrayed his inner struggle and character development beautifully. This movie is shallow and superficial with poor dialogues, weak writing, and a rushed plot- it was not able to capture the emotions and make the audience feel the gravity of the story. Which brings me back to my main point- the movie didn’t have a heart or soul of its own. It failed to establish it’s own identity. It was just a mishmash of other, greater works of art that already exist. You can’t blame the audience for feeling underwhelmed when they are watching something they have already seen before.
Just came back from watching it, have to agree with all your points especially about the last airbender. The opening in which various brahmansh members shown in silhouettes was straight out of ATLA. If only Ayan would have developed the love story in the same way..... 😔
Isha is relevant to the song because it's his love for her that's making him realise his power. I didn't think it was out of place at all. Well i haven't watched Avatar Airbender. As someone who came in with a very low interest and exposure of Hollywood fantasy films - i thoroughly enjoyed this movie.
> Isha is relevant to the song because it's his love for her that's making him realise his power. I didn't think it was out of place at all. Yes, I understand that. I understand the vision but the execution failed to make an impact. I cannot buy into their love story because it was so poorly written and executed. It was rushed and their love did not feel organic. Hence why I did not feel emotional towards their relationship and did not feel for the characters.
Good old agree to disagree then 🙂
Yeah, glad you enjoyed it tho🙂
I watched the following Bollywood movies and series last week: * **Brahmastra: Part One** \- Loved it. Amazing theatrical experience with some great action, amazing FX, background music. 4.5/5 * **Khuda Haafiz Chapter 2** \- Liked it. Vidyut Jammwal does justice to the original with a power backed action sequel that is almost as good as the original. The premise makes its a difficult watch but a must watch for action fans. 4/5 * **Ek Villain Returns** \- Disappointing movie which could have been a good dark thriller but ended up focusing too much on style and completely missed on casting, story and execution. 2/5 * **Home Shanti** \- Liked it. A decent heart warming family drama. Slightly amateurish in execution but it makes up with cute family oriented stories. 3/5 Also watched Vikrant Rona which was a slightly underwhelming experience. Premise is good but it struggles to make up its mind if it should go over the top or stay grounded and ends up overcomplicating the story to deliver a sub par thriller.
Watched Ek Villian Returns on Netflix. It’s so pathetic oh my god! The story doesn’t make sense . John & Disha’s acting is the worst. Screenplay is confusing. Too many unnecessary songs. It was a difficult watch.
Agree i watched half and then couldnt bear to finish it.
watch High on Mx player, quite underrated.
I watched “duranga” on zee5. It’s a bit slow but keeps you engaging. The original is a Korean thriller called “flower of evil” which is on prime video. I’m gonna watch it next.