samratmitrafeb14 Reviews

Monkey Man (2024)

Not an Indian John Wick film!

[10/10 · 11 April 2024]

I don't quite get the comparisons with John Wick, could it be a general western prejudice to brand everything coming from HongKong and the East as being a pale copy of what Hollywood produces?! Certainly Not! This is a movie with heart and a grounded story keeping in mind the difficult political and social strain India is going through. The 'Modi' alliteration was brilliant! I find the movie has more in common to Korean films from the same genre but the fact is this is an original idea borne out of Dev's own. I loved every second of it and those who compare with John Wick: remember John lost his emotional connection after the sequel and looked a lot like a video game! This is however, different.

Hulk (2003)

Best Marvel Superhero movie in the last two decades!

[10/10 · 5 April 2024]

Hollywood critics panned this film because they didn't quite know what to do with a superhero film that was a dramatic story of epic proportions at the same time. Christopher Nolan saw promise in this approach to superhero dramatisation and landed Batman Begins two years later in 2005 and he was lucky that the critics didn't pan his film! I saw this film again in 2024 and it still blows me away and probably marvel studios know that which is why they never made another Hulk movie (the one with Edward Norton missed the emotional intensity). While most of Marvel's recent films have been commercially successful none of them have a recall value like this one! Highly recommend for rewatching.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

A vapid stinker.

[4/10 · 11 August 2023]

Don't get me wrong I am a fan of Nolan's films including the intricately detailed Tenet released back in 2020 but Oppenheimer feel way too stretched in the final hour of its runtime and does not quite address the issue of the impact his creation had on innocent civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Without giving away much, maybe I expected a balanced view of Oppenheimer's ambitions and his humanity but this was not to be. Oddly dissatisfying but with incredible cinematography, this cannot cover the weakness in its plot though Cillian Murphy nails it with his portrayal of Oppenheimer. This could have been a much better film than it is.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

Witty dialogue and a surprise cameo

[9/10 · 1 April 2023]

Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Hugh Grant are in excellent form here and the entire cast does justice to the witty dialogue that balances the humour and the action well. This is not serious cinema but one that can be seen with the family on a weekend or a Sunday, it's meant to be watched with your friends and family. Definitely worth a rewatch if you want to lift your mood on a grey day! And yes, there is a surprise cameo that has to be seen to be believed, maybe a setup for a sequel? Watch it on some 3D or 4dx screen instead of the usual 2d because it has the quirks of an entertaining theme park ride!

Passengers (I) (2016)

Romantic Space Science Fiction?! Is that a category?

[4/10 · 14 January 2023]

This feels straight out of a Hallmark channel of romantic movies, don't watch it alone, have your lover with you because halfway through you should be too busy to pay attention to the rolling film! The actors are great and they try their best to push and empty story but there is nothing to redeem 'Passengers' from its bland simple plot with nothing new to share, to be fair the sets and the special effects were great the plot appears to go nowhere and the dialogues are cringe inducing and corny. Laurence Fisher is wasted in this film, the actor has range but ultimately and unbelievably the lovers survive when they couldn't have! Didn't I tell you it's a romantic Hallmark channel style potboiler?

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Visually magnificent film with an empty plot!

[6/10 · 14 January 2023]

The first Avatar was barely watchable with your 3D glasses on: all that colour and magnificent visual effects trying to shroud an otherwise simple plot. Script is key here and that holds your attention but immediately after the credits roll you are left wondering what in god's name did you just watch?! Post Titanic Cameron never really made a comeback and he has managed to infuse feel good vibes into the Avatar movies and the latest instalment is no different! Shut your brain off and smile languidly as the film rolls on, seriously there is no thought to it otherwise. One would hope this concludes this tiresome series but we are told another final film is in the wings?! Not recommended.

Argentina, 1985 (2022)

A docudrama at best

[5/10 · 14 January 2023]

Argentina 1985 would best serve as a documentary not a film. While the script moves along and the events based on a true story unfold you realise that the film has a feel of a television miniseries. Oddly the director decided to shoot the film in 4:3 ratio to give it 'authenticity' but it feels anything but authentic in terms of the period from where the docu drama is inspired. The script is great but was the director fresh out of film school?! While the story is remarkable the film itself is instantly forgettable. Cannot recommend unlike these self proclaimed 'critics' on this website do otherwise!

The Matrix Resurrections (I) (2021)

How critics murder a perfectly good film

[8/10 · 19 February 2022]

When the so called expert movie critics have panned a movie and made up their mind for you, they have damaged the reputation of the movie to a point where you won't feel like going to the theatre to watch the film! This is exactly what has been done to Resurrections and frankly I am disappointed to have not seen this on a big screen because of bad reviews by what seem to be uptight critics and bot reviewers. While the movie heavily borrows upon the first 3 films it does so for the sake of continuity and there is nothing quite as new in the action sequences as well but what does separate this film from the rest is the story and the bold new direction it takes. Now which of these bot reviewers here mention bad script writing? It's actually quite good and has some complex sub plots brought in for good measure and I am an IT engineer and I definitely understood the techie bits pretty well and it is actually a fact that the 'Analyst' controls pretty much the direction a project is going and in this case the project is 'The Matrix'. Ignore the haters and watch this film, but remember this film does not try to outdo the franchise but it does give a better conclusion to the shocker ending of the trilogy. Highly recommended.

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Utter rubbish!

[1/10 · 4 February 2022]

Never mind the historical inaccuracies with this figment of an imagination script, what was the point of this film? Might as well see the script as that of a college skit, remove the ensemble and you have a big emptiness at the core of the film. Not recommended.

Hitman (I) (2007)

Faithful adaptation of a game, why the poor ratings?

[9/10 · 14 April 2020]

To begin with, Timothy Olyphant correctly imbibes the nature of Agent 47 from the games and there is a good story line to back up the film for fans and newbies alike. However, it seems, as does many movies that lack the blessings of Hollywood's powerful influences, some dumb critics actually panned this movie hurting it's chances at the theatres. Nevertheless, definitely worth a re-look, I enjoyed this after 10 years especially after watching the recent 'Hitman' rehash that was an utter failure. Definitely recommended for another watch.

A Quiet Place (2018)

Far too quiet and simple!

[5/10 · 11 January 2019]

With a threadbare concept and minimal dialogue( naturally the premise allows for that so the scriptwriter could take a vacation), the movie delivers on thrills and chills but little else. No effort is made to explain what happened to the world up to the point when sound hating sightless monsters just chomped on anything that made noise?! It is a bit dull to be honest but did well on the box office due to Michael bay's help on production and naturally it's promotion on media.

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

7.9 ? Are you kidding? Why over-hype Marvel Comics movies?

[4/10 · 2 June 2018]

Another mind numbing addition to the multimillion dollar comic book universe. Is the world bereft of adults or are we just man-children to adore comic book movies this much? Please people, for the love of god, GROW UP ALREADY! This is for 11 year olds, a wet dream for teenagers at most! What's wrong with IMDB? Getting paid to over hype this trash??

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Another mind numbing marvel trash movie

[5/10 · 13 May 2018]

Well, it is we the people who finance such utter trash by buying tickets so we might as well claim our part in promoting this stupidity! I had bought this as part of a friend's night out at the movies but we found the movie so predictable that we stepped out in the break!! Avoid!!!

Dunkirk (2017)

Incoherent Storytelling , Great Audio Visuals.

[6/10 · 10 April 2018]

Nolan got this wrong totally: not a clear perceptive story line, it seemed he wanted to milk out the stunt shots with repeated takes and camera angles. This movie is short of dialogues and we appreciate that but at the very least try not to splice up the timelines on the narrative, Nolan! You weren't making 'Memento' all over again, were you?

Tomb Raider (2018)

Can it beat the original Tomb Raider movies with Angelina? Nope!

[5/10 · 3 April 2018]

We have played plenty of Tomb Raider games in our time and the only actress who comes close to depicting Lara Croft is Angelina Jolie. Alicia Vikander could be her dainty sidekick but attempting to rewrite the series with an actress who does not even remotely appear physically strong as Angelina did is a travesty of sorts. The relationship of father and daughter between Jon Voight and Angelina was a strong subplot within the original movies, something the current installment lacks completely. Alicia Vikander is a good actress otherwise but this role requires a lot more than acting skills and that is where she fails to convince as a 'Tomb Raider'!

Shetland (2013– )

Worth your time and your attention!

[9/10 · 19 March 2018]

Shetland is just a ferry away from Aberdeen, where I had worked briefly for a period of time which is partly why I adore this television series. However, on it's own Shetland has had some incredibly complicated plots and the central characters to the plot are the ones you can identify with and care for as they try to bring a logical end to every case with good old school police work. I am a fan of Douglas Henshall as he plays DI Perez so convincingly and with an amazing depth that does at times compare with the best characters I have ever seen on TV or Film. Frankly, I cannot remember a single bad episode of Shetland unlike so many other TV series which are not quite as good throughout. Highly recommended for attentive TV viewing.

The Shape of Water (2017)

What next? The adventures of the amphibian super couple?!

[6/10 · 11 March 2018]

Made in typical Del Toro fashion, the story is as you would expect: a strange story line where the weirdness is cranked up a notch from his last notable films like 'The Labyrinth' and better than the cringe worthy 'Mama', you can expect interesting story telling from the director. However, Oscar worthy material?! Special FX maybe but best picture?! Oscar awards are losing their relevance very quickly with the current generation but do they have to hasten the demise of their relevance by awarding this film best picture and director? Watch with low expectations, recommended for one viewing only.

Pele: Birth of a Legend (2016)

A Good Football film that needs to be seen!

[7/10 · 10 March 2018]

I did enjoy this film on many levels and it ticks the boxes for the audience this film targets! The music makes it's presence felt and I looked up the composer: no other than AR Rehman! I am buying the DVD and the CD once they are out!

Justice League (2017)

Terrible, even by DC Standards

[5/10 · 23 November 2017]

Most of us will agree that DC Comic book superhero movies took a nose dive since Christopher Nolan bowed out with the Dark Knight Trilogy. Wonderwoman did elevate that sagging reputation that reached new lows with the Superman Vs Batman movie but this is comical. How did DC lose the plot when Marvel have been going from strength to strength on their franchise? Maybe better directors and editors are needed for such mind numbing high budget DC superhero movies, but this isn't worth your time or your money. Wait for cheaper streaming on Netflix, watch when you don't have not much else to do. Epic Fail.

The Man in the High Castle (2015–2019)

Perfect balance of character, scene composition and plot. Best TV show for two years running!

[10/10 · 8 January 2017]

Forget all the TV shows you have heard about and kept on your watch-list because what you will see on 'The Man in the High Castle' is a brilliant story unfolding in epic proportions. Visual opulence is only secondary to the complete mastery over scene composition, character profile and plot but seldom have we seen the big four for a good story come together.Amazon started off being the most unlikely contender for the catch-up TV market but this series sets it a hundred paces ahead of any other entertainment provider such as Netflix who also produce great shows though. However, one would find it tough to beat this series because it is not just a story like another, it treats its characters like no other, the visual opulence and every scene seems lovingly composed. If you haven't seen this, you are missing a unique experience which feels a bit between reading a fabulous book (which it is) and a great film. Hate corny one liners but: Dare to miss!

Cosmopolis (2012)

A Thought provoking story that mirrors contemporary life

[9/10 · 8 March 2015]

I had avoided watching Cosmopolis because of the unsympathetic reviews it received from critics. Surprisingly, this is a very thought provoking film that delves into the disastrous consequence our society is headed for. First of all, Critics (the so called paid ones): Were you actually listening to the dialogues or were you just not paying attention to what was going on? Did any of the dialogues strike even a remote chord of reflection on , for example, the fact that the firms or companies most people work for actually treat them as worker bees? That actually while we talk and stress on our individuality and unique perspectives are actually forced to follow and sacrifice ourselves to a vision of the more powerful and influential members of the society? Robert Pattinson is a revelation, he has been working very hard in all the movies recently such as The Rover, Maps to the Stars among others. We are sure to see more of this talented actor as he seems to choose his roles in movies more carefully than his equally if not more talented peer Danielle Radcliffe. The open ended conclusion in the story is bound to leave a few viewers a bit miffed but the whole point of the story is not the conclusion but about smart billionaire's approach to life especially when he feels little empathy or achievement because everything in life was given to him. This is today's generation who live their lives as if death would never conclude life. If you see closely, you will notice that today's work pressures are created artificially by people like the ones portrayed by RPatz: They are joyless mostly unhappy workaholics who would keep pushing people without having any empathy about what they are going through! All in all, a movie well worth watching more than once, thanks for reading!

Lucy (I) (2014)

Loopey Lucy!

[4/10 · 30 November 2014]

We use less than 10% of the brain's actual power, what could possibly happen if we used more than that is what the film based its story upon. Sounds exciting? Definitely! As you start to watch the film, the promise is definitely there to explore the uncharted territories of the human mind but no, do not expect some thought provoking , mind stretching imagery on a theory that has intrigued scientists for decades. Not from director Luc Besson, you would not expect a film that just touches the surface of the power of the human mind. Instead we are treated to standard cheap action sequences that make Scarlett reprise her tough girl image from the avenger movies and soon the movie drops to the level of the weekly mall movie tripe. Without putting in a spoiler: the ending of the movie is the most laughable, incredibly dour and stupid ending that would make even the least cynical viewer cringe. Again, IMDb ratings are misleading? 6.5 for a piece of trash? Come on , IMDb!

The Babadook (2014)

Baba Kook - The Great Australian Letdown

[2/10 · 21 November 2014]

It is not surprising to have another turkey of a feature film from a country which takes its jaundiced inspiration on movies from Hollywood. Except for one character of a little boy and his neighbour(hence the rating of 2) the movie is all a bit like the Australian wastelands : barren and lacking originality. That the movie has got a rating of 7 on IMDb itself is a travesty as the viewer is confronted with characters that you wouldn't care about, zero scares and a tiresome predictable story line like so many 'Australian' films. This review is not supposed to be a criticism about Australian films but you cannot help but try in vain to count any film from Down Under that ever made an impression, can you?

Verdict: Avoid like the plague even if you get to see it for free!

Deep Impact (1998)

Well crafted, realistic, deserves a second viewing

[8/10 · 1 November 2014]

Deep Impact is a great science fiction 'End of the World' movie that was ahead of its time.At the time when it was released I was a teen and did not see this movie as my friends suggested that 'Armageddon' which was released almost at the same time was much better.Looking back, this does make one realise that how much the right publicity and distribution matters when you release a film: Deep Impact was head and shoulders above any of the science fiction movies of its generation! Everything about the movie are straight wins: fantastic storyline revolving around a reporter, the sub plot characters were all believable and you start to care for them from the moment you see them. I looked up the director (Mimi Leder) and that sort of explains why the movie does not have an overdose of testosterone like the numerous Michael Bay Transformer movies. Hollywood needs directors as Mimi Leder to make today's science fiction movies more humane: Explosions and spectacular FX do not make a movie what makes the movie are its characters and how they develop: Is Hollywood listening?

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Disappointing and Incredibly Stupid film

[2/10 · 7 June 2014]

I know this is hard to believe : a Quentin Tarantino scripted movie being stupid, lacking plot and direction?! Duh! I knew it: No one would believe me if I said this movie was one of the worst films I have ever seen, so much more because I believed it to be one of the 'hidden gems' from Quentin's (and Robert Rodrigues too) closet.

The film starts out well with the brutality and dialogue typical of a Tarantino movie so much so it ticks the boxes: 1) Smart ass dialogue? Check. 2) Violent deaths? Check 3) Ear splitting gunshot explosions? Check.

But when we were just about to unravel the characters: the director and screenplay writer decided to bring out a boner and turn the movie into a sad hackneyed horror comedy movie? Mr. Tarantino, was it too much to ask for a plausible idea that seemed great on paper and on film too.

Disappointing and terribly campy.