Stars: Leonardo DiCaprioSean Penn, Benicio Del Toro
Review---
8/10⭐
Engaging, but not as impressive as I expected
The film kept my attention and I genuinely enjoyed watching it, but I walked away feeling like something was missing. I'm still not sure why critics are so ecstatic about it - it's a solid piece of work, just not exceptional in the way the reviews suggest. I don't regret the time spent, yet I don't feel any desire to rewatch it either.
Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver
Review---
7/10⭐
Familiar, far too long but also a lot of fun
Far from perfect and far too long, the flaws in James Cameron's third Avatar outing, Fire and Ash are there for all to see and in reality, far from surprising but as per his first two multi-billion dollar outings Cameron's latest visual feast is still a fun and entertaining blockbuster that deserves to put bums on cinema seats.
Arriving 16 years after Cameron's original Dances with Wolves courtesy of the Blue Man Group box office behemoth dropped into the big screen world, Ash continues on with the pattern the legendary filmmaker set in place with his 3D extravaganza and if anyone is expecting Ash to deliver in the unexpected, they should temper expectations in a major way and learn to just enjoy the ride.
In a world that seems to find things easier to hate rather than like, Ash could become a bit of a punching bag for those wanting to bemoan the fact Cameron hasn't tried to rewrite the rulebook here but the same naysayers are probably just as likely to have enjoyed the likes of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars or Marvel's plethora of big screen outings, all franchises and brands that have stuck to what works for better and worse and managed to enthral millions of cinemagoers across the decades.
Kicking off right where The Way of Water finished, Ash finds Sam Worthington's Jake Sully and Zoe Saldaña's Neytiri struggling to maintain their edge and freedom in the face of growing adversity, adversity that includes their continued battle with Stephen Lang's Quaritch and new adversary Varang, solid new addition Oona Chaplin who brings a fierceness to her fire queen.
To call Ash's narrative barebones basic would be perfectly acceptable, even kind in many facets and it's a shame that Cameron and his fellow screenwriters Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa haven't managed to fix the series weakish script work but if people can move past the fact it's always likely the original Avatar was an outlier in regards to it's all round winning ways, Ash much like its predecessor provides much in the way of cinematic joys and spectacle.
While failing to maximise the addition of the new fire clan led by Varang, who appears set to become the films secondary focus only to be overshadowed by the presence of Quaritch and the impressive performance of Chaplin, Ash still does a lot of things very well including a great opening stretch featuring wind traders and the increasingly stunning special effects work that brings Pandora to life in mesmerising ways, especially in the intended 3D format.
Releasing at a time and place in movie history where many big-scale films have failed to reach the audience they had hoped for, there's much lying on the shoulders of Cameron and his Na'vi friends to bring joy to the Hollywood universe and cinema chains around the globe, while it's very unlikely that Ash will reach the highs of Avatar or Way of Water, there's enough here to suggest audiences will be happy with what they see and spread the word, encouraging others to make the effort to get back out and partake in the big-screen experience.
Having listened to Cameron's recent commentary regarding his future plans for the Avatar cinematic space there's a high chance we may have seen the last of a Cameron lead Avatar feature and if that's the case, we can be thankful Cameron did so much for the medium he loves even if he never managed to recapture the lightning in a bottle magic he did with his 2009 launch.
Final Say -
Walking a familiar path and dancing to the same beat that's been danced too before, Avatar: Fire and Ash isn't able to reach grand heights but as a fun and visually outstanding big screen spectacle, Cameron proves he is still king.
Just watched The Raja Saab and honestly, the film surprised me in a very good way. The biggest strength of the movie is its VFX quality - it's top-tier and clearly made with serious effort and vision. The visual effects don't feel cheap or rushed; instead, they elevate the film and make many scenes visually stunning.
The story is engaging and well-structured. It keeps you interested throughout and blends entertainment with strong visual storytelling. While the plot itself is good, what really stands out is how beautifully the VFX supports the narrative rather than overpowering it. Every major visual moment feels purposeful and impactful.
Performances are solid, the pacing is decent, and the overall cinematic experience feels grand. But if there's one thing that truly deserves appreciation, it's the technical excellence and VFX execution, which sets this film apart from many recent releases.
Overall, The Raja Saab is a visually rich and entertaining film that delivers a satisfying big-screen experience.
Stars: John Abraham, Neeru Bajwa, Manushi Chhillar
Review---
7/10⭐
John Abraham's Presence is the Only Reason to Watch 'Tehran' !!!
Iran wants to kill you. Israel has deserted you, and your very own country, India, has given up on you. John Abraham's latest offering, Tehran, has him playing one of the most complex and riveting characters in his several-decade-long filmography. Over the last few years, John has organically steered towards geopolitical stories and characters that aren't just another spy or part of a covert agency.
In 'Tehran', John's character, Rajeev Kumar, gets involved in a very complicated case when a bomb blast in Delhi targeting an Israeli diplomat kills an innocent flower-seller. The incident disturbs Rajeev Kumar to such an extent that he decides to put his life at stake to get to the bottom of the matter.
Set against the backdrop of the Iran-Israel conflict, the film examines how ordinary people become collateral damage in someone else's war. Unlike many thrillers in the genre, 'Tehran' doesn't exploit the premise; instead, it sensitively shows every possible facet of the price one has to pay to wage a war.
The screenplay by Bindni Karia, co-written with Ritesh Shah and Ashish Prakash Verma, is the film's strongest asset. Dialogues peppered with Farsi lend authenticity, while director Arun Gopalan draws solid performances from his cast. Neeru Bajwa and Manushi Chhillar make their mark in supporting roles. But, 'Tehran' works because of the conviction that John puts into his role. One of his finest performances till date, the film is a testament that, with a good script and a visionary director, all an actor needs to do is just surrender and keep faith.
A standout is Hadi Khajanpour as antagonist Asraf Khan, who is an absolutely brilliant find. He is not just menacing for the sake of it, but also a sharply etched, powerful character.
The way the film has been shot visually is also impressive. From the dusty lanes of Delhi to Abu Dhabi, the camerawork is brilliant. The action sequences feel very organic and real, with combat scenes that are gritty and extremely tense.
Tehran is a masterclass on how to deliver Deshbhakti without lehraa-oing Tiranga or chanting Jai Hind on the Independence Day! It celebrates the unsung heroes, who are mostly abandoned by their countries for being on missions that are either off-paper or not approved at all!
Whenever John Abraham is an alone man on a mission, he comes out with a brilliant result-be it Madras Cafe or Tehran. With its intelligent script, the film becomes an absolute must-watch for anyone who appreciates quality storytelling and has the patience to research on international relationships and politics before diving into the film.
I personally feel this should have never been a correlation of life in a metro. That movie meant so much as it was a new rendition of what small intertwined relationships were fading into a full bloom rose. The songs the actors the story line.... Man!!!! It was the perfect flim that year.
Now they remove contrasting to that flim.
No qualms no regret but the vibe is not vibing, I guess a flim of that power calibre should just be left as it is.... Untouched.
Irfan Sir thank you for that fantastic experience in that movie...and may you rest in peace. The movie metro in dino is a good movie but it's nothing great to what I experienced the first movie ( k.k menon's ) gave me.
Review: Rajesh Krishnan surprised everyone with Tripling and Lootcase, and so the expectations were similar or higher from Crew. With three gorgeous ladies in the lead and never-seen-before aerial heist drama, this Kareena Kapoor, Tabu, and Kriti Sanon starrer was expected to fly high and even took off on a decent note, but unfortunately, the flight couldn't land safely. There was some unrepairable turbulence in the second half that took this exciting heist comedy down. A few comic punches worked because of adult humour and urban touches, but were they enough? Frankly, no, but they do pass on some good laughs. This Crew needed a better pilot, better training, and better study material than what it has to fly high. Let's say, air traffic jammed it. So, Crew can be called a wannabe parody of Vijay Mallya's scam, as here we have Vijay Waliya (Saswata Chatterjee), the owner of Kohinoor Airliner. We have three super hot air hostesses: Divya Rana (Kriti Sanon), Jasmin (Kareena Kapoor), and Geeta Sethi (Tabu), who are not getting paid enough and are struggling to get a respectable income. After trying all the right and honest ways of life, these three finally decide to join the dishonest gang at once by smuggling gold from India to the Middle East. Sooner or later, they were supposed to get caught, but what happens when they are looted by a rich man? These three must gang up to get what was "ours," even though you have to turn a plain comedy into a heist comedy for that.
Nidhi Mehra and Mehul Suri's Crew has a decent first half, but things crash down heavily in the second half. Parodying Vijay Mallya and his scam was okay; it was somewhat funny, but trying to capture him and seize gold was too much. The concept goes terribly wrong, and there are reasons for it. In the first half, you relate to the story because you can feel the struggle of those three ladies and their friends (crew members). However, the second half is not about them, so you lose all the connection and all the interest in the story.
It's okay to take inspiration from The Italian Job and Oceans Eleven, but you don't have to drag those ideas into your fictional parody world by saying that it's all done for society's sake. The second half of Crew is full of loopholes. More holes (windows) than any plane can have. Nidhi and Mehul's sarcastic attempt at urban comedy is praiseworthy, but the comical sense was cheap. Nobody cares what's happening in the personal lives of those three ladies because they haven't had an inspiring or stable life. For instance, Divya (Kriti Sanon) is a topper, a sports champion, and always ready to fight the wrongs. She scares the hell outta referee for his wrong decision-that's more like it. But what happens to this smart, intelligent, and honest girl in the very next moment when she has quick sex with a stranger without any hi, hello, or even a formal introduction (forget love)? I never saw a dead man having a boner after death (almost after 10 minutes). You can't be serious, man. This is some next-level crap.
I must say, Crew has plenty of glamour. Tabu hasn't been doing glamorous roles lately, except for De De Pyaar De, but here, she gets a complete new makeover. What a sexy makeover she has got here! The best and most aggressive dialogues also go into her kitty. Kriti Sanon is "Kali" (bud). She is young, dashing, and sexy, and she looks damn confident as an air hostess. Kareena gets into her Bebo mode again. Only this time around, you have to see her antagonising a few things. But then, she also has a few emotional scenes. Trupti Khamkar has done a fantastic job and will surely get your appreciation. Rajesh Sharma was a bit irritating in some scenes with those fake laughter and expressions, and the same goes for Saswata Chatterjee. I never could have imagined these two senior actors being wasted like this. Kapil Sharma had a sensible role, but with low screen time. Diljit Dosanjh has a somewhat interesting role, which isn't elevated well enough.
Anil Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor have spent a nice budget on the lavish scale and look of the film. The costumes are exquisite, the locations are gorgeous, and the production design looks beautiful. Anuj Rakesh Dhawan's close-up shots of the three leading ladies are stimulating, but sometimes they expose the make-up they are wearing. That's scary. The music is tappy, as "Choli," "Naina," and "Ghagra" set the party mood right. Rajesh Krishnan's direction skills see a dip in quality compared to what he has done in Lootcase and Tripling, but more than him, it's the script that deserves to be blamed. Krishnan's over-the-top jokes can still take multiplex audiences on a roll, but they may not get enough support from the masses. Crew is a little screwed-actually very much screwed-in the second half, but there are some scenes that give you a little pleasure of new-age female-driven comedy. The rest of the show is strictly below average, and no oxygen mask can save you from that.
Director: Rian Johnson Writer: Rian Johnson Stars: Daniel CraigJosh O'Connor Glenn Close
Review: A cleverly layered whodunit that refines the Knives Out formula instead of simply copying it, *Wake Up Dead Man* strikes the right chords between dark humor, thematic unease, and actual complex plotting. Rian Johnson goes more for the mood the second time around, letting ideas on faith, guilt, and the uses of power percolate just beneath the level of plotting.
Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc appears more brooding but no less fun, and the cast has a nice, tightly wound edge to their performances. The movie plays, never frittering away energy or ideas on less discerning viewers.
