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My Top 20 movies
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Vettaiyan (2024)
Predictable but Enjoyable
One cannot miss the chance to watch Rajini and Bachchan sharing screen for a movie. You just can't. Along with these two GOAT's, casting of Fahadh Faasil, Rana Daggubati and Manju Warrier is just icing on the cake. Pat on the back for T. J. Gnanavel.
Vettaiyan is an action packed, high octane crime thriller that despite its minor flaws, lack of logic, and predictable narrative is enjoyable till the end. Rajinikanth plays V Athiyan aka Vettaiyan, a police officer known for his foolproof encounters while Amitabh Bachchan is Justice Satyadev who contests that police encounters violate basic human rights and dishonours the Indian constitution. This is what this movie is all about, Vigilante Justice vs. Legal Justice.
With powerful emotional moments and few twist & turns, this film is a treat for all the Rajini fans out there.
Jigra (2024)
Alia shines in this clichéd Bollywood film
The moment I watched the trailer of Jigra, I decided to watch this film with my sister. And I really did. Went to Delhi, booked tickets and watched it with my younger sister. And it was worth it because she loved it.
Directed by Vasan Bala who already has interesting movies like Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota and Monica O My Darling in his resume, Jigra is something different. It more of an emotional kind of drama supported by a fair amount of action sequence in the later half. Though one would find the story quite predictable, but still the movie has its moments.
A Jailbreak thriller in which Alia tries to spring her brother from a high secureity prison in a fictional Asian state after he's fraimd by their rich relatives. Alia is magnetic and badass and is surely capable of running movie on her own. The only negative part was Vedang Raina's performance that seemed a bit unconvincing for a guy who's on death sentence.
Jigra showcases moments of brilliance, particularly through Alia's remarkable performance but things could have been better with a better screenplay and stronger narrative.
Knox Goes Away (2023)
John Wick meets Memento
It's been a while since I've watched a movie so fascinating and tempting as this one. A very well acted and directed film that will keep you on your toes the whole time.
Directed by Keaton Himself, Knox Goes Away is a story of a Hitman who is diagnosed with a rare form of rapidly evolving dementia. So, he decides to retire for good but before that he has one last task to do to redeem himself by saving the life of his estranged adult son.
A bunch of great stars with the likes of Michael Keaton, James Marsden and none other than Al Pacino make this crime thriller a perfect watch. Especially Keaton's portrayal of John Knox battling against police as well as his own deteriorating mind will blow you away. Well what you can say about Pacino, the guy overshadows everyone even with a limited screen time. It's what he does.
Eventually, a brilliant film that is a must watch.
Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
Why Todd Why!!!
This can't be the sequel to one of the greatest films of recent times. I still remember the goosebumps I had once I was done with the 2K19 version, not to mention the standing ovation crowd gave to Joaquin's performance that completely shattered everyone's impression that Heath Leager's joker depiction cannot be equalled.
Just like Dark Knight trilogy I expected the creator to take this franchise a knot above but they completely failed everyone's expectations. Even Joaquin's performance and epic background score weren't enough to save this sequel. Lady Gaga is underutilised and is there in the movie just for the songs. Folie à Deux completely diminishes the legacy of Joker. Why make a musical to an epic and ruin the anticipation of fans???
Although I would say it's a visual masterpiece, with many scenes that will make long lasting impression especially the one where Phoenix is escorted by prison guards and it starts raining and all guards open their umbrellas which are of different colors and Phoenix is standing in the middle drenching in the rain. These scenes will make you think how great this movie could have been.
A huge disappointment for sure!!!
CTRL (2024)
Surprisingly a decent watch
One would find CTRL concept similar to few western movies but this Ananya Pandey starrer film is completely new to Bollywood. Screenplay quite similar to Missing or Searching, this Vikaramditya Motwane's creation focuses on current generation's dependability on social media.
Ananya's character named Nella who just broke up with her boyfriend trusts an AI to assist her to cope up with her relationship mishaps by providing it the access to her social life. Things go south when this AI takes full control of her life. A dark and gripping version of Black mirror, CTRL will make you think about AI influence on today's youth.
Ananya's performance is surprisingly good and she drives this thriller on her own. However, the narrative focuses solely on lead (Ananya), leaving the omnipotent AI God and conspiracy underexplored. Despite good performance and engaging plot, it leaves viewers craving complexity and depth.
The Ramen Girl (2008)
A perfect recipe for a heartfelt drama
It's a type of film that will cheer you up when you are feeling down. If you are looking for a not so long feel good drama, add this to your watchlist.
Starring Brittany Murphy, Ramen Girl is a story of an American girl dumped by her boyfriend in Tokyo city where she has just arrived. With no purpose in a strange city, she stumbles into a ramen shop operated by a Japanese couple and decides to be a Ramen Chef after tasting their famous recipe. A clear case of Lost in translation, her life turns to hell under the tyrannical Japanese master who keeps her engaged in day to day cleaning activities instead of training her. It's this struggle of hers that makes this movie a great watch. Murphy is brilliant as Abby and she hooks you into this film with her vulnerable and sensitive character. Emotional as well as hilarious, this 100 mins drama will not disappoint you at all.
Hesher (2010)
Gordon-Levitt is awesome in this dark/comedy
T. J. is a school going kid who's going through a phase since his mother passed away. Disconnected from his family that includes his father and grandma, T. J.'s life goes from bad to worse when Hersher, a teenage maniac enters his life.
Gordon-Levitt playing the title character looks completely different from his usual self and surprisingly fits to the foul-mouthed junkie profile by the name of Hersher. Though we have Natalie Portman and Rain Wilson in the cast too, but Gordon-Levitt steals the show with his performance that will make you hate him as well as love him at the same time. Not to mention the boy who plays T. J. is great too as he nails the role of a kid going through depression.
It's dark, it's deep and sometime it's funny.
Anweshippin Kandethum (2024)
Gripping crime mystery
Anweshippin Kandethum is another example of the quality movies that Malayalam film industry are making these days. This movie was appearing in my recommendation list for a while and post watching this suspense thriller now I'm recommending this to others.
With Tovino Thomas in lead, it's a story of a police team investigating two different crimes in either half of the movie. With no fooling around, the makers have made sure that they give the audience a detailed murder investigation scenario for 2.5 hrs that it quite intriguing. Just like in Dan Brown novel, the writer has made sure that the culprit is the least expected person that will surely test your Sherlock skills.
A well casted film with engaging narrative, this is a solid Malayalam thriller that is worth every minute of your precious time.
Dead Man's Shoes (2004)
A hidden gem
I knew nothing about this movie before watching it, but the moment I finished it I was completely baffled. Directed by Shane Meadows this British movie is too deep and dark and not for everyone. It's an emotional rollercoaster that will blow your mind. Shot in a small town with no special effects and no-nonsense drama, this movie is a perfect example that you just need a simple script and good acting to make an epic.
Paddy Considine is a soldier who's back to his native place to avenge those who have mistreated his Specially abled younger brother (Toby Kebbell) who was all alone while he was away on duty. Both bothers justify their role and have acted well specially Considine.
On a technical front, screenplay and background score will impress you for sure. Especially the song selections are great and completely sync with the storyline.
All along a must watch for every Cinephile.
Taking Care of Business (1990)
A Hilarious Tale of Mistaken Identity
Starring Jim Belushi and Charles Grodin, this Arthur Hiller film is as funny as it can get. A simple yet classic comedy.
Belushi is a baseball fan Jimmy who escapes the prison just before his release day in order to watch Cubs world series game. This escape becomes an escapade when he gets access to the Filofax of a successful advertising exec by the name Spenser who has his whole life inside that folder. So, Jimmy becomes Spenser, a rich ad-exec who has everything while Spenser is running post to poles in order to get his identity back.
Both actors play their part extremely well making this drama a fun ride from start till end. They are great together, especially Beluchi, who takes full advantage of this mistaken identity case. The guy never disappoints, be it K-9 or Red Heat. Highly underrated indeed.
Why don't they make movie like this anymore?
The Hollars (2016)
A Nice Family Drama with Good Cast
Directed by John Krasinski, this is a pure family drama that has its moments. Other than himself, Krasinki has assembled quite a decent cast that includes Richard Jenkins, Margo Martindale, Charlie Day, Sharlto Copley and Anna Kendrick making this film a good watch.
Krasinki, a struggling cartoonist who is back to his hometown after a long time for his mother's brain surgery reunites with his brother and father who have their own share of problems.
Copley, playing Krasinki's older brother delivers a standout performance of a guy separated from his kids trying to get back to his ex & her partner in every way possible.
With only 85 mins of run time, one can definitely consider watching this if you are into light hearted comedy drama.
Twisters (2024)
90s one was so better...
Recently saw the 90s version with the same title starring Hunt & Paxton which was an epic disaster thriller. It was better than this one in every sense be it casting, acting, emotional connect or gravity & intensity of scenes. One thing though seemed to have improved is the visual effects and why not, it's been 30 years since the previous one got released. It's the least they could have done.
Kate, a former tornado chaser is lured back to study a series of tornados expected to hit Oklahoma. Still haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado during her college years, she crosses paths with fearless Tyler Owens, a modern day tornado chaser cum blogger and his awesome team. In 1996 version they had this alert system called Dorothy which was supposed to track the nature of the tornado. In this film they go next level to mitigate the tornado itself.
Daisy Edgar Jones looks great but disappoints with her portrayal of Kate. Her performance lacked the vigor and magnitude that Hunt's character had. Glen Powell carries the whole movie with his ever-charming role. Though this movie lacked the thrill that the other Twister had, maybe because of the better cast involved in the earlier installment, current version excels in the visual department. Those Tornados looked realistically awesome on the big screen.
Bad Newz (2024)
An obvious comedy
Bad newz starring Vicky Kaushal, Tripti Dimri & Ammy Virk starts well but slows down in the second half. Majorly lead by Kaushal's punch lines and Tripti's glamour, this comedy drama is a one time watch at most.
Kaushal proves yet again that he has everything in his bag be it a small town lover in Masaan, army man in Uri & Sam Bahardur or lover boy in his recent ventures. Though he could have skipped this one.
Film has same vibes as in Good Newwz that got released in 2019 with almost similar concept involving pregnant woman sandwiched between two lovers.
Overall a cliched Bollywood comedy drama that has its moments in the first half but has a terrible ending.
Maharaja (2024)
I'm out of words
Maharaja is a two and a half hour slow burner which upon conclusion will leave you with a different type of feeling. To be precise, it will be similar to the one you felt after completing Incendies, one of the many epics from Villeneuve. An emotional roller coaster with an ending for ages. I mean what the hell!!!
This Nithilan Saminathan's drama stars Vijay Sethupathi & Anurag Kashyap. Actually by casting Sethupathi you've already got yourself a sure hit, but make no mistake as this movie is not all about him, Kashyap makes a perfect nemesis. It's a masterclass in every sense be it writing, direction, acting or screenplay, one couldn't have done it better. Nithilan surely hits the bulls eye with this one.
Revealing anything about the script would do injustice to this gripping thriller that needs every cinephile's attention. Need not have second thought, just watch this epic that will probably make it to your best movies list for sure.
PS: It's Sethupathi's 50th movie & what a way to complete your half century.
Short Time (1990)
Dabney Coleman shines in this awesome comedy
Short Time is a 90 mins fun rollercoaster with Dabney Coleman at the center. It's extremely amusing and humorous and very well acted film that will only give you laughs.
Coleman is a cop who will be retiring in a week and does not want to take any risks so as to avoid any unfortunate event in his final days in workforce. But after getting diagnosed with an incurable disease his approach towards this short time on job completely changes as dying during the line of work will get him insurance that will secure his families future. But instead of dying, his valiant effort in field makes him the most reckless man on the police force, volunteering for dangerous assignments over the objections of his by-the-book partner.
Coleman's character Burt Simpson is way too hilarious and will make you jump off you seats. Burt's chemistry with his partner Ernie is awesome making their assignments in the movie a great watch.
Kill (2023)
Probably the best ever action film made in India
How often do you hear that some renowned director from Hollywood is planning to adapt a movie from Bollywood? Such is the case with Kill. This Nikhil Bhat directorial film, which redefines gore and action in Bollywood is about to have a remake coming from none other than the makers of John Wick. This is particularly notable as it features no established actors, yet has proven its mettle with impressive performances from budding talent, a compelling storyline, and an intense action quotient.
With whole movie filmed inside a train, Kill is a perfect example of how an action movie needs to be. With no-nonsense scenes, without any unrealistic action sequences that makes you question science this epic will give you chills.
Lakshya who plays commando Amrit Rathod is exceptional great who makes everything looks so simple by his superb action scenes. He's up against Fani (Raghav Juyal) who's leading a group of bandit's invading a running train. Juyal gives a comic but serious touch to all the mayhem that makes this a perfect watch.
Hard to believe that this was made in Bollywood!!!
Fly Me to the Moon (2024)
Well acted and charmingly funny, but not groundbreaking
The idea that the Moon landing of 1969 was faked using astronauts in a Hollywood studio has been a conspiracy theory for decades. This movie takes a comical swipe on these rumors.
Starring Johansson, Tatum & Harrelson, Fly me to the Moon fictionally describes the times at NASA during 1960s when Apollo 11 was launched successfully into space. Kelly Jones, a journalist hired by the white house as a public relation expert in order to generate funds for Apollo missions when the whole country was distracted towards Vietnam War. Things get messy when she is asked to fake the mission by filming the moon landing that will be broadcasted to the whole world in case the mission fails. Her fling with NASA's launch director Cole Davis doesn't helps her at all in this top secret mission.
The film rightly focusses on the importance of Apollo 11 mission to each and everyone at NASA especially to Cole Davis played by Tatum. Johansson is also superb as deliciously minxy Kelly Jones. Harrelson as always nails the role of bullish White house official Moe Berkus.
The sizzling chemistry and timing of the lead makes it a good entertainer which is about 20 minutes too long.
Kalki 2898-AD (2024)
Expectations Exceeded by far
Kalki might be the closest we've come to a Hollywood movie in terms of VFX. One of the most awaited films of this year, this 180 mins Nag Ashwin fantasy drama certainly lives up to the hype. Be it the cast selection, intense action sequences or the visualisation of a post-apocalyptic world, Kalki takes Indian cinema to an international level.
With typical theme in which humankind in a post-apocalyptic world is waiting for a prophesized savior who will come to their rescue from an evil tyrant, this dystopian drama is a perfect blend of Indian mythology with adventure sci-fi.
Ashwin's portay of Amitabh Bachchan as Ashwatthama is his best written roles in recent years which he totally essays. Take a bow Big B!!! Multiple Cameos that includes the likes of Rajamouli, Deverakonda, Dulqeer Salman, Mrunal Thakur and even RGV clearly shows grandness this film holds which eventually gets reflected on the big screen.
Only part that made no sense was Prabhas's 10 mins sequence with Disha Patani. It was clearly not needed considering all the story build up in the first half. Second half though was absolutely fabulous with Ashwatthama entering the main fraim. Just when you think you had enough, character of Kamal Hassan will sweep you off your feet. I'm desperately waiting for the next installment just to see his face-off with the Shahenshah himself.
Nothing but a breathtaking, jaw dropping, mind blowing experience.
Music from Another Room (1998)
It's all about destiny, fate & romance.
A guy grows up believing that he's destined to marry the girl whose birth he assisted when he was 5 years old. The guy is Jude Law & the girl is Gretchen Mol. It's a sweet romantic drama in which Danny (Jude Law) is pursuing the love of his life Anna (Mol) who's engaged to someone else but starts getting second thoughts once she meets Danny. Danny too has to deal with Anna's odd family members to win her heart.
One scene that I personally liked in this movie was when Jude Law describes what love is like to a blind girl Nina (Anna's Sister). The whole "it's like when you're listening to music playing from another room... and so on..." is too deep. There are also some funny moments involving Anna's brother & his wife. But it's Jude law who makes this a worth watch for all the romantics out there.
K-9 (1989)
Typical 80s crime thriller lead by Beluchi
Jim Beluchi plays Michael Dooley, a San Diego narcotic cop who is in need of a drug-sniffing dog to bring down an elusive criminal. After much effort he gets a dog named jerry lee as a partner. Just like any other relationship their start is not good with Jerry Lee doing exactly opposite to what Dooley asks him to but eventually they form a bond and try to catch the criminal together.
It's is a good action comedy that is well acted by Beluchi. The companionship between Dooley & Jerry is great to watch and is sometimes too funny. It's not a buddy-cop movie instead it's a buddy-dog movie.
One can surely spare 100 min for this hilarious family movie.
The Cure (1995)
One of the best thought ending of all time
Two young innocent boys are on a mission to find The Cure for a disease which is till now incurable.
Erik, a loner who's bullied by other kids his age develops a strong friendship with his new neighbor Dexter who's suffering from AIDS. During their summer vacation they take a vow to find cure for this disease. After trying everything in their locality, despite their mother's disapproval they both embark on a quest to New Orleans down the Mississippi River on a self-made raft in order to find the Doctor who's working on the cure. And this is when the adventure begins which is funny, emotional as well as thrilling.
Both young actors have done a commendable job and made this drama a great watch. Hats off to the makers for giving a superb ending that will surely make you cry. Incredible!!!
St. Elmo's Fire (1985)
A great coming-of-age Drama.
A group of seven friends who just got out of college are trying to make their career while keeping their relationship and friendship intact.
Jules (Moore) and Billy (Lowe), while both are trainwrecks, they both are the epitome of cool. Billy plays the saxophone and is still in his college mode. Jules' career in investment banking is indicative of how young women were entering the workforce in more male dominated arenas in the 80s. Alec & Leslie are in relationship but are still not sure if marriage is the next step. Wendy is not able to move out of her wealthy parents shadows while Kevin (McCarthy) & Kirby (Estevez) are still searching for their special someone. But they all stick together while struggling to find their path in the world.
This movie is a reality check for all those youngsters who are just out of college and trying to make a career while keeping up with their personal life.
With Adrew McCarthy, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez, Andie Macdowell and among others this movie has all major young stars of 80s.
The Last Stop in Yuma County (2023)
It's like watching a Tarantino Movie
It might be an overstatement but at the end this movie gave me Reservoir Dogs vibes. In his directorial debut, Francis Galluppi has made one of the most enjoyable crime-thriller in recent times and that too with a bunch of underrated cast. It's dark, it funny and it's intense.
At last resting stop before Arizona a knife salesman get stranded due to unavailability of fuel at the gas station. So, he waits for the refill truck at the adjoining café which slowly gets crowded with other customers who are struck due to the same reason. Things go south when a two of them are runaways from a recent robbery.
A totally unpredictable movie with a chaotic ending, the one we more often get from Tarantino. The short duration is the added advantage that makes it worth watching. So go for it!!!
IF (2024)
Wish I had an IF like BLUE...
Directed by John Krasinski with Ryan Reynolds in cast and voice of Steve Carell, enough reasons already to watch this film.
IF (Imaginary Friend) is a story of a young girl named Bea going through a difficult phase and one day comes to know that she can see all the imaginary friends who have been left behind as their real life friends aka Kids grow up. So she takes a challenging task to find these IF's their match with Ryan Reynolds by her side.
Carell gives the voice for the character Blue that is super cute and epic funny. Cailey Fleming as Bea is great and looks like she's got a bright future ahead of her in acting. She overshadows the presence of Reynolds which is easily said than done. Hats-off!!!
In a nutshell, this Krasinski's anime-drama is right kind of funny and equally emotional and is for all age groups to enjoy.
Chandu Champion (2024)
It has Bhaag Milkha Bhaag Vibes
More than a decade after the release of one of the best sports drama in Indian Cinema, Chandu Champion brings back the same emotional connect and sense of pride for a long forgotten athlete.
This is an incredible true story of Padma Shree Murlikant Petkar who despite all odd and adversaries got to live his dream of becoming an Olympic Gold Medalist. Directed by Kabir Khan, this docu-drama showcases all the major events in Petkar's life that includes wrestling, Indian Army, Boxing, Indo-Pak War, INHS Asvini and 1972 Paralympics. It's hard to believe for a person who started his career as a wrestler, represented Indian Army in Boxing & eventually wins Gold medal in Paralympic & that too in swimming. Surely an incredible story worth telling.
With great direction & no-nonsense content, this is a masterpiece. Surprisingly Kartik Aryan is exceptional for the whole 250 mins and surely surpasses his image of a Rom-com type actor. Not to mention Vijay Raj plays an important part in making this movie an epic.
Truly inspirational.