Posts

Showing posts with the label Netflix

Jagame Thandhiram - Movie Review

Image
  I have been watching films on Netflix only for about a year, though I have honestly had the account for the past 3 years intermittently. Thanks to the theatres “locked down”, I would’ve watched at least 50 movies on this OTT platform since Apr. ’20, while washing vessels during the first lockdown, late nights after stressful work days, while on travel or simply finding a slot on a normal day to catch up some “me time”. So, watching Jagame Thandhiram (JT) today at home on the Tv was a natural progressing. And the film lived up to my preferred genres – Crime, Thrillers, International Politics, Refugee situation and of course, some gunfights. Only that JT packs almost all of these genres in one single movie over 158 mins. The whole narrative was so international that at many moments, I felt I wasn’t even watching a Tamil movie.  Dhanush’s Jagame Thanthiram is the first Tamil film to be titled “A Netflix Original” after the producers backed by S. Sashikanth, YNOT Films & Reliance Ent

Outside the Wire – Movie Review

Image
I have always believed in my own coinage ‘Artificial Intelligence, Natural stupidity”. Netflix’ own production “Outside the Wire” is just that. When humans start depending more and more on machines and lesser on human values, we’re only headed for a major apocalypse. And this film once again reveals why is it so.   Harp (Damson Idris) is a drone pilot operating from a US Marine base and has a successful career as a drone pilot (the films is set in 2036). During a mission where Marines are fighting against an ambush, Harp decides by himself to strike a missile from the drone instead of listening to his superior’s order to hold back; the guys on ground want to save 2 wounded soldiers and are trying their best but Harp chooses to push the missile to save the 38 soldiers instead as there is a fully loaded van which is about to blow up. Subsequently, Harp is reprimanded; escapes a Court Martial and a jail term thanks to a benevolent boss, though he is sent to Camp Nathaniel in Ukraine to un

2 Guns - Movie Review

Image
It has always been a point of discussion if it is ethical to double-cross a partner, whether in social life or in business or when in the Forces / Call of Duty. Well, there is not right or wrong here in my humble opinion. I guess the situation, the circumstances and the job/role that one plays decides whether he/she should deceive the other. An old adage goes thus – “The end doesn’t justify the means” cannot be more appropriate for this kind of behaviour. But then, life is not so simple and beautiful that we all don’t witness such situations. 2 Guns is just that.  A DEA cop and a Navy marine are both in disguise. While one chooses to befriend the other, the other one picks the former randomly. Bobby (Denzel Washington) and Stig (Mark Wahlber) visit a local diner to have a coffee and conversation. Bobby is waiting for his pal to arrive so he can offer some grub while Stig is giving a deep look inside the Bank which is opposite the diner. In split seconds, the Diner is set on fire for re

Kodachrome – Movie Review

Image
Over the last week, I was on a road trip on work. But I chose not to drive rather be driven, so I can take calls, do some work while seated in the rear seat or probably catch up some sleep or even watch a movie. Actually, I did all of these this trip. Most of the time while I drive, I am engrossed in thoughts, sometimes deep and heavy and this distracts my speed, concentration and blurs my vision – literally and emotionally. When I was watching Kodachrome in my hotel room, I couldn’t agree more what this solo-driving means to me, most of the time. This time is mostly “Me Time” – without much distractions even as I look back the rear and side view mirrors of my car as well as my own past life. No regrets, yes. I have lived a complete life, just like Ben – Benjamin Asher Ryder (Ed Harris), a famous photographer of his times who goes on one last road trip with his estranged son Matt Ryder (Jason Sudeikis) with whom he reunites after a decade though Matt grows up with Ben’s brother and his

The White Tiger - Film Review

Image
A young muslim boy aged 7 was distributing newspapers in a quaint town of South India many decades back. His school teacher who was a Hindu, identified him as a bright young man in the making and encouraged him to study well, though the boy had to still make ends meet for his poverty stuck family. Today, the entrance of Rameswaram, the town that he lived and grew up has an edifice of his lifetime work in the name and style of “Kalam Memorial” where a rocket that he commissioned in his early years stands proudly showcasing his years of work and dedication, before he eventually became the First Citizen of India and made his homeland proud. Other than this, there are many many such examples of people who have come up, literally from the rags and have risen to higher echelons of the society, in the professional, entrepreneurial and even political space. The White Tiger, now streaming on Netflix is about this phenomenon – Poverty Porn – as the name that has been coined for this as a referen

KhalnayAK Vs. NayAK

Image
Well, I decided to call it “Nayak” myself as the film is all about the Nayak and his Khalnayak. Or the other way around. So it sounded all the way from frame 1 till the climax with a twist. With the way the film ended, I won’t be surprised if the makers end up making a sequel to the movie. Rather, a prequel, up to where Anurag Kashyap and Anil Kapoor argue on a stage where Anurag teases Anil to the hilt and their admonishment of each other not just amuses the live audience, rather shocks them with the turn of things in the first few mins of the film rolling on.  AK vs. AK is supposedly a “real-life movie” starring Director Anurag Kashyap and Bollywood Superstar Anil Kapoor as themselves. Apparently, there’s a former rivalry between the two and things take an ugly turn with Anurag kidnapping none other than Sonam Kapoor who appears as herself in the “movie”. He sets a deadline unto sunrise next morning by when the actor has to search for his daughter all across Mumbai city and it’s subu

Torbaaz - Movie Review

Image
Children living in terrorist camps are not Terrorists; In fact they are the first victims of terrorism. Once I finished watching the film, I was wondering what was this film all about – was it Cricket, Sanju’s comeback or perhaps, simply hope within despair. Girish Malik has directed Torbaaz which was to be released on the Big screen, however it was released on Netflix on 11 Dec. ’20. The film has a mixed review all over the internet though I generally do not read any of them before I watch as well as pen my own thoughts. For me, it set me thinking about life’s priorities. The purpose of education, faith, spirituality, law of the land and of course, love and compassion towards fellow humans. Loads of philosophy from the film. But that’s for another day.  The film is about a Medical Doctor who reluctantly visits Kabul (as per the film’s screenplay) to honour a commitment to his late wife’s friend who runs a refugee camp in the war torn country. He’s seen reluctant to travel to the Count

Charlie Chaplin 2 - Movie Review

Image
Charlie Chaplin 2 released in theatres in February 2019 and on SunNxt OTT App in March 2019. Loosely termed after the prequel starring the same combo of Prabhudeva and Prabhu, CC2 is supposed to be a comedy film with a message. While the second part is somewhat achieved, the former is a joke, really. Most of the scenes are neither comical nor funny; PD perhaps thought he can bring back his humour of the 90s and fails miserably at that. His makeup is shoddy and doesn’t suit his character’s age one bit. Prabhu tries hard to be funny but ends up being funny.   Nikhi Galrani is the glamour doll of the film although carries the film well and sincerely. Adah Sharma appears briefly but has performed her scenes well. Music is a disaster overall, save for the Chinna Machan song sung by Senthil Ganesh and his wife, which were showcased on Tv and YouTube long before the film’s release and went on to become a chartbuster on Radio and Music Apps. I am not going to reveal the story of th