Movie Reviews

STORY:   Upon the death of his employer and only friend Frank Minna (Bruce Willis), Lionel Essrog (Edward Norton) pledges to bring the culprits to justice that eventually lands him in a political bedlam. REVIEW:   Based on author Jonathan Lethem’s 1999 novel by the same name, ‘Motherless Brooklyn’ chronicles the life of an outlandish detective Lionel post his friend’s death. After a secret meeting with a group of men, things go sideways leading Minna to succumb to his bullet-shot injury inflicted by the aforementioned gang. Shocked and disappointed by his senseless murder, a visibly deranged Lionel (fondly called Brooklyn) vouches to take on the men that caused the death of the only person who cared about him. Set against the post-war era, ‘Motherless Brooklyn’ serves as a reflection, and a mirror image of the chaotic times that’s gone by in the borough area of Brooklyn. With apt cinematography by Dick Pope and some potent set design by Kara Zeigon, this detecti...

Ford v. Ferrari Story:   Based on a true story, two ambitious men – American car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and British-born driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), take on the race cars of Ferrari by building their own. Ford v. Ferrari Review:   Ford Motor Company is struggling with sales in 1963 because they can’t seem to connect with the younger market. To boost their image, Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal) proposes a bold marketing strategy – to win one of the most prestigious car races in the world – 24 Hours of Le Mans. This poses a unique challenge; the Ferrari racing team has dominated the sport for four straight years, and Ford doesn’t have a race car to beat them. Caroll Shelby (Matt Damon), a car engineer and designer envisions what they need to win the coveted ego boost. But Shelby knows that a finely tuned automobile is worthless without a skilled driver. Enter the feisty but formidable Ken Miles (Christian Bale), whose unpredictable temperament is ...

Story:   Tenali Ramakrishna (Sundeep Kishan) is a lawyer who’s desperate for cases, offering everything from   upto   50% off to 100% cashback if he loses. What happens when he finally chances upon a big-profile case that changes his life? Review: G   Nageswar   Reddy   is in need of   reinvention, if   Tenali Ramakrishna BA BL   is anything to go by. While the film tries very hard to flesh out a paper-thin story into something entertaining, even smart, all it manages to do is become a tale often told about a street-smart man who manages to best a clever yet evil person. And just when you think everything is neatly tied up in a pretty bow, albeit a predictable one, the film tries to throw caution to the wind and switches things up, yet again, almost towards the end. Unfortunately, instead of offering an edge-of-the-seat, funny and entertaining experience like it promises, the film just turns out to be a dreary one. Right off the bat,...

Reincarnation sagas have been immensely popular in Bollywood. There’s a certain charm to see protagonists facing an untimely death and then avenging for the wrongdoings in their next life. Interestingly, there has never been a reincarnation comedy. This void has now been filled thanks to HOUSEFULL 4. The film looks grand in every way and is also the big Diwali release. So does HOUSEFULL 4 emerge as the ideal entertainer for families in this festive season? Or does it fail to impress? Let’s analyse HOUSEFULL is the story of three couples and how destiny helps them reunite after 600 years. The story begins in 2019. Harry (Akshay Kumar) is a barber in London who has a habit of momentarily losing his memory when he hears a loud noise. During one such time, he ends up destroying a large amount of money belonging to Michael (Sharad Kelkar) that was given to him for safekeeping by Big Bhai. Big Bhai hence gets angry at Harry, his brother Max (Bobby Deol) and their friend Roy (Rite...

Bala Story:   Balmukund Shukla aka Bala (Ayushmann Khurrana) tries all sorts of hacks to grow back his silky smooth hair, but to no avail. Finally, he finds a fix, but will that bring him permanent happiness? Bala Review:   “Hum aapki khubsoorti ka raaz hai, aapke sarr ka permanent taj hai.” Attention, this is your hair talking and that is how Bala begins. A quirky voice-over (Vijay Raaz) sets the stage for a fun ride at the expense of the film’s hero. He is all of 25, but looks way older, thanks to his diabetes and bald pate that has replaced what was once a dreamy crop of silky hair. His childhood sweetheart has also left him and he is demoted at his job as the salesman for a women’s fairness cream. But, Bala is not a sobering mess. Instead, he takes the challenge head on (no pun intended). Bala doubles up as a stand-up comedian where he imitates Bollywood stars and is actively seeking various remedies for his hair loss. These range from ridiculous to bizarre. The s...