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Manjummel Boys (2024)
Poor casting ruined it for me.
What were the producers thinking casting 'uncles' and calling it Manjummel 'Boys?' It looked cartoonish seeing guys old enough to be married with school going kids of their own acting like school boys. Some of the cast may be well known in Mollywood, but that doesn't help. If the cast's age was age appropriate, it would have been marginally better. Some scenes, like the ones with the guys lying down supposedly to stop the storm water from flowing into the underground cave, that was the worst piece of direction I have ever seen. I am not sure what genre this film fits in. Adventure no, thriller, no. Boring, yes. I gave two stars for the cinematography. Some of the nature shots were good. The story had potential. Would have loved to see what the Kantara team would have done with it. Missed opportunity!
Heart of Stone (2023)
Meh, ingredients are all there, but dish is underwhelming.
I am Indian and I needed subtitles to understand what Alia Bhat was saying ;-D. Netflix, we get it, you included an Indian actor for the sake of diversity and, ahem, to capitalize on the very large (and growing) Indian subscriber base. From YouTubers to OTT platforms, everyone wants to cash into this resource. I get it, but then at least take the trouble to flesh out the Indian (or foreign) characters to do justice to that decision. Take an actor who suits the role - physicality, voice, appearance, age. Also, very important, and get this Netflix, the audience needs to be able understand their English, accent and all! She may speak that fast in real life, but on screen her dialogues were incomprehensible. It came across almost cartoonish! I don't understand how Netflix team could overlook such an obvious mistake! Outside of that, my fellow reviewers have eloquently pinpointed all the other flaws in the film, and I agree wholeheartedly with them.
Taali (2023)
Story is inspiring but is lacking in the execution.
I can't really put my finger on one thing, but the series has numerous little, but significant, problems. Some of the issues could be simply bad decisions, like casting a pubescent female as child Gauri. Ganesh was born a boy, who had typical male physicality (still has), then why on earth would one cast a girl in the role?! Then there are the awful wigs! First the child artist, then young adult Ganesh, who also has breasts for crying out loud! How could the makers and lead star let such blunders pass??!! The dialogue delivery in many places felt unnatural. The family dynamics needed to be explored more. Flashback style of storytelling was feeling stale after a point. There are several unexplained periods in Ganesh's life, such as his first 7 years in Mumbai. Sushmita Sen's performance is good, but sadly is diminished due to the bad hair and makeup.
Hijack (2023)
Chat GPT could have written a better script!!
The protagonist is a business 'negotiator' but doesn't even have the sense to use his one text message effectively? I am willing to accept that every protagonist doesn't have to be Bruce Willis type common man who fights the bad guys and saves the day, but this guy is 1.89 m tall, big guy, who was behaving like a cowardly, wimp! At one point, he had the gun pointed at him while the gunman was turning the other way around, and did nothing! If I was Idris Elba, I would sue the makers for ruining my image and making me look so bad! I was laughing at the ridiculousness of the scenes more often than being thrilled by any suspense. Four puny hijackers, who looked anything but, couldn't be overpowered by a plane full of passengers? Strangely the casting was really off for the most part. Scripting and direction left much to be desired. Just watched the sixth episode and by God, wonders never cease!
Asur: Welcome to Your Dark Side (2020)
Could have been much better.
Firstly, and this has nothing to do with the plot, direction, or acting, I couldn't bear to see Barun Sobti's unkempt look! What was with the uncut hair, ungroomed beard, unwashed, just-woken-up look?! I am not saying he should look chikna, but he needn't have looked like he hasn't washed in a decade! If that is the look we are going for, we can just look in the mirror, why watch fiction :)?
Storyline convoluted, many plot holes. Acting-wise, each character has only one expression throughout. Nikhil always looking like he just got out of bed (night or day) and mumbling, Naina always looking sad sack, Nusrat looking lovelorn, Arshad always looking constipated, Shubh always deadpan, and so on, irrespective of what the scene demands!! CBI professionals act like buffoons. Story timeline is confusing, many plot questions remain unanswered, characters are made to do mindless things only to drag the plot.
The final nail in the coffin is the Voot/JioCinema apps. Third rate apps! You click on episode 3 and episode 4 plays! I got more confused because of that :)
Joe Pickett (2021)
Main lead is lacklustre and dull
I have not read the books, so no comments on that front, although I can see that those who have read the books have a lot to complain about and rightfully so. The books were apparently great, so how come the author, who coproduced the series, allow the the TV adaptation to be so messed up?? One would think if the author is involved in the project, this would not be the case.
So, watching the series with fresh eyes, with no expectations, I still found it very bad, failing on many fronts. For me, the biggest let down was the central character. Did not have to look further. Joe Pickett as a guy, as a game warden, as a husband, as a family man, in every which way is just so uninspiring, dull, wimpy, full of self doubt, self sabotaging. After writing a weak character like this, they then try to repair his image by having him referred to as 'the most underestimated' person, assuming it would somehow raise his appeal to the audience, but I still think he comes across as a stupid, overly emotional guy, leaning way too much to his feminine side, someone who despite having a family has an overwhelming death wish. That makes him outright irresponsible, not hero/leading man material. He does not have the basic instincts of self preservation, which should be second nature for just about anyone, but more so for a game warden. He should know when to back off and come back later with reinforcements; but no, this happens to be a recurring theme with him. Don't get me wrong, I just think he can still be honest guy with integrity without being a stupid. For instance him carrying a pigeon rifle as weapon of choice, turning his back to the bad guys; entering the lair of the baddies with no backup, threatening them and getting beaten black-and-blue; not carrying extra bullets or his phone on his person, leaving his belongings unattended, pointing his gun spotlighted in the headlights of the bad guys vehicle, almost willing them to take a clear shot at him. Who does that??? I wish someone had answered his death wish after 2 episodes, instead we have a season 2!!!! What can I say?
The Ark (2023)
What were the maker thinking!
Very mediocre show, in every department - direction, acting, screenplay, cast, dialogues, CGI. Simply fails overall. The characters are, I wouldn't say cliched, but that they are simply not believable. They do not fit in this show, probably a good fit in another show. This alone is enough to ruin any show, but wait, there is more. The direction and acting is as if the show was a science fiction parody and not the real thing. Could have actually worked if it WAS tweaked and sold as a parody. Everyone gives the same exaggerated expression irrespective of the gravity of the situation. Even a student of filmmaking would have failed their course if they dished out something like this! I am certainly going to give this one a miss.
The Last of Us (2023)
Casting sucks!
Melanie Lynskey as resistance leader, really??!! The casting team has years of experience compared to us, mere audience. Yet, they get it so wrong?! I don't support typecasting, but at the very least the actor should be the right fit - looks, physicality, voice, personality. Bella as Ellie, also a big mistake. Nico Parker would have been a much better choice. Yet, they went and used her for just one episode! Coming to episode 3, why???? It was totally out of place in this show and utterly superfluous. What were the makers thinking??! I have not seen the video games the show is based on, but the makers could have simply stuck as closely to that as possible since it was already a winner. I am certain there is a very large audience for the show outside of the gaming world. So, that shouldn't have posed a problem.
D.I. Ray (2022)
Missed opportunity.
It was high time we saw a South Asian artist in the lead, instead of in a supporting role, considering UK's ethnic diversity. However, just doing it for the sake of it and not packaging and presenting it right, is the problem with this British series. It doesn't help that the lead is uncharismatic, dull, and lacking personality. She seemed one dimensional, using the same set of expressions for every emotion. The intimate scenes with the fiancé were awkward to watch, seemed they were all shot at the same time, same angle, same blanket pulled up to cover up her modesty, kiss on the cheek! Nagra may have had 'minimum skin show' 'no explicit sex scenes' written into her contract, but there were a million ways to achieve this more naturally. Very sloppy work indeed! Also, there was absolutely no chemistry between DI Rachita Ray and PS Tony Khatri, except as colleagues. Totally did not see that coming. Very poor scripting and direction there. I am in total agreement with the 4 poor reviews before mine. Alas, a missed opportunity to make history with a hit British crime drama with a South Asian lead.
Slow Horses (2022)
Kept me hooked, but....
Overall it is a well scripted spy drama, characters well written, acting is very good, good casting as well, worth a watch. However, the pace slows down a bit too much at times. I felt there were occasions when the writing was over the top or lazy. Lamb is such a dick to everyone in the team. This part was overdone to the point of not being plausible. The bunch of misfits are supposedly in the 'Slough House' due to slipping up in their career at some point, but the makers want us to think they are actually good secret service agents/spies. However, at one point I felt River deserved to be in the Slough House, when he left an axe within arm's reach of the wounded kidnapper/assassin/murderer. I am sure MI5 will agree this is covered in their basic training. Such inconsistencies are the deal breaker between a good show and a great one.
A Week in Paradise (2022)
Same old, same old.
Seen the same storyline a dozen times before, nothing new. Also, the main lead is too smiley and cheerful for someone with a broken heart. Downright annoying. Actually, everyone is smiling all the time. Everything seems fake and nothing seems real. Loved the clothes, though. Hope to see more of the main lead's friend, who is a really fit lady for her age, and does a decent job of delivering even the cringeworthy dialogues.
Marry Me (2022)
The right pair in the lead is so important.
I don't think a single Jennifer starrer has been successful at the box office. I think she is jinxed, or maybe she simply choses the wrong scripts. She usually puts in a decent effort in most films, but the film fails nevertheless. What made this film unenjoyable for me though was Wilson. He looks like Ellen DeGeneres for God's sake!! Right there, casting him a big mistake. He just isn't the manly man who would look good next to a female lead like Jennifer. What were the makers thinking? Doomed even before it started.
The 15:17 to Paris (2018)
Does not deserve the low rating.
Whenever we see a world leader, a legend, a hero, or even a very evil person, there is always a curiosity as to what made them the person they are. That is exactly why people like reading autobiographies of famous people. I think that is the angle this film was aiming for, which is not a bad approach at all. The three guys playing themselves have done a great job despite being armatures. Just knowing that to be a fact, made viewers entitled to judge and look for tell-tale signs. Not sure if this has been tried before, but unfortunately for this film it did not work in its favour. There are few areas for improvement, as expressed accurately in many of the other reviews. This is a story that needed to be told. Who knows, it may have turned out very good in the hands of a different director and different storytelling style.
Gamanam (2021)
Can't understand the high rating
Direction, acting, dialogues, all at the level of a school play. One of the main characters, a national cricket team aspirant, shows no talent whatsoever, let alone exceptional skills, and is seen being coached on the basics of cricket! He also happens to be a very bad actor! In this cricket and cinema obsessed country is it really that hard to find a decent actor who can play good cricket as well? A deaf girl who speaks fluently. There are such people but their speech does have certain afflictions, not like what is shown in this film. Shreya Saran is miscast in this role. She looks too polished. All the characters in the slum storyline are just so stereotypical, it irks. The relationships among the characters within a storyline are so laboured and unrealistic. Lazy, talentless production.
Maid (2021)
Slow, repetitive and boring
All the characters seem mentally unsound, irrational, and totally irresponsible, and not just the maid's mother, who at least has an excuse being bipolar. Is this a reflection on the American family or even a section of it? If so, it is scary! How are these people even allowed to raise children? As for the main character, the maid, I couldn't feel any sympathy for her, rather she elicited the emotion of irritation, and that can't be good. Although she is shown having to deal with some pretty messed up people in her life, she is constantly through her decisions, choices, and actions putting herself and her daughter in awful situations, often choosing the very people who are going to pull her down. The script is awful and repetitive. Acting is terrible as well, the maid's mom, her boyfriend, the fancy house client. To make things worse, the main lead, Margaret Qualley fails to impress. She has one staple open-mouthed, wide-eyed, head bobbing mannerism all the time, that gets weary after a point.
Blindspotting (2021)
Stylized direction and dialogues may not be everybody's cup of tea.
The show takes up very real, not-so-pleasant-to-digest topics affecting sections of the American society and gives it a stylized spin to make it less dark and easier to watch. Almost has the feel of a theatrical production. Towards this end, there is sporadic dancing and singing, spoken word poetry (very reminiscent of the style of 2020 AGT winner Brandon Leake); a good amount of animated, loud, unnatural, verbose dialogues; over-the-top characters, and so on. The show gets full marks for attempting something new, but that comes with the risk of not pleasing everyone. As evidenced by the all-over-the-place ratings on IMDb. The acting is good across the cast. The main lead is great. Helen Hunt does a great job, and is a pleasure to watch. To the reviewer who had a problem with her face, I want to say to them, it is called aging; there is no escaping it. We don't want the starts we have enjoyed watching over the years to hide, so let's welcome them into non-typecast roles for older stars in order to keep enjoying their talent.
Pig (2021)
A film that never needed to be made.
Utterly boring! Was mislead into watching it by the high ratings, that baffles me! The Cage character, may be living in the forest, but I'm sure he has heard of water, like to wash your face, and maybe bathe with. Looking uncouth, smelly, with caked on bloody face (all for no apparent reason, he could have easily washed), he roams around the city, engages with a young boy, dines in fine dining restaurants with no one so much as giving him a second look, or calling the cops on him. For a culture that enjoys its bacon and ham, I can't digest a complete film dedicated to the love of man and pig! Could pass of as a black comedy, only its not. It's simply pointless.
The Lift Boy (2019)
Overall good, but....
I agree with most of the good reviews here, however, I had a problem with some details in the script which were overlooked. Careless on attention to detail, which goes with the casual attitude of many film makers these days. Few examples, a boy who studies in a catholic school would never say, "I would not know what to do in a church." No Hindu household will anyone walk in with footwear, that too right into the room where father is sitting on the floor with food plate in front of him!! This was shown happening multiple times. Footwear is always removed outside. It requires only intent to get this right, which is obviously missing. Like this, there were many little significant details overlooked, which kept me from enjoying the film fully.
Little Fires Everywhere (2020)
Terrible screenplay.....and then there is Kerry!
If Kerry Washington is as bad in all her roles, I am glad I have not watched any of her other shows! The low score is for bad screenplay, acting, and direction. I understand they want to show the angle of the two daughters bonding with each other's mothers, but this did not feel organic. The Mia character was all wrong. A mother, who cannot bring herself to even listen to her own daughter on things that matter, would not be someone who would feel for Bebe's loss or go all out to help her reunite with her lost daughter. Why does a car have to be dirty and dusty just because it belongs to a poor person. Mia lives in a good locality, has running water, so why can't she wash her car? Such inconsistencies throughout the show were really annoying. Then there is the overacting by Kerry and few others. The over-dramatic reaction of Mia on finding Bebe's lost child was simply over the top! Her reaction was as if she had just found her own lost child! Reese is the saving grace. Wonderful as usual. Less said the better about the supporting cast, stereotypical, without much depth to them. I never meant to watch the show after the first episode, but then Corona happened. Hence the review.
The Sinner (2017)
Season 3 not as good as the first two
Too many rookie mistakes by a seasoned detective. Could not digest it. A murderer says "come alone" so he goes alone, for the second time in a row. Harry should simply retire. He is old and physically challenged, getting sloppy, making bad judgement calls, endangering lives of civilians. Disappointing main lead. Just could not relate to his character.
Prison Break (2005)
Great show, but...
I binged on the season 1 and 2, as I had missed it when it first released. It's a good show, interesting twists and turns, suspense keeps you on the edge of your seat, good looking main lead, engaging script and screenplay. However, bits in the script that where probably necessary to keep the story going on, did not go down well with me. To name a few, escaped felons/most wanted men on the run could not be bothered to come up with even the basic disguises?!!! They pranced around in clear sight as if they were parading in a fashion show! Secret service and FBI agents who can't shoot to kill even at point blank range?!! Sucre, a petty thief, successfully parachutes off a plane and lands safely?! Sucre and C-Note simply stride up to the location of the money, while 'genius' Scofield could not and needed T-bag to find it. T-bag seems almost superhuman in the way in which he cheats death so many times. Having his wrist severed entirely, he should have simply bled to death, but no, he gets is sewed on back by a vet, lives, gets it cut off again, and again lives!! I could go on and on. I get creative license and all. I can also accept crazy luck or coincidences to keep the story going, but to stretch reality this much almost insults the audience's intelligence. This won't stop me watching season 3 and 4 though :)