paularjyarishi

Kalki 2898-AD (2024)

Kal Ke Liye!

Nag Ashwin, take a bow. Yes the first half drags and the massy comedy doesn't land but those are minor drawbacks in an otherwise EXCELLENT cinematic experience! I would love to see the other Chiranjeevis making an 'assemble' before the birth and the eventual growth of the titular Kalki.

Amitabh Bacchan proves it yet again why he's the greatest, why he's the Shahenshah. At an age of 82, the way he delivers in all fronts, is unfathomable! Kamal Haasan, of course, is amazing. I know Ashwin is saving him up for the later instalments.

Improve the guns, Indianise the ethos more, and let go of the Dune, Mad Max, Alita, Star Wars, Marvel (Wakanda, Kamar Taj, Stormbreaker) derivatives. This franchise will be unstoppable.

The commentary on the socio-political parts was brilliant. I loved the way the makers took a dig at radical feminism with infertility being the norm in the future.

All the best Nag Ashwin. It's very good. I pray that it becomes all the better.

Pariah Volume 1: Every Street Dog Has a Name (2024)

Nabarun Bhattacharya meets Doga!

Brutal, honest and emotional- this film is a brilliant attempt at something new. I would have loved to see a stronger bond between the little black puppy and the protagonist but I think that's being saved for the later instalments. The grisly tone of the film perfectly depicts the plight that stray dogs go through. I myself feed them each night and I know the ordeals. I could see myself in the chainsaw-wielding, blood-soaked Lubdhak. It'd be amazing if the director can bring in Kaal Bhairav, Dharma and other elements from our shastras / pauranik kathas to this heady mix and make it all the more epic. Bibek Debroy's book Sarama would be a good repository to draw from. I loved how the director brought in the murky realism of Nabarun Bhattacharya (ode to his Bangla novel Lubdhak) and blended it with the gory aesthetic of Doga (the dog-faced vigilante from Raj Comics). Wonderful, wonderful attempt.

Bhairava is an avatar of Shiva. His blessings will be with the director. No matter what detractors may say.

Shri Swapankumarer Badami Hyenar Kobole (2024)

A knockout punch!

This film requires an hour-long discussion. It unearths the lost legacy of Sri Swapankumar, the man, his magic and his myth, all in a period of two-and-a-half hours. Sri Swapankumar ruled the hearts of young adult Bangali boys and girls from the Sixties to the Eighties, with his deliciously campy thrillers. Baaj-pakhi, Kaal-naginee, Kalo Nekrrey, DrAAgon (in the Bangla pronunciation!), and of course, the indomitable Deepak Chatterjee and his aide Ratanlal. Ridden with absurdities, loopholes, logical fallacies, and don't-care-a-damn plot-twists, these books were underground publications sold for a few paisa each. Rebuffed by the elite, lapped up by the masses, and envied by literary giants, Sri Swapankumar had built a counter-culture lore without even being conscious of it.

Debaloy Bhattacharya pays a brilliant tribute to that bygone Kolkata, the not-so-smart but always accepting city, its third-world, yesteryear innocence with this film. It is ribald, cocky yet full of pathos. The meta references are fantastic, intertextuality runs through and through the length-and-breadth of the film. The subtexts of high-brow culture and sub-culture, "bhadralok" and "chhotolok", the pristine and the pulp, is masterfully done. The film takes sharp digs at the hypocritical, holier-than-thou Bangali elite and revels in its consciously-built irreverent, surrealist landscape. Kolkata has never been shot thus, feeling like the land of an urban fairytale. The back-and-forth between the real and the hyper-real, dream and consciousness, text and inter-text, realism and fantasy, is achieved with skillful ease. The music led by "Nirbashito Chnaad", "Jahaj Cholechhe" and "Missile Utshob" delivers as well. The supporting cast is good but the heavy-lifting is done by the two male-leads, Abir and Paran, it's a treat to watch Sri Swapankumar's banter with his own creation Deepak Chatterjee. Swapan is the forgotten author who still dreams of a come-back, and Deepak is the cynical alcoholic, once an idealist hero, but now an angst-ridden recluse. One can go on and on praising the film. The only thing I disagree with is the on-your-face political stand the film takes towards the end. Otherwise, it's a 24-carat Sri Swapankumar delicacy. Ones familiar with that taste, go for it at once!

Animal (2023)

That hand-gesture at the post-credits spells out a new term, Vangaism.

The cry-babies are testament that their bubble has been broken. Vanga has hollered sixes over their heads in almost all directions. Gutsy, brutal and absolutely unhinged, this one is not for the high-priests of morality, and definitely not for activists. Ranbir Kapoor has delivered in what is probably his career-best. Anil Kapoor is brilliant as well. It was a pleasure to find Bobby Deol in such a deliciously evil avatar, probably for the first time in his career. The story leaves you eager for more, which is up next, in Animal Park.

The songs, particularly "Satranga" are very good.

There are a lot of political subtexts which have ruffled feathers in a lot of birds. Just that they can't bring 'em up, that's why the 'vidhwa-vilaap' regarding misogyny and blah blah blah.

That hand-gesture at the post-credits spells out a new term, Vangaism. The hand-gesture also indicates exactly how important critics and feminists are to Vanga.

And to us.

Run to the theatre, NOW, and experience the insanity.

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey (2010)

Not perfect but praiseworthy, nonetheless

This film was twelve years too early! It'd have definitely been successful had it released today. Abhishek Bacchan in one of his finest outings, the film brings to light a number of unsung heroes from India's struggle for independence. The pace and the screenplay are inconsistent, agreed, but the high-octane action and the inter-character drama more than make up for it. I don't know on which OTT is this film running presently, but I do hope that it gets its fair share of audience in some streaming service channel or the other. If it's brought back to internet discussions today, it'll certainly gain the status of a cult classic.

Sad that it failed whereas absolute garbage like Break Ke Baad, Anjaana Anjaani and I Hate Love Stories was successful that year (2010).

Brahmastra Part One: Shiva (2022)

Jaana tha Japan, pohnch gaye Cheen, samajh gaye na?

Extremely shallow.

It's basically Rumi and the Abrahamic concept of Light/Noor being the guiding force in the form of Sufiyana Ishq; but it's marketed in the wrapper of Shiva and Isha and what not!

NOT A SINGLE astra explored well, they're used mainly as cheap gimmicks.

MINIMUM research not done on actual astras from Sanatan Bharatiya Darshan.

It's a horrible mishmash of Harry Potter, and Wheel of Time, and X-Men, and Narnia, and Pokémon- with random mumbo-jumbo sold as Ancient Indian Knowledge.

(Vaanar-Astra, Nandi-Astra? Really!?)

The script is tasteless, but the dialogues can actually make you vomit.

Sample this-

• Light ko kaise dhhnoodhhte hai Shiva?

• Light ko on karna padhta hai.

And sample this as well-

• Har Astra ki ek button hoti hai.

Jisse woh on hota hai.

Tumhara button kya hai Shiva?

• Isha. Isha meri button hai.

These are supposed to be SERIOUS dialogues amidst stakes like world-destruction.

Shahrukh Khan insults killers with killer lines like - Tu haati hai saale.

Nahin haati boht acchhe hote hai; tu toh bhainsa hai.

Nahin nahin rukk, tu genda hai, genda.

I mean, even "Mera nam hai Ibu Hatela.

Ma meri chudail ki beti.

Baap mera shaitan ka chela.

Khayega kela?" was creative.

It really was.

Trash, but entertaining trash.

But this? This is a thorough-going assault.

The colours have no gradation, no saturation control, no DI-correction, nothing.

They're just flashy, fluoroscent lights overstuffed on the screen, which eventually hurt your eyes.

Alia Bhatt with her shrill voice is irritating to say the least.

Ranbir Kapoor is confused, clueless, often clownish!

Mouni Roy glares and shivers and shouts and glares again.

Amitabh Bacchan tries his best.

Nagarjun and Shahrukh are sincere.

He BGM is good, in parts.

The Rasiya song is decent.

The shots at Varanasi are visually rich, even though they look like tourism-ads.

A car-chase sequence is decent.

These are the only positives that you can find in this film, if you really try hard.

Read Amar Chitra Katha, watch Naruto, re-watch Shaktimaan, you'll have WAY more enrichment, along with entertainment.

Don't watch this. Don't insult your brains.

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Empty. Annoying.

String of jokes and gags. Bland fight sequences. Hollow characters. Candypop colours and bling. Lazy, formulaic BGM. Pointless, absolutely unnecessary. When did Marvel become a spoof of its own material? Even The Powerpuff Girls had more sincerity than Love and Thunder. Waited for two hours to feel SOMETHING. All I felt was a headache and a pair of tired eyes.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

You're all grown up, dear boy. How are you?

No Way Home was a cathartic festival. A pilgrimage back to childhood. It undid a lot of John Watts' previous follies, allowing Tom Holland's Spider-Man to experience tragedy, in all seriousness of the term. It took seven years and three films for Tom Holland to actually become Spider-Man. The only complaint I have with No Way Home is that it could have done away with its shallow jokes and could have comfortably gone on for another hour. In the process, giving us more of Goblin, and of course, the older Spider-Men. That apart, it was a true festival.

The Powerpuff Girls (2016)

A typically Woke remake

Please save cartoons from the golden era from the hands of woke writers. Everything they touch turns to rainbow coloured poop.

The twerking scene was final the nail in the coffin.

Dwarkadhish - Kingdom of Krishna (2019)

Brilliant

What a masterpiece! Brilliant direction, in-depth analysis and research.

Oye Mamu! (2021)

Great comedy

The film was shot and shelved in 2010 and that is why there is an amount of non-glamorous honesty in its look and feel. The humour is clean yet crisp, the runtime is compact and the non-celeb starcast is very likeable. On the lines of Lootcase, Oye Mamu is a good family watch.

State of Siege: Temple Attack (2021)

Peacefuls and Liberals hating it. Get the point?

Unabashedly patriotic, slick and smart.

Detailed yet compact with Akshay Khanna stealing the show.

Well choreographed combat scenes and smooth cameras.

Go for it at once.

X-Ray: Selected Satyajit Shorts (2021)

The Poor & the Pretentious

Lavish colour schemes and snazzy cameras don't make for good screenplay.

Forced cliches, pretentious intellectualism all in the name of being 'dark and edgy', whatever that means by Bollywood sensibilities.

Ironically enough, the two stories adapted by a Bengali - Sreejit Mukherjee - are the weakest.

Spotlight is average.

Hungama is the only one that shines.

An empty Netflix vessel.

Shaadisthan (2021)

Garbage

Shallow, misinformed feminist propaganda at its ugliest.

Gekijouban Poketto monsutâ: koko (2020)

Excellent

Quintessentially Pokemon!

A visual delight with such an amazing colour palette. The story has all the traditional elements of fantasy, action and adventure, layered with adequate emotions. Thoroughly engaging.

Sardar Ka Grandson (2021)

Here we go again

After that Pinky Faraar, here's Arjun Kapoor with another piece of tedious trash.

Gravity Falls (2012)

Beautiful

An absolute must for admirers of quality animated series. One can write paragraphs and paragraphs singing praises of Alex Hirsch and his creation, Gravity Falls.

Laxmii (2020)

Fake deshbhakt stands exposed

Another movie. Another attempt at ridiculing Sanatan Dharma, in ways more than one. Pure garbage.

Fred and Barney Meet the Thing (1979)

Weird but in a good way

Who would've guessed a cross-over show with a Marvel hero and Hanna-Barbera characters! This show is not sure whether it aims to be a comedy or an action-adventure. However, it doesn't fall short on entertainment.

Ultimate Spider-Man (2012)

Sort of superficial but a decent watch overall

It's Deadpool-ish in its consciously meta-handling. Peter Parker is not explored well, as a character. But the ensemble cast keeps the momentum going and provides decent entertainment.

The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008)

Grows on you if you stick around

The animation does have strong Ben 10 odours. But the sharp storyline and the smooth cameras make up for it.

Spider-Man (2003)

Stumbles but then, shines

The animation is off-putting at times. But the show tried to make something unique without ruining the soul of Spider-Man.

Spider-Man (1981)

Pretty underrated

This one got sandwiched between its campy predecessor and the ensemble successor. A revisit is recommended.

Spider-Man (1967)

It's goofy, and that's not a demerit

The show has the essence of the '60s intact. It's campy, cheap-looking and that adds to its charm. Remember why Adam West's Batman became popular? It's on the same lines. Not every Spidey iteration needs to be brooding. We have the wonderful '94 series for that. Let's not foul mouth the first ever Spider-Man animation just because it was more cartoonish than sombre.

Bubble Gum (2011)

Restrained, realistic and touching

Bubble Gum released way back in 2011. I wonder how many of us have watched this little gem of a film in these 9 years.

Told with a lot of heart and authenticity, this is a film that deserves our love and attention.