Review Archives - Page 2 of 5

Thappad Review: Anubhav Sinha’s Film on Domestic Violence Settles for Easy Solutions

Although it is backed by a compelling performance by Tapsee Pannu, Anubhav Sinha’s Thappad serves a crowd-pleasing definition of feminism that is more interested in making a statement rather than interrogating the status quo.

Poulomi Das July 2, 2016

Bollywood

Angrezi Medium Review: A Conservative Film Made Bearable by Irrfan Khan

Unlike Hindi Medium, its sequel Angrezi Medium lacks originality. This is a comedy that feels hastily assembled with contrived sub-plots, crowd-pleasing one-liners, and emotional manipulation. But Irrfan Khan is impeccable and the film works best as a pean to his capabilities as an actor.

Poulomi Das June 27, 2016

Pop Culture

Shamshera Review: A Politically Intuitive Film that is Worth A Watch

Shamshera doesn’t quite deliver on the anticipation of a touted pan-India film, but its politics and front-foot stance is refreshing, even if unevenly portrayed.

Pradeep Menon June 22, 2016

Pop Culture

Uunchai review: A Restrained Emotional Drama that Tugs at the Heart

Sooraj Barjatya returns to weave a simple, yet emotional narrative that hits all the right notes and is symbolic of the Director’s signature approach to cinema.

Pradeep Menon June 17, 2016

Bollywood

Baaghi 3 Review: Third Time Sucky

In Baaghi 3, Tiger Shroff attempts to make his facial muscles emote as diligently as his chest and calf muscles. Of course, he fails.

Poulomi Das June 13, 2016

Pop Culture

Sacred Games: Where Saif Ali Khan Finally Found His Voice

In 2017, Saif Ali Khan might have come closer to being taken seriously as an actor with notches of brilliance in Rangoon and Chef. But it is in 2018, with Kaalakaandi and Sacred Games, that he might have found his voice.

Poulomi Das June 13, 2016

Pop Culture

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Review: Why Grindelwald is a Lot Like Today’s Politicians

Gellert Grindelwald’s tactics of demonising muggles, as a convenient “other”, can be seen in the divisive politics of the US, much of Europe, Brazil, and even in our India. Like a steadily growing number of our world leaders, Grindelwald understands the politics of fear, fake news, and populism.

Kahini Iyer June 12, 2016

Bollywood

Shikara Review: An Incomplete Narrative on the Exodus of Kashmiri Pandits

In Shikara, Vidhu Vinod Chopra chooses to look at the Kashmiri Pandit exodus in isolation and not in relation with the continuous othering of the state by the governments of India and their armed forces. In that sense, not only does the film come across as visibly apolitical but also an incomplete narrative where quite a few pieces of the puzzle are missing.

Poulomi Das June 10, 2016

Pop Culture

Guilty Review: The Netflix Movie Wants To Make a #MeToo Statement But Doesn’t Know How To

Netflix’s Guilty, which traces the investigation of a rape accusation made on Twitter, had the opportunity to stand out as a film that explores the changing nature of consent in a post #MeToo world. It squanders that chance and instead tells us a story told far too many times – that rape survivors are often disbelieved.

Poulomi Das June 9, 2016

Pop Culture

Deadpool 2: A Film So Meta It is Its Own Review

Deadpool 2 manages to make fun of several Marvel superheroes, the entire DC Universe, the people who make all these movies, and the viewers. It is a reminder of how absurd our obsession with comic book superheroes is.

#VALUE! June 1, 2016