Cargo (English) Movie Review:

This one is a decent zombie movie with a heart that keeps one engrossed from start to finish.It is based on a 7 minute short film by same name that was released in 2013. It is touching to see a father’s quest to save his infant daughter in zombie infested land of Australia. The plus points are well written and acted, perfectly set in various locations of Australia. The movie is a perfect example of how one could make a better movie with a good sc…ript even if it is a low budget movie.

The acting is natural and heartwarming. I have seen some good zombie movies like “Shaun of the Dead” or “Train to Busan” and even “Warm bodies”. This one adds to that list of good Zombie movies I have watched todate. The other best thing about this movie is good cinematography.

Cargo is far better than any average thriller as it focuses on the lead character and creates sympathy towards him in that way viewers become interested in the movie. The minus points are not so good editing as it drags at some places. Martin Freeman was perfect choice for the role of Andy.

Antony Hayes performace was good too. Martin Freeman puts in arguably a career best performance in a zombie movie of one man’s quest to find a new home for his baby daughter before it’s too late.

My rating is 4.5/5. Highly recommended

Nila (Tamil) Movie Review

The movie is shot mostly during nights, some of them rainy, about a cab driver who has come from village to make a living in the city. He has a chance meeting of his childhood love interest, who becomes his passenger one rainy night. She initially doesn’t recognize him, but eventually does. And then she becomes his regular passenger.

We get a short flashback from their childhood days in between their present soft interactions. The story goes forward with more of body language than dialogues. The taxi driver and his beautiful passenger speak beautifully with their eyes. Fewer words, more of stolen gazes, mostly from the guy.  He makes excuses to other passengers just to sepnd time with her during the pick up and drop from her work place.

She seems some what detached to his feelings towards her. As the movie progresses their interaction increases. The movie picks up and becomes dramatic once the secret is revealed. This takes the plot to another level. It is here the director seems to be lost not knowing how to take the story forward? However, the wonderful climax brings back the movie back on track.

I felt the climax was brilliant. My rating is 4/5. Recommended.

Source: Netflix

 

 

 

 

Aatagadharaa Siva (Telugu) Movie Review:

I wanted to see the original Kannada version, but couldn’t see it. Finally, I got to see the Telugu remake version on Amazon Prime Videos. The basic plot is between the Hangman and the escaped convict. Though the story revolves around them there are sub plots which bring in other characters and they get connected to these two. This one is a well made road movie after Kendasampige.

I was surprised by the movie’s simplicity, depth of emo…tions and wonderful performances. Technically the movie is good too with nice cinematography, screen play and music. Well, even the jeep becomes a character in the movie..almost.

A criminal, Babji (Uday Shankar) escapes from jail as the day of him being hanged to death approaches closer. Whereas, Jangayya (Doddanna), an executioner gets an official invitation to execute the death by hanging for the person who had escaped the prison. Uday Shankar as the escaped convict comes with a solid performance, where he has to emote more and speak less.Doddanna from Kannada Industry comes with another solid performance as the Hangman who gets to see a redeemed convict Uday and even goes to the extent of fighting for the death penalty convict’s forgiveness from the President of India.

The climax would leave one speechless. This movie made my day.

My rating is 4.5/5. Highly recommended.

Rachayitha (Telugu) Movie Review:

Rachayitha means a writer and the plus points are some good writing with plot twists. It is let down by poor execution, bad CGI and it lacks the fast pace which is generally seen in thrillers. Dialogues seem mostly long and poetic. It could have been presented better considering the story and plot twists had the potential.

At times, it becomes slow and boring. I continued watching as I wanted to see how the movie ended, if not I would have left half way.

The plot is about Aditya Varma, a writer, who has penned successful books. He has a love story in the flashback while he was a kid and in school, he would have tried to give a love letter to a girl named Padmavati. However, he would have been scolded by a teacher, who is also the girl’s father. He leaves that place and returns after 13 years for his childhood love. Also he is about to start writing his next novel which has theme of “Fear”.

It seems like a good plot is let down by everything else. My rating is 2.5/5.

C/o Kancharapalem (Telugu) Movie Review:

It is rarity of movies like this one which is surely a welcome relief from Tollywood which is filled with mindless masala movies in which heroes are larger than the wafer thin story lines. Rana Daggubati presenting it raised my curiosity.

This one is a gem of a movie which is presented in realistic way right from the start. The movie has 4 different age-groups love stories set in the back drop of a small town called Kancharapalem in Vishakhapatnam which are linked wonderfully towards the end. The world maybe much advanced, but many parts of India is still divided by casteism. This theme finds its place in two of the love stories which tug at one’s heartstrings.

I love anthologies in movies and this one reminded me Chandamama Kathalu. C/O Kancharapalem takes its own sweet time to establish its characters which makes it boring at times. However, if you stay till the end then you will surely appreciate its uniqueness and the way the love stories are concluded and even linked.

The layered characters offer tremendous repeat value. Especially, the teenage daughter who plays the cupid in her mother’s love story is adorable. I would like to see this one again sometime later.

My rating is 4/5. Highly recommended for those who seek something different.

Pinocchio (Netflix) Movie Review

The story of Pinocchio had fascinated me since my childhood days. It was a pleasant surprise to find Pinocchio directed by Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro last Sunday night. I should say that the movie is well made and brought back my childhood memories of this wonderful tale on small screen.

The film will be set in Italy during the 1930s. The story of the carpenter who creates dolls out of wood blocks, who has a dog for his company, goes on to create Pinocchio out of magic wood that is found on his door step one day.

This wooden toy who is named Pinocchio by his creator, comes to life over night and starts calling his creator ‘Papa’. I enjoyed this movie from start to finish.

Everyone can enjoy this movie over weekend with their family.

My rating is 4/5. Recommended.

 

Close (English) Movie Review

This one was better than expected and presents Noomi Rapace as an action star. I had liked Noomi in What happened to Monday? I haven’t seen her “The Girl Who…” series so far, but would like to see it now. It is engrossing action thriller which starts slow and picks up gradually.

This one is like a female version of Jason Bourne or even Mission Impossible. It is said to be based on real life body gaurd Jacquire Davis. Not sure how far that one is true? Rapace has acted well in action scenes and emational ones as well. It made my Sunday evening enjoyable.

The plot is about a protection officer Sam (Noomi Rapace) who is recruited to watch over and protect Zoe (Sophie Nelisse). Zoe’s father has left behind a fortune for her, which is a mining company. Which causes frustration to her step mother Rima (Indira Varma). When Zoe travels to Zambia to check on the company, their home security system is breached and they attacked by a group of men. Sam and Zoe escape from that place. Zoe ends up killing a cop which makes Zoe wanted by cops. So, both Sam and Zoe are on the run from the bad guys and corrupt cops. While they try to figure out who is behind the attacks.

My rating is 4/5. Recommended to those who like action flicks.

Annihilation (English) Movie Review

I just went with the flow of the story and didn’t think about plot holes. I felt this movie was something else…something mesmeric…something strange..There are some movies which make me thing after I watch them and this one comes under that category.

This movie is about an experience. The audio and the visuals are something that makes this one mesmerizing. While the curiosity and the suspense keeps on the edge of the seat. Maybe, nothing in the movie makes much sense to me, but still I ended liking it.

It’s about a biologist who volunteers to lead an expedition into a dangerous environmental zone, after her husband comes out of the zone seriously injured, and the sole survivor of his expedition. It’s based on the novel, of the same name, by Jeff VanderMeer. I think Natalie Portman has done some different movies in her career and this one is one among them.

A year has passed since a team of soldiers entered a zone called “The Shimmer” which is created after a meteorite had crash landed near a light house, none of the soldiers returned. This zone is rapidly expanding. Suddenly, one soldier named Kane (Isaac), suddenly reappears, much to the desperate relief of his biologist wife Lena (Portman), but he doesn’t remember where he’s been or how he got home. Then he has a sudden medical emergency, and is rushed to a hospital. In an attempt to help him, Lena decides to join a team of all female scientists, on an expedition back into the “Shimmer” zone. Will they return back forms the crux of the remaining story.

The movie is hauntingly beautiful like in some fairy tale or something. The visuals are breathtaking and the score is haunting. The story is engrossing, but slow. It is something that would linger in one’s mind long after the movie is over. Natalie Portman does her best as usual.

My rating is 4/5. Recommended.

 

IO (Netflix Movie) Review:

This movie offers food for thought and this could be a reality in not so distant future. Sam (Margaret Qualley), one of the last survivors of dying planet Earth is trying her best to survive when everyone else has given up and abandoned planet Earth. The movie shows a bleak future where even oceans/seas have gone, only a distant memory to the survivor or a sweet dream.

There are some scarce oxygen zones on Earth like say ‘Oasis’ in hot scorching deserts, where we can still breathe. It really starts promising and interesting, but the plot sadly doesn’t go any where from here. The camera work is breathe taking at times with wonderful visuals, considering this one is made at shoe string budget. The movie has just three characters.

It is more of an emotional drama set in future rathe than a sci fi. Also the movie’s pace is pretty slow, not for someone who is fond of action sci fi movies. The concept is really good, but it fails in execution. The actors did a good job in not so happening plot. This isn’t the best sci fi movie I’ve ever seen but it certainly isn’t the worst. It is somewhere in between and it could have been much better. My rating is 2.5/5.

Tabula Rasa (Netflix TV Series) Review:

Tabula Rasa is a wonderfully made psychological thriller about a married woman called Mie, who has amnesia and is the last person seen with the vanished Thomas Spectre. Mie is also a prime suspect in this disappearing case, so is locked up in a secure psychiatric hospital and can’t be released from the hospital until Thomas is found. The story unfolds in present and past flipping format and Mie has to re-construct her memories to solve this zig saw puzzle.

This mini series has some fine acting and nice plot twists to keep viewers engaged from start to finish. This one is a slow burner thriller and is worth your time. I had to fully concentrate to read the subtitles and it was worth the effort. The lead actress has done an amazing job in portraying the retrograde amnesia person who has to face hallucinations/visions and nightmares, while trying to figure out who (and what) she can trust.

The series has 3 massive plot twists which are not easy to predict. I would definitely recommend this 9-episodes-long masterpiece! However, this one is not for everyone. It has strong language, violence and sex. My rating is 4.75/5.