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Malegaon Ka 'Rock On'

An average follow-up by David Ayer and Jason Statham to the surprisingly engaging 'The Beekeeper'. A template Statham flick - this one sees our man once again returning to his old, rough ways to rescue someone close to him who's in distress. It gets mildly interesting towards the end, but that's about it.

It’s amazing how David Ayer’s output remains so unpredictable and inconsistent. He follows an 'End of Watch' with a 'Sabotage', a 'Fury' with a 'Suicide Squad', and now 'The Beekeeper' with this.

This review may contain spoilers.

Exhausting and repetitive beyond a point.
Since there ’s nothing much to the film beyond the fanboyism and a zillion references to AK and his films.

A weak villain and other characters being completely side stepped makes things only worse.

But Ajith clearly is in his element. Never seen him this uninhibited and having so much fun on screen. If only the film would have complimented this.

The last act is what makes it slightly a cut above the usual soup boi films. So much fuss, all because a girl says she digs guys who love to get wasted

It's amazing how moronic most of the characters in the film are considering how easily the soup boi cons almost each one of them.

A fairly good directorial debut by Ram Jagadeesh that could have worked even better if not for the heightened theatrics in parts of the second half. You can tell a character is up to something evil when he looks directly at the camera and gives a sinister reaction.

Preyadarshe, along with solid performances by Sivaji, Sai Kumar, and the rest of the ensemble cast, steers this engaging courtroom drama that touches upon the misuse of the POCSO Act, patriarchy, caste differences, and abuse of power, among other things.

Red Lorry Film Festival #5

A rewatch and this time on the big screen.

A solid crime thriller that still works like a charm, even after all these years, featuring one of the greatest chase scenes ever filmed.

A special mention for how the film captures the gritty crime underbelly of New York, stripped of all its glitz — especially in the climax set in an abandoned warehouse.

Red Lorry Film Festival Film #4

My first ever viewing of the film and feeling privileged to have watched it on the big screen.

A searing portrayal of how despair, hunger, and the hope for a better life push the working class into the most dangerous jobs, often at a fatal cost.

A tour de force of filmmaking that sadly remains relevant even seven decades later. And a stark reminder of how corporations and those in power exploit vulnerability for their own selfish needs.

P.S. : Mario could have been kinder to the charming Linda, who simply adores him.

Red Lorry Film Festival 2025 – Film #3

Rewatch, this time on the big screen.

being awestruck by the film when I first saw it over a decade ago. But on this rewatch, I realized it’s not just a great film - it’s a brilliant satire with sharp, tongue-in-cheek humor. The political commentary and Gavras' perspective remain as relevant today as ever.

Glad to have watched it on the big screen.

Red Lorry Film Festival 2025 – Film #2

My first viewing of the film, and I’m glad to have watched it on the big screen.

A taut yet leisurely paced thriller that keeps you hooked till the last frame. Edward Fox and his commanding screen presence is complemented by Michael Lonsdale as the cop racing against time to thwart the Jackal's assassination plans.

The documentaryesque and realistic style of filmmaking is what makes the film stand out even five decades later. Although it was a little surprising to see such a smart and meticulous planner make a misstep at a crucial juncture in the film.

Red Lorry Film Festival 2025 – Film #1

Thanks to the chaotic evening traffic of Mumbai and one of the usual unruly auto drivers of BKC, I missed the film I originally planned to watch as the show was full. Instead, I ended up catching this one - albeit 30 minutes late.

Despite missing the start, was able to piece the story together and was pleasantly surprised by the film. A good revenge thriller with strong performances from Patricia López Arnaiz and Darío Grandinetti, the film blends neo-noir and western tones effectively.

Varun Dhawan makes a laughable attempt at being a mass hero, lacking both the screen presence and aura required to pull off such roles. His annoying dialogue delivery only makes it worse.

The lazy, templatized style of filmmaking doesn’t even attempt to bring anything new to the masala movie format, making it an even more excruciating affair. Gotta applaud the confidence of the makers though, who believed this could be expanded into a multiverse. Such confidence is what I need in life.

A poignant portrayal of Reeve’s tragic yet inspiring life, which doesn't whitewash him but also acknowledges his shortcomings.

Wish it had dwelt more on his other films and the criticism of his disability rights campaign. The non-linear narration can also be distracting at times. Still a worthwhile watch.

Feels like a David Dhawan film on steroids (A lot of his anyways had elements derived from South films or often remakes). The film is at times funny and at times silly or forced, much like Ravipudi's F2.

The lunacy can get to you, and the songs, including the banger 'Pongalu,' often feel like a force fit. The school teacher’s track is also randomly thrown in to avoid the film being dismissed as entirely frivolous.

Venky, Aishwarya Rajesh, Meenakshi Chaudhary, and the rest of the cast embrace the stupidity with gusto, though the ing cast especially can get loud and annoying at times. Sai Kumar gets a fun nod to Agni IPS and his iconic baritone—wish he had more screentime!

Lacks the usual Balayya madness. His films can be bonkers fun like 'Akhanda' or rare, genuinely entertaining ones like 'Bhagavanth Kesari' where he was his usual loud self, but used well, even acting his age for once.

The last thing you can do is make a boring Balayya film. Trust Bobby Kolli to achieve this feat after squandering Chiru’s still-magnetic presence in the dud of a film (but surprisingly successful) 'Waltair Veerayya'

'Daaku Maharaj' barring a few moments, is a dull affair with villains (imported from the North) as generic as ever. Although Shraddha and Pragya get better-defined roles, unlike Urvashi who is only for the gl factor and for a while, be known for the infamous 'Dabidi Dabidi' song.

A smart and sharp satire with some chuckle-worthy moments that sheds light on the diabolical side and fallacies of the Left. Suraj is once again in fine form. However, the performances of some ing actors come across as quite amateurish.

A notch above the usual mainstream Kannada garbage, including the stuff churned out by Sudeep over the last decade or so. Vijay Kartikeya directs the action set pieces with flair and delivers a technically slick film reminiscent of well-made Tamil commercial actioners. He uses Sudeep well and makes good use of his commanding screen presence.

Sudeep is also in fine form here. Kartikeya gives him some great mass moments, and to Sudeep's credit, he handles them well. Case in point being the 'Maximum Mass' song which is an absolute banger and shot really well. You know a director knows his job when he keeps Redin Kingsley on a tight leash and makes his presence tolerable, unlike his usual loud, annoying self.

Too bad the ing players get shortchanged in the process. It's amusing how, barring Ilavarasu, the performance of every cop is loud AF. Not one of the cops (except Max and Ilavarasu to an extent) uses their grey cells. Similarly, the film lacks solid antagonists - a must for any good masala flick. The setup for Sunil and especially Varalaxmi Sarathkumar's characters is great, but they’re eventually shortchanged. That said, both make the best of their sketchy roles.

It's also tiresome to see films repeatedly resort to sexual abuse as a trope to drive the story forward and prompt characters to embark on a vendetta spree.

A solid crime drama based on true events, with Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult in top form. While the film has some pacing issues and misses out on delivering a sucker punch of a climax, given how it sets things up, it's still a worthwhile watch.

A Venkat Prabhu shitshow

Thelma is such a badass!

I had only seen June Squibb in 'Nebraska' before this, where she absolutely knocked it out of the park in the cemetery scene.

She is so endearing in this one, along with Richard Roundtree (God bless his soul) and her other friends (in smaller roles). The best part is that the old folks and the people around them aren’t bitter or apologetic about growing old. Instead, they live up every moment, which is exactly how one should be in their last years.

The film has its heart (a big one at that) in the right place. The kind of story that will put a big smile on your face and ideal for a family watch during the holiday season.

Trust Biju Menon to make even the most humdrum material palatable. The scene in which he gives a speech on child labor was an absolute hoot.

Otherwise, the film seems undecided about whether it wants to be a comedy or a thought-provoking social drama - and struggles to succeed as either.

I Am God!
God Is Great!

Has its share of issues, one of them being the criminal underuse of J.K. Simmons, and it wouldn't rank among Clint Eastwood's best films. Still, it’s a reasonably engaging watch. His recent films may not always hit the mark, but it’s amazing to see Eastwood continue making films that remain relevant to the times.

Bougai'yawn'villea

Good intentions don’t always make for good movies.

It’s commendable that Rahul Dholakia and his team chose to spotlight firefighters - a workforce rarely given their due in Indian cinema and the challenges they face. But 'Agni' falls short of its potential, largely because of its underwhelming screenplay.

The drama lacks intensity, and while the intent is solid, the execution feels weak. The conflict points, including the antagonist’s arc, are intriguing but underdeveloped, failing to hold your attention throughout.

Pratik Gandhi shines in his role, but most of the cast, including Divyendu, feels underutilized or poorly fleshed out. At times, it seems like key parts of the film were left on the editing room floor. That said, the performances are fairly consistent across the board, although Sai Tamhankar at times appears to be trying too hard to play the typical middle class Maharashtrian housewife.

Overall, 'Agni' had the right idea but missed the spark needed to truly ignite.

The film offers some good mass and masala moments, especially in the pre-interval portion. However, it feels bloated, overstretched, and falls short of being the follow-up it was anticipated to be.

The unnecessarily stretched and overly emotional finale seems to be ghost directed by Trivikram. And it is evident that Sukumar struggled to move the story forward. He appears to have pieced together the narrative just enough to conclude the film and somehow set the stage for Pushpa 3.

Allu Arjun is a force of nature, particularly in the Jathra Gangamma Thalli scene. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast, including Sunil, seem to walk in and out of the frame as per the screenplay's convenience. FaFa you deserved better; after the buildup for an epic showdown in part one and prior to the interval of part two, this was not the culmination one expected.

A muddled and uneven black comedy, salvaged by a decent finale and JGL's performance as the dubious cop.

P.S. Breaking your film into chapters doesn’t make you a QT, especially when it lacks a sharp screenplay and the quirky wit and finesse of his films.

Wolf Of Kanakia Wall Street

A good directorial debut with a tour de force performance by Asif Ali, alongwith a competent Amala Paul and Sharaf U Dheen. The desolate landscape makes for some great visuals. Would have been a better film minus the multiple twists and red herrings in the finale.

C.M Saaheb - "I see dead people!"

De Niro is the calming presence and confidant we need in our lives but don’t deserve

The storyline doesn’t offer anything particularly new, but Joju’s assured directorial debut, along with two absolutely abhorrent bad guys, makes this a good watch.

Always fun to see the vintage fast talking Joe Pesci. And in an underdog role unlike the motor mouth mobster roles that have made him immortal. And then there's Marisa Tomei too.

The action scenes are well done, and the initial setup around caste dynamics is impactful. But, after a point, it feels kinda stuffed. Nikhil Advani seems eager to make a statement on caste politics, but appears undecided on whether he wants to make a action thriller or a social-awareness drama.

John Abraham plays his usual stoic, action-oriented role, while Sharvari delivers a surprisingly good performance.

A slow but engaging drama, featuring strong performances by Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong. Trump's transition from a shrewd yet somewhat naive character to a ruthless business magnate is well executed. The film also glimpses his somewhat humane side through his concern for his elder brother and Cohn during their hardships.

Drags towards the finale after his transformation is complete, with little new to add thereafter, but remains worth a watch.

This review may contain spoilers.

Runs on autopilot for most part. Neither has the flavour of a mass Rajini film nor works as a serious social drama. The new directors Rajini worked with like Pa Ranjith, Nelson brought their individual style to his films.

Jailer for all its flaws esp the 2nd half, still had Nelson's quirks which made it work to a large extent. But Vettaiyan is monotonous beyond a point. T.J Gnanavel tries to pack in too many issues and subplots, eventually making it a mess. The film neither has good mass moments or drama. And pretty much wastes the ensemble cast it has

P.S - Repeatedly showing the flashback was unwanted and a complete turn off.
Plus, how stupid are cops shown to be, with the identity of a key informer is never kept hidden and rather that person is celebrated publicly.

A good thriller with a tense finale and a top notch performance by James McAvoy

If you took a shot of alcohol every time the annoying duo of Supriya and Hemal (who plays Sachin and Supriya's daughter) said 'Murti Pan Navasachi Aani Navra Pan Navsacha,' you'd die of alcohol poisoning.

The only reason I watched it in a cinema hall was because the tickets were up for grabs at Rs. 99 on occasion of National Cinema Day.

Silly and frivolous, but not in a funny way - except for a few moments. The cast salvaged the film to an extent, especially Basil Joseph, who has perfected goofball character roles. Even Althaf Salim, with his deadpan expressions, can quietly elicit a chuckle or two.

Had rewatched it a while ago. Watching Asif Ali play a cop again in 'Thalavan' reminded me to log my thoughts on 'Kooman'.

On a rewatch, my opinion remains the same as it was during the first viewing. An exemplary first half which easily ranks among the best in Indian cinema in a long time. Kudos to Asif Ali for pulling off such a complex lead role with élan, alongside a stupendous Jaffer Idukki.

The detour of the story arc in the second half was somewhat disappointing, considering the spectacular first half. That said, it is still watchable.

Though could never get over the feeling of what the film could have achieved had it stuck to the first half's story arc.

A solid investigative thriller that kept me invested throughout. Biju Menon is top-notch yet again, and Asif Ali is equally impressive, with fine performances from the ing cast. I wish the film had delved more into the ego clashes of the cops. And why is every other Malayalam film teasing a sequel? First Turbo, and now this.

A key plot twist may remind you of a film that achieved cult status in the 2010s. Watch the film to figure it out! :)

Dhanush directs the action set pieces impressively and also delivers a fine performance in the lead role. Om Prakash's cinematography is one of the film's highlights, and the movie sports a colorful palette, which results in some stunning visuals. The 'Adangaatha Asuran' sequence is one such standout moment, particularly due to how it is choreographed and directed.

However, the rest of the film and its characters come across as disappointingly generic, featuring standard archetypes typical of a Tamil movie. There's a moralistic eldest brother (Dhanush) striving to live a normal life, but who won’t hesitate to take matters into his own hands when things go south.

There’s also the fiercely protective younger sister (Dushara Vijayan), who is especially dear to the eldest sibling and is the apple of his eye. The hot-headed younger sibling (Sundeep Kishan) can't help but get into trouble, while the seemingly innocent and idealistic youngest sibling (Jayaram Kalidas) harbors a rebellious streak. The boisterous neighborhood girl (Aparna Balamurali), the shrewd cop (Prakash Raj) aiming to reduce crime by pitting local gangsters against each other, the father figure to the hero (Selvaraghavan), and the local gangster (S.J. Suryah), who is having an affair and whose resentful wife silently hopes for his downfall.

The script never rises above clichés and fails to flesh out these cookie-cutter roles enough for us to care about them. As a result, aside from Dhanush, none of the characters or performances stand out. And what you get is a pretty generic film.

Yet another standard Wahlberg action thriller, which has come to form a large chunk of his filmography. The fast pace, good action scenes, and a decent plot twist make it an easy watch. And surely far better than Wahlberg and Kormakur's '2 Guns', which was plain lazy, boring and generic.

While Ben Foster makes his presence felt, J.K. Simmons and Kate Beckinsale are wasted. I hope they got a sizable paycheck for taking up roles they could sleepwalk through.

A fun watch, anchored by Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, who share a crackling chemistry. Tucker, especially, is a hoot as the motor-mouthed, weed-smoking wastrel in one of his earliest lead roles. The late John Witherspoon also delivers a comically sharp turn as Ice Cube's father.

It's also interesting how F. Gary Gray manages to blend in elements that are an intrinsic part of a typical Black neighborhood. The film also quietly slips in a message or two about standing up to bullies.

However, the midget and body-shaming jokes feel dated now.

Nani and Nithya Menon make for an endearing pair in this rom-com. The film starts on a fun note but becomes tiresome in the last act. As it tries too hard to stand out but ends up resorting to clichés, which it successfully avoids for most of its runtime. The director also inserts a role for herself as one of Nani's buddies.

Some elements, especially the gay jokes, feel dated. Ultimately, it's the performances of Nani and Nithya, along with their chemistry, that help the film sail through.

Ashish Vidyarthi is also good in a role that doesn’t cast him as the typical hammy bad guy, unlike the zillion other Telugu films he has acted in.

Thangalaan is hands down PA Ranjith's most ambitious and audacious film yet, mixing history with themes of caste oppression, greed, and so much more.

Vikram, Parvathy, and Pasupathy deliver fabulous performances. The rest of the cast, including Malavika Mohanan, also deliver good performances. Ranjith cleverly uses Malavika without giving her too many lines, which works well.

The cinematography and action scenes are stunning. The only downside is the VFX, which could have been much better.

A definite big screen watch.

Theatrical watch.

Tim Burton, as always, runs riot with splendidly colorful visuals, eccentric characters, and his signature quirky humor. Michael Keaton visibly has a gala time playing the titular mad hatter role. However, the film becomes overly quirky beyond a point, to its own detriment, and pales in comparison to Burton's other stellar works, which struck the right balance of quirk and fun.

Nani once again makes for a convincing massy hero and isn't let down by the film unlike Dasara. The film works well because it subverts clichés in a good way. Haven't seen any earlier films of Vivek Athreya except Ante Sundaraniki and this was much better than it.

S J Surya was also loud in the right way and was not the usual lecherous villain that is a staple of Telugu mass movies. His character was the right mix of loathsome and quirky. Even his track with Murali Sharma was done well with right amount of quirky humour.

A fun watch and definitely a better film than what the promos indicated.

Technically, Mann is at the top of his game, with the film boasting a stylish look, filled with vibrant, colorful visuals, slick cinematography, a great soundtrack, and a leisurely pace that still holds your attention.

Foxx and Farrell share a brooding, understated chemistry. While they may not exchange many lines, their bond is a far cry from the typical male camaraderie seen in cop films, which often feature wisecracking duos. Instead, their dynamic effectively conveys the trust and respect between the characters.

A special shoutout for the superbly crafted action set piece in the climax. However, Mann the director and visual storyteller is let down by Mann the writer.

Apart from Farrell, Foxx, and Gong Li, the rest of the characters are as generic as they come — particularly Luis Tosar as the drug kingpin. While the film maintains a palpable sense of tension, reminiscent of 'Heat' and 'Collateral', it doesn’t manage to rise above the formulaic.

Though the film is certainly not as bad as some of the criticism it received, it also doesn't reach the level of quality and finesse typically associated with Mann’s work. It lands somewhere in between.

Rewatch

Michael Bay's 'Bayhem' is as generic as generic can get, with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence's crackling chemistry and a few good action scenes saving the day. Add to that, Téa Leoni's listless performance as a smart-ass damsel in distress who doesn't hesitate to screw things up despite the danger to her life. Tchéky Karyo made for a far better bad guy in Jet Li's underrated actioner 'Kiss of the Dragon.'

A clever premise squandered on a mildly engaging movie. Starts off well with some fun moments, only to become monotonous after a point. Nicolas Cage visibly has fun and steals the show, with Nicholas Hoult among others delivering competent performances. However, Awkwafina's portrayal of a gawky cop striving to be sincere while also seeking vengeance was a sore point.