Happy Friendship Day to my many loved ones scattered across the globe. We celebrate this day everyday, and mark it today to remind each other what friends truly mean. To all of those who touched my life with this magic, thank you 🙏
Sacred Games (2018)
Based on Vikram Chandra’s novel, Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane capture gritty Mumbai, the gang culture and political backdrop of the time with brilliant story telling.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui narrates and acts the character of Ganesh Gaitonde with unerring ease, hypnotising audiences with his life story, and leaving us wanting more at the end of the season.
Saif Ali Khan has a role that he can finally sink his teeth into, intense, on edge with a past that is yet to be revealed.
Such a show is an ensemble effort, every actor and location adding to its grim reality. Not one character was average, everyone acted their parts authentically.
Fast paced, full of eye opening moments and well edited back stories, there is a rationale for everything and everyone. Can’t wait for season 2!
4/5
Mamma Mia – Here we go again (2018)
Director Ol Parker had a tough task, writing and directing the prequel/sequel of the famous Mamma Mia which released 10 years ago. He does a great job, giving us glimpses in to Donna’s past and Sophie’s present.
Lily James had a tough act to follow, but she did a great job as Donna, the younger Meryl Streep. She embodied her body language, but more importantly her smile and spontaneous soul.
The ensemble cast sings and dances, with the sunshine spilling out of the screen, the tunes making you dance in your seats. What a wonderful warm feeling!
The film slowly builds to an emotional climax, a brilliant fitting tribute to Donna’s energy and exuberance. We have many treats, and vocal stylings to enjoy, and a fit grandma in Cher!
The melodies never cease to move and charm you and it just re-iterates, Old is Gold! ABBA nostalgia still rules hearts!
3.5/5
Hereditary (2018)
Touted as ‘the scariest movie’, ‘the exorcist of our times’ and ‘you have been warned’, the film was a complete let down.
Barring a few genuine scares and creepy shots the film has little to offer. It ends in a way to ruin whatever it has built, leaving the viewer very disappointed.
I fell for the marketing and advise you not to.
1.5/5
The Incredibles 2 (2018)
The film picks up at the exact scene where it’s first instalment ended in 2004. The secret behind its phenomenal success was perhaps the treatment of the story and it’s message. The children had real issues and the baby was just hilarious! Truly the highpoint of the story. The villain and the rationale behind it, is very relevant for today’s times. An entertaining watch!
3/5
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer vacation (2018)
The story finally moves out of the hotel which they leave to go on a holiday. It offers ample new scenarios while leading us to a hilarious climax. There were many adult guffaws, and the children seemed entertained with the slapstick nature of its animation. A fitting end to a fun trilogy.
2.5/5
Goodbye June and first half 2018
New year at NOIR. First January Summer. Reflective Walk from Brighton beach to St. Kilda beach. Padmaavat. Sunil turns 40! Mussoorie with Mayyur. Delhi pit-stop, Mumbai delight. Adnani Lunch. Mandala Table Alumni workshop. Sherlock Holmes card game. Big little lies. Sydney Spoils, glass bottom cable car and bridge climb scares! DreamS highlights. Daylesford & Lavendula. Downton Abbey. South Mumbai comes to South Yarra. Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Mom & Dad’s 54th Wedding Anniversary. Seaford Sunday. Hogwarts Mystery Wizarding World mobile game! Oriental Tea House. The neighbours visit my hood. Qualified Counsellor! 365 sunsets in Melbourne. Dubai gang reunites. Dad turns 75! Shonali is engaged to Bikram! Hong Kong Happiness. Homemade Nutella Cheesecake 😍 Disneyland after many moons. BrySri20. Origin by Dan Brown. Designated Survivor. Jurassic World. DIA film festival Hat trick. Lucky Penny Cafe. Harry Potter Cluedo and F.R.I.E.N.D.S Monopoly. Second home: Jam Factory. June Winter with Foggy nights. 12 Apostles revisited. Member of the ACA. Puffs: The Hufflepuff perspective. Alienist. Welcome Sangy! Hotel Transylvania 3. Sanju.
Enjoying a chilly Sunday morning as I write this, thankful for every moment of this year where I look forward to another milestone.
Stay strong with a smile 😊
Sanju (2018)
From the moment this project was announced I was wondering how the subject would be treated, and how it would be balanced entertainment.
The way it was handled by Raj Kumar Hirani, no surprise there, was superlative. Not only has he managed to say one side of the story (as we know there are always many sides) in a remarkable way, but he’s done justice to all the characters, big or small.
Manisha Koirala is beautiful as the late Nargis, so much grace and spontaneity, she was perfect for the role. Paresh Rawal as Sunil Dutt was one of the three main pillars of the story, dependable and stoic, he was every bit the actor and person so many admired. Jim Sarbh was effective in a short role, as were Anushka Sharma and Dia Mirza. The second pillar, a fast rising actor Vicky Kaushal is a talent to be reckoned with. He holds his own in the frame with Ranbir and Paresh and has an exemplary presentation of his character ‘Kamli’.
The third pillar, Ranbir Kapoor, is someone who can never be accused of bad acting. He’s flawless in a role which walks the right rope portraying a living actor, who has been admired by many, so much so that the audience erupted in applause at the end of the film. He has shown a struggle with drugs/alcohol, the relationship with his parents, the underworld and his love life with such sincerity that it almost seems we are voyeurs to the real life of Sanjay Dutt.
This film is heart touching, reveals some facets which may be fiction, or fact, but make for good story telling. At the end, what is truth but a perspective and who knows it, but the ones who have lived through it? The film raises a very important point about media and how news is created. Something for the world to be wary about.
Do stay for the end credits song. It’s the icing on the cake.
3.5/5
Love per square foot (2018)
Is an interesting take on the property choices for young people in an expensive city like Mumbai.
Vicky Kaushal and Angira Dhar speak of dreams, independence, having their own space and home.
What follows is a cute story, where the Pathak sisters entertain in their own way, while we have tiny nuances of Mumbai which are part of its charm.
A new age tale of love and belonging.
2.5/5
Lust Stories (2018)
Lust stories are four short movies exploring different stories where people explore intimacy in marriage, extra-marital affairs and a ‘no strings attached’ scenario.
It was definitely a step forward for both the actors and the directors Anurag Kashyap, Zoya Akhtar, Karan Johar and Dibakar Banerjee who have been able to direct and present this content thanks to a web release on Netflix.
At 30 minutes each, they were slices in the lives of the many characters played by a great cast, all of whom which give the viewer insights about how and why we may do and feel the way we do.
3/5
Movies&Musings 