The school of good and evil

​"The school of good and evil"

Watched English movie "The school of good and evil". 

This movie is directed by Paul Feig. Produced by Joe Roth and others. Screenplay by David Magee, Paul Feig. Based on book by the same name by Soman Chainani. Music by Theodore Shapiro. Cinematography by John Swartzman. This movie features Sophie Ann Caruso, Sofia Wylie, Jamie Flatters, Charliz Theron, Kitt Young, Michelle Yeoh, Kerry Washington, Earle Cave, Lawrence Fishburne. This movie was released in 2022 and runs for about 2 hour 27 min. I watched the movie on Netflix on 25th Oct 2022.

Sophie and Agatha are two friends. Being black, Agatha is always called witch and threatened to burn. Sophie always stands by her side. One day Sophie makes a wish to join the school of good and evil. Poof! A bird takes them there. Something is wrong. It drops Sophie in School of Evil and Agatha in School of Good. Sophie can’t believe it and wants to right the wrong. 

Can Sophie right the wrong? Would the balance of power be lost? Can Sophie and Agatha‘s friendship stand the test of time?

Sophie Ann Caruso plays Sophie. Her characters has drastic transformations. But she’s not beautiful as the character was supposed to be. Sofia Wylie plays the Ugly Agatha, but she’s beautiful. She too acts well. Jamie Flatters plays Arthur’s son and the character appears out of depth. Charliz Theron impresses as the bad teacher. Kerry Washington is the likable good teacher. Kitt Young plays the villain. 

It’s a movie full of magic. There are shape shifters. There is telekinesis. There are spells. There are fights. The special effects are good. But somehow, the story doesn’t excite and intrigue you. Something, somewhere is missing. Things appear inexplicable. Why a kiss holds so much power? Why is there a need for a powerful man to wait for 200 years? What’s so special about Sophie? I haven’t read the book, so can’t say if it’s the book or the screenplay. 

Movie ends with a confirmed hint of a sequel. 

Positives: Special effects. 

Negatives: Screenplay. 

Give it a miss.

​Jumanji: The next level

​"Jumanji: The next level"

Watched English movie "Jumanji: The next level". 

This film is directed by Jake Kasdan. Written by Jake Kasdan and others. Produced by Dwayne Johnson and others. Cinematography Gyula Pados. The film stars Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillian, Awkwafina, Danny DeVito, Madison Iseman, Alex Wolff, Danny Glover, Nick Jonas, Morgan Turner, Colin Hanks, Ser’Darius Blain, Rory McCann. Music by Henry Jackman. The film runs for about 2 hour 3 minutes and was released in 2019. I watched it on Netflix on 16th Oct 2022 with Mihika and Aditi. 

Spencer and Martha  have decided to pause their relationship. Loser Spencer wants to feel empowered, confident. So he Jerry rigs the broken video game Jumanji and enters it. His friends Fridge, Martha, Bethany  decides to go in against their better judgement to bring him back. Two grandfathers, ex business partners, are having an argument. The game begins. 

Where will they reach? Is it Going to be the same jungle like last time? What dangers lurk there? Will all of them return?

Well obviously the setup of this time is different. It’s cold, dark, snow covered mountains. They have two new players. The twist is that they do not acquire the same personalities as the last time. There is a change. But apart from that the story is very weak. It’s neither interesting nor exciting. When the story is weak you need good action to sustain the movie. The movie lacks in good action too. If story and action are missing, you expect at least good acting. But the acting is only passable. Director also appears to be confused. The ideas are not new, direction is not wow. It’s neither a copy of previous movie, nor has anything different. 

When first time two of them enter magical water and personalities switch, they are thrown away. When four of them enter the water and switches happen, they are not thrown away. The girl riding the horse doesn’t understand horse tongue but she understands when he says Jumanji. 

The film grossed more than six times its production cost. It was a commercial success. 

Positives: Acting of the Danny and Awkwafina.  

Negatives: Many. 

Give it a miss.

Atithi bhooto bhava (अतिथी भूतो भव)

​"Atithi bhooto bhava (अतिथी भूतो भव)"

Watched Hindi movie "Atithi bhooto bhava (अतिथी भूतो भव)". 

Direction: Hardik Gajjar. Written: Aniket Wakchaure. Produced by Jayantilal Gada, Hardik Gajjar and others. Cinematography Madhu Vannier. Music by S. Prasad. It features Sharmin Segal, Pratik Gandhi, Divina Thakur, Jackie Shroff, Sunil Shakya. The movie was released on 23 Sep 2022 and runs for about 1 hour 53 minutes. I watched it on Zee5 on 2nd Oct 2022.

Shrikant, a standup comedian and Netra, an air hostess are in a live in relationship. They keep fighting. One day Makhan Singh comes into their life. He is a bhoot. He tells Shrikant that Shrikant is Makhan’s dadaji from previous life. He has now returned asking his dadaji to fulfill the promise he made. Unite him with Manju. 

It’s a bhoot movie, so it has the bhoot comedy. It’s about a love story of a bhoot, so there are emotions. It’s a movie with actors that are not bankable stars (except Jackie), so there is a breath of fresh air. There is also a message of eternal love. The director appears to be little uncertain which of these is his prime focus. His handling of the story is not smooth. Some times it slows down. 

The three actors (Sharmin, Pratik, Divina) and Jackie do well. A little more work on story was needed and a little more polishing. Thus the Overall effect is not what it should have been. The very end, though, is good. 

Positives: Fresh faces

Negatives: Overall effect. 

Ok for a one time watch, but don’t go to theater for it. 

Chup: Revenge of the artist (चुप)

​"Chup: Revenge of the artist (चुप)".

Watched Hindi movie "Chup: Revenge of the artist (चुप)". 

This movie is directed by R. Balki. Produced by Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and others. Story by R. Balki. Cinematography by Vishal Sinha. Music by Aman Pant. It features Sunny Deol, Dulquer Salman, Shreya Dhanvanthari, Pooja Bhat, Rajeev Ravindranathan, Saranya Ponvannan. Film runs for about 2 hour and 15 minutes and was released in Sep 2022. I watched it on 25th Nov 2022 on Zee5 with Siddhant.

There is a serial killer who is killing film critics with stars on their foreheads. A gory death of different kind for each one. Sunny investigates. Dulquer runs a flower shop. He has a habit of talking to himself. Shreya comes into his shop and life. 

It’s a story of a serial killer but it’s not a murder mystery. Audience come to know the identity of the serial killer less than halfway into the film. It’s not who, it’s why?

The story has uneven pace. The murders are gory. It’s dark. But the motive behind the killings is weak. It’s nota strong motive. The common theme of childhood trauma is present here too. Story happens in Mumbai. However, certain locations look more like south India than Mumbai. 

Sunny is ok and so is Dulqar. Shreya impresses. Pooja looks horrible and so is her her voice. She is beyond recognition from ‘Dil hai ke manta nahin’. Direction is ok. I would expect much more from someone like Balki. Story has inherent flaws of weak motive. 

The killer throws his victim, bound and gagged, from third floor window and the victim only gets minor injuries. Then Sunny, a fit Police officer with free hands and legs, jumps from the same window but he injures his leg and limps. How?

Capture of the killer is also kind of anti climactic. One would expect a high octane action, race against time. Nothing of the sort happens!

This film has earned more than two times its production cost. So it’s a commercial success. 

Positives: Umm….

Negatives: Gory scenes. Overall effect. 

Not a must watch.  

Uunchai (ऊॅंचाई)

​"Uunchai (ऊॅंचाई)".

Watched Hindi movie "Uunchai (ऊॅंचाई)". 

This movie is directed by Sooraj Barjatya. Screenplay by Abhishek Dixit. Produced by Sooraj Barjatya and others. It stars Amitabh Bachhan, Sarika, Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, Danny Dengzompa, Nina Gupta, Parineeti Chopra. Cinematography by Manoj Kumar Khatoi. Music by George Joseph.  Film runs for about 2 hours and 50 minutes and was released on 11 Nov 2022. I watched it in theater on 23rd Nov 2022 with Aditi, Siddhant and Mihika. 

Amitabh, Anupam, Boman and Danny are best friends. Danny is obsessed with Everest. On his birthday, Danny tells his friends that they will go to Everest base camp together. He suddenly dies. His friends find that he has done bookings. They decide to honor his memory by going to Everest base camp. But the trip is fraught with challenges.

The story is slow. It’s also a very long movie. The combined effect is that it’s not very interesting. Director should have trimmed at least half an hour. It’s acting that props the movie up. 

This movie has skilled actors like Amitabh, Boman, Anupam and Nina. Each character is well thought.  Each one leaves his stamp on the movie. Sarika falters in this illustrious ensemble. So does Danny, despite being a good actor. His voice is also affected. Parineeti holds for against the giant actors.  

Although it’s about a trip to Everest base camp, in reality, It’s a journey of self discovery for each one of them. Each one has his own problems, own issues. They are fighting their own demons. The Himalayas, the height, the uunchai, the determination to reach destination gives them strength. Strength within that they didn’t know existed.

Director brings unnecessary storm on the bridge. Wasn’t necessary. Amitabh’s story is very unconvincing. Danny’s impressive voice has deteriorated beyond recognition. Does the director give a message to ignore medical condition?

The movie has almost recouped its production cost already. A commercial success. 

Positives: Actimy. 

Negatives: Pace, Length. 

Not a must watch. 

My summer Prince

​"My summer Prince"

Watched English movie "My summer Prince". 

This film is directed by Peter Sullivan. Written by Jeffrey Schenk, Peter Sullivan. Produced by Barry Barnholtz and others. The film stars Tylor Cole, Jack Turner, Marina Sirtis, Casandra Clementi, Lauren Holly, Banessa Angel, Walter Plathe, Ash Santos. Cinematography by Theo Angell. Music by Matthew Janszen. The film runs for about 1 hour 36 minutes and was released in 2016. I watched it on Netflix on 4th May 2022 with Aditi. 

Mandy is an assistant to PR executive who wants to do more than just being an assistant to the hot shot boss. Her firm is engaged by Queen of Edgemere to damage control the reputation of Crown Prince of Edgemere who takes bath in a fountain while on tour of America. Diedra (the executive) catches a bug and Mandy assumes her identity.  

It’s a romantic movie. So it’s not hard to imagine that Mandy and the Prince will come close. But how does it affect the Prince and his public image? How does Mandy handle her first assignment? Will her lie be exposed?

Tulare plays Mandy. She plays an aspiring girl from humble background who wants to achieve what her father could only dream of. She looks beautiful and acts decently. Her presence lightens the screen. Jack plays the Prince. He portrays the suffocated Prince who is expected to do what the position wants rather than what he wants. He looks handsome, has a very pleasant personality and lovely smile. Lauren plays Diedra, the stern, no nonsense PR executive. Marina plays the ‘all knowing’ Royal communications head. 

The story is good and on expected lines. It has good flow. Shooting has happened in limited locations. It was shot in Czech Republic, Switzerland and America. Director controls the narrative well. The end is a little hasty. If it had ended in America instead of Edgemere, it would have been better. 

It’s a Royal gala of a country and there are only 5-6 couples dancing. Looks like poor royals, although they are not supposed to be. 

It’s a feel good movie and you really feel good. 

Positives: Tylor, Jack, simplicity.  

Negatives: End. 

Recommend watching. 

The gray man

​"The gray man".

Watched English movie "The gray man". 

This movie is directed by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo. Produced by Joe Russo and others. Written by Joe Russo, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely. Music by Henry Jackman. Cinematography by Stephen F. Windon. It features Ryan Gosling, Ana de Ray, Chris Evans, Dhanush, Julia Butters, Jessica Henwick, Regé-Jean Page. Film runs for about 2 hour and 7 minutes and was released in July 2022. I watched it on 13th Aug 2022 on Netflix.

Past:  A murder convict is given a choice of being incarcerated for more than 30 years or walk out of prison. The catch - he works for CIA as assassin, code named Six. Present: He is asked to kill a persons by new chief, he does, but finds out that he was one of them. Now the Hunter becomes hunted.

The movie starts on an interesting note. It proceeds a little differently with the protagonist captured twice. But when you start to think that this movie might be different, he identifies the location of the hostage and then it simply becomes a masala movie. From this point it goes down hill. It loses its USP. 

Ryan plays the assassin. He looks a kind hearted soul rather than a ruthless assassin. As a result even his fight scenes are not very convincing. Ana plays another CIA spy who looks beautiful, is an expert marksman and is in two minds about Ryan and his fight. Chris Evans plays the antagonist. He is smart, has great body and acts well. Dhanush makes a guest appearance. His change of heart is unconvincing. Regè plays the bad CIA boss.

This movie ends such that the director can choose to make a sequel. 

This movie has recovered more than double its production cost in less than a month. A commercial success. 

Positives: First half

Negatives: Second half.

Not a must watch.