Abhimanyu Mathur
Hindustan Times
Most Divergent Takes
- Michael (2026)8.0 vs TRM 5.5+2.5
- Obsession (2026)10.0 vs TRM 7.8+2.2
- Mortal Kombat II (2026)5.0 vs TRM 6.3-1.3
- Disclosure Day (2026)6.8 vs TRM 6.0+0.8
- Project Hail Mary (2026)7.0 vs TRM 7.6-0.6
The Mandalorian and Grogu
2026 · Hindustan Times
The Mandalorian has been one of the IP's shining lights in recent years. And in the spinoff film, The Mandalorian and Grogu, everyone's favourite galaxy-traversing duo is back, bringing the same spirit of camaraderie and cuteness, even if it is slightly diluted.
Backrooms
2026 · Hindustan Times
Backrooms gets a lot right - from the eerie setting to the discomforting way in which it has been shot, and of course, the pitch perfect performances. It is an ambitious film told in a novel way. But it is also indulgent and chaotic, and not always in a good way.
Disclosure Day
2026 · Hindustan Times
Spielberg fumbles, falters, but eventually finds his footing. The film is both a thrill-a-minute ride and a philosophical question about who is more dangerous to Earth - aliens or humans themselves. And Spielberg uses all his mastery to mask the faults and, eventually, deliver a climax sequence for the ages.
Border 2
2026 · Hindustan Times
Border 2 is not content with being just another sequel. It wants to make you sit up and salute. While its excesses are hard to ignore, so is its sincerity.
Project Hail Mary
2026 · Hindustan Times
Because not only is Project Hail Mary different, but it is also surprisingly better looking than Nolan's Interstellar. There are flaws, but the charm of the protagonist and the visual magic are enough to compensate for that in what is arguably the best big-screen experience this year so far.
Michael
2026 · Hindustan Times
The Michael Jackson biopic presents the pop legend as a human being, someone who was both a victim of his surroundings and a fighter against them. Full credit to Fuqua and debutant Jaafar Jackson for truly bringing MJ back to life on screen. This is as much a tribute as it is a celebration of his life, music, and ideology.
The Devil Wears Prada 2
2026 · Hindustan Times
The Devil Wears Prada 2 is a good sequel that feels like a story well-told and one worth telling. It captures the essence of what made the first part so fun, crisp, and refreshing, bringing it into 2026 quite beautifully, topped by some brilliant acting and writing.
Mortal Kombat II
2026 · Hindustan Times
This film does not follow any logic (even in-universe), is extremely corny, and some of the sequences belong in the 1990s. Yet, despite all that, it never lets the fun metre dip.
Obsession
2026 · Hindustan Times
To say that Obsession will go down in history as one of the seminal horror films is no exaggeration. Curry Barker's feature film debut is everything horror needs to be - dark, tragic, scary, and discomforting. It shines a mirror onto our society's most privileged and ubiquitous monster - the nice guys.
Coolie
2025 · Hindustan Times
Perhaps it was that heavy burden of expectations, or simply Lokesh's lofty ambitions, but Coolie does not simply fall short, but stumbles and staggers its way along that route. It is a confusing film, as much as it is confused, lifted largely by Rajinikanth's undimmed aura, Anirudh's masterful score, and some brilliantly shot fight sequences.