La La Land makes for a wonderful cinematic experience. It is ebullient and so full of life. And, like all good dramas, it is also painful and heartbreaking at times. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling look so good together that one can go on and one watching them forever. It is as if they were born to play Mia and Sebastian. Their chemistry here reminds of Bergman’s and Bogart’s in Casablanca.

…is a non-stop entertainer, an absolute laugh riot, from start to finish, but, in order to fully enjoy the film, one needs to be credulous enough to believe anything and everything that’s on offer. In other words, the viewer must be willing to suspend the disbelief concerning the implausibility of the narrative. Once the viewer makes this compromise, Happy Bhag Jayegi will prove to be a rollercoaster of a ride. Aanand L Rai and team have done it again. Here is a family entertainer that just cannot to be missed!

Overall, Sultan is an out and out family entertainer that would enthrall the average viewer with its themes of love, sacrifice, success, failure, guilt and redemption.
The high level of predictability and lack of plausibility of Sultan’s plot may disappoint the sophisticated audiences, but the rest will savor it without any reservations. Salman Khan continues to be on a roll. Another grand box-office opening is on the cards for him.

Overall, Shorgul makes for a decent watch. It scores heavily on the acting front and performances alone make it watchable. Kudos to the movie’s ensemble cast! Lalit Pandit’s music adds soul to the film. Shorgul’s strong socio-political commentary succeeds in depicting the dirty side of vote bank politics and in raising pertinent questions about the lack of tolerance that engenders communal hatred. More importantly, it tries to teach us the true meaning of humanity.

It is a genre that the West excels at. Films like Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting, Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream, and Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic come to mind. Udta Punjab is certainly not in that class but its socio-political commentary, heavily laced with satire, is nonetheless quite effective. Here is a film that needs to be watched.   

Overall, Veerappan serves as a strong reminder of what Ram Gopal Varma is capable of doing in front of the silver screen. If it wouldn’t have been for its overtly theatrical performances, the film could easily have passed for a documentary. Veerappan gives the impression of an overcooked meal which despite having all the right ingredients fails to meet the epicurean standards. After watching it one gets a feeling that Varma is stuck in a limbo of sorts, trying really hard to redeem himself like some great writer battling with writer’s block. Perhaps, the day is not far when he finally succeeds. Until then all we can do is wait and hope. 

Overall, Azhar, despite its flaws and inconsistencies, proves to be an engaging cinematic experience. How it succeeds in weaving together different genres is quite commendable.

Overall, Captain America: Civil War proves to be a thoroughly entertaining affair. Clearly, Marvel once again has one upped DC. With the ‘Justice League’ movies lined up, Zack Synder and company have their job cut out if they want to pose any serious challenge to the seemingly unchallengeable ‘Avengers’ franchise. If you thought that Tony Stark’s wry humor was the coolest thing about the franchise, wait till you have seen the young Spidey smart-talk his way out of a tricky situation. Captain America: Civil War is the perfect Hollywood summer blockbuster that will disappoint few. Highly recommended!

Overall, Fan proves to be an enthralling cinematic experience that makes us experience a rainbow of emotions. The movie serves as a powerful example of cinema’s influence society and individuals.

Overall, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a film that ultimately disappoints despite showing a lot of promise to begin with. As previously mentioned, poor writing and unimaginative direction are to be blamed for it.