NowRunning
Reviewing since 2014 · Last review Sept 2019
Films
Scoring fingerprint
50 scored reviews · 0–10
Most given: 6 (14 reviews)2% of reviews not scored
In step with the room
Within a point of the Monk Score on 74% of 50 films
Closest peer
Agrees with Piyush on 90% of 44 shared films
Divergence
From the archive
While at times highly predictable, not many could deny that this journey of these Chhichhoras to the finals wasn't a fun, if uneven, ride. With a bit more attention to the writing, this film could've differentiated itself from the crowd with its game cast and setting. Presently, it makes for a good one time watch but not much more.
Full review ↗TRM 6.1−0.1
With both of their careers in the middle of a downward trend, Sidhharth Malhotra and Parineeti Chopra would've been hoping for a repeat success together after Hasee Toh Phasee. Alas, Jabariya Jodi fails to emulate the quirky charm and sweet emotional core of that much superior film, and all it manages to be is another proof that good films are made from good screenplays, not a producer's false idea of a winning lead pair.
Full review ↗TRM 4.4−0.4
Sicario may not be as tensely successful as some of director Denis Villeneuve's past work, but it's enthralling enough, smart enough and raises enough questions to be counted as another tick in the masterful filmmaker's success column.
Full review ↗TRM 6.6−0.6
Josh Trank's Fantastic Four isn't really Josh Trank's at all. Instead, it's a mildew of studio meddling and artistic frustrations that's so lacking in action, drama or character development that it's impossible to recommend.
Full review ↗TRM 4.00.0
Guddu Rangeela could've been great had Subhash Kapoor stuck to making a satire that tried to do something about the appalling backwardness of our hinterlands. Instead, we get a middling and uninspired action comedy that's neither entertaining nor enlightening.
Full review ↗TRM 5.1−0.1
Genisys starts off cleverly with a fresh take on a familiar plot, before drowning under the weight of its own smarts. Still, director Alan Taylor gives you enough entertainment to make this time-traveling adventure a decent way to pass time.
Full review ↗TRM 4.7+1.3
ABCD 2 is too melodramatic and too impressed with itself to be able to deliver an eye-popping dance spectacle that you expect and deserve. If you're looking for that great Bollywood dance-off film, you'll have to wait and see if ABCD 3 does it for you.
Full review ↗TRM 5.4−1.4
...had too many excuses to turn out badly. Instead, Colin Trevorrow manages to put together a film that's equal parts entertaining and nostalgic. It may not be Jurassic Park, but this is as close as you could come to replicating it's epicness in a sequel.
Full review ↗TRM 6.1+0.9
...might be a flawed family comedy-drama, but the flawed family at its center is so relatable and the issues that it confronts are so relevant, that the film will end up being a fond if bittersweet memory.
Full review ↗TRM 6.3−0.3
...is a rather faithful disaster-actioner that's almost always gorgeous to look at and occasionally thrilling in its building porn, but is let down by its cardboard characters and some uninspired writing.
Full review ↗TRM 4.9+0.1
...is a slightly better effort than director Ashish R. Mohan's previous film, the stain on humanity that was Khiladi 786, but that isn't saying much. The film neither entertains nor does it inform, and it leaves you asking: what the fafda, man.
Full review ↗TRM 3.9+0.1
...is a special film that beats the astronomical odds against it to give us a heartfelt, unconventional yet traditional rom-com sequel that is able to find the rare perfect balance between romance and comedy.
Full review ↗TRM 7.1−0.1
Any doubts you might've had about the return of the Mad Max franchise after 30 years are put to rest within the first few minutes itself. Thereon, Fury Road makes for a thrillingly nightmarish ride through the dust, and easily the best one in the series.
Full review ↗TRM 7.4−1.4
Kuch Kuch Locha Hai is meant as a substitute to certain materials you can find over the internet, for those people who don't have access to the internet. Which means they don't have access to this review. Which means this was a wasted effort on my part.
Full review ↗TRM 2.7−0.7
...is a largely impressive and splendidly fun follow-up by Shoojit Sircar to his fantastic Madras Cafe. The finale of the film does play a spoilt sport, but you're still left with the memories from one helluva journey you're unlikely to forget soon.
Full review ↗TRM 7.3−0.3
Whoever said "it's the thought that matters" clearly didn't have to sit through the 2+ hours of faux vigilantism that is Gabbar is Back. The idea behind it might've been right, but the treatment is all wrong.
Full review ↗TRM 4.8−0.8
...is a marvelously entertaining piece of cinema, with bombastic action, dollops of humor and a beating heart. Operating at a scale that is hard not to admire, it'll leave you desperately waiting for the next Marvel film.
Full review ↗TRM 6.7+0.3
...is that rare film that reaches for the stars with its feet firmly on the ground. Honest, soaring, eye-opening and all the while entertaining, Shonali Bose's little gem of a film is well worth the price of an admission ticket this weekend.
Full review ↗TRM 6.7+0.3
...an inept, incompetent and insipid sci-fi film with an IQ level that is smaller than the size of Emraan Hashmi's shoes. Skipping it is not an option, it is a compulsion.
Full review ↗TRM 3.2−0.2
...a Vidhu Vinod Chopra Bollywood film with Hollywood actors and settings. It is grim, dark, violent and sporadically powerful, yet too sentimental and emotionally manipulative for its own good.
Full review ↗TRM 5.2+0.8
...is more of an attempt at making some quick cash than to make a film with a heart and mind of its own. With very few moments of fun sandwiched between long stretches of snoozing, this film should be avoided like the ashram of a self-proclaimed baba.
Full review ↗TRM 4.6−0.6
...a thrilling murder mystery that leaves you awestruck and giddy with pleasure. A scrumptious delight of a film that has the repeat viewing value of a classic, missing it would be a crime only Byomkesh could solve.
Full review ↗TRM 6.5+1.5
Furious 7 is an action spectacle that is as outrageous as it is entertaining. So exciting and fun you could end up bursting your appendix, it has flying cars and drones and deadly villains and everything else you could possibly need from a movie this weekend.
Full review ↗TRM 6.2+0.8
Run All Night is part Taken, part A Walk Among The Tombstones, and total fun. Stylish, thrilling and satisfying, it is Liam Neeson's best action film in some time.
Full review ↗TRM 5.5+0.5
The Gunman closely follows the already tired I'll-find-you-and-I'll-kill-you formula to dismaying results. The only reason anyone should ever watch it is if you hate Liam Neeson, but love his films.
Full review ↗TRM 4.2−1.2
Cinderella is a charming, sweeping, luscious yet grounded film that stays true to the original material, yet brings something new to the table. It's a nostalgic piece of cinema that warrants a watch for its simplistic innocence and visual splendor.
Full review ↗TRM 6.1+0.9
With forgettable performances, an overstretched narrative and sex jokes that rarely hit the mark, Hunterrr is an unconvincingly unconvincing film that you shouldn't be falling prey to this weekend.
Full review ↗TRM 4.7−1.7
Chappie is a film with a big idea at its center, but is let down by some insipid writing and haphazard execution. Sharlto Copley as Chappie manages to keep you seated till the end with his heartfelt performance, but that isn't quite enough compensation. This is one misfire that Neill Blomkamp would love to forget and quickly move onto his next project, the new film in the Alien franchise.
Full review ↗TRM 5.3−1.3
NH10 is a dark and wild ride into the lawless small town and villages of India, with plenty of thrills and gory action. Not meant for the fainthearted and tailor-made for cinema aficionados, Hindi cinema in 2015 hits a new high this weekend.
Full review ↗TRM 6.8+1.2
Dum Laga Ke Haisha is an anomaly of a film that chooses to tell an intimate story in the most grounded manner, all the while shaming us into accepting what a misogynistic and materialistic world we live in. It provokes thought and discussion, but never at the cost of entertainment. Sharat Katariya, take a bow. This is one piece of inspired writing and filmmaking that needs to be seen to be believed.
Full review ↗TRM 6.8+0.2
Badlapur is an intense and captivating cinematic experience for those bored of the typical Bollywood shtick and looking for something refreshingly different. It also marks a scintillating return to form for director Sriram Raghavan. Sure, it may not stand the test of time and repeat viewings as his Ek Hasina Thi and Johnny Gaddaar have, but even a sub-100% Sriram Raghavan is a brilliant Sriram Raghavan. You'd be remiss not catching this film at a nearby theater this weekend.
Full review ↗TRM 6.9+0.1
In Whiplash, you get a film that is by far the most interesting and exciting musical in recent memory. You get a film that you'd be a fool to miss, a mistake for which you'd deserve to be stranded alone with music instructor Terrence Fletcher in a room for a day.
Full review ↗TRM 7.6+0.4
The film has its fair share of flaws, but that doesn't overshadow its unique concept and ingenious narrative style. Aided by good performances, catchy music and an impressive debut for writer-director Vikramjit Singh, Roy is a great choice for Valentine's Day weekend.
Full review ↗TRM 4.1+1.9
Shamitabh is too melodramatic and outlandish for its own good. It boasts of some great acting and a refreshing concept, but is let down by Balki's crummy writing and ham-handed direction.
Full review ↗TRM 5.7−1.7
Jupiter Ascending may not be at par with previous Wachowskis films like The Matrix and Cloud Atlas, but it makes for a satisfying watch if you go in expecting a reasonably smart pulpy action extravaganza.
Full review ↗TRM 5.1+1.9
The film manages to start off strong, but never manages to create those defining moments that make ordinary films great. A career-changing performance by Steve Carell is squandered away by some measured filmmaking by director Bennett Miller.
Full review ↗TRM 6.4
Neeraj Pandey manages to mold a reasonably smart film within the realms of commercial cinema, putting it firmly in the win column for both him and star Akshay Kumar.
Full review ↗TRM 6.3−0.3
Director Shankar tries to follow the same path to success that he did with Robot, but fails miserably. Skipping this misfiring magnum opus is the only suitable course of action.
Full review ↗TRM 5.6−2.6
The film boasts of skillful direction by James Marsh and an applause-worthy performance by star Eddie Redmayne, which is more than enough to keep you hooked throughout the film.
Full review ↗TRM 6.5+0.5
When watching a horror movie in a theater, there's always a contest going on between those who are there to genuinely enjoy a good horror film and those who like to pretend that nothing scares them by making fun of the film in their loudest voice. During mediocre films such as this one, it's the pretentious douchebags that are winning. You'll be better served staying at home and catching The Babadook instead.
Full review ↗TRM 4.6−0.6
Unbroken lowers your expectations with a promising but unspectacular beginning, only to take you on a moving and inspirational journey from a small town in California to prison camps in the heart of Japan. While it may not be path-breaking cinema, it marks an assured turn behind the lens for Jolie and star-making performance from Jack O'Connell. It's a great start to the year for world cinema, one you should join in.
Full review ↗TRM 5.9+1.1
It isn't quite the finale that you imagined and deserved, but it is still worth the price of an admission ticket, if only to say your final goodbyes to Middle Earth and its citizens ...
Full review ↗TRM 6.1−0.1
What the film lacks in ambition and storytelling, it tries to make up with dazzling visuals and special effects. Go for it if you're up for some biblical mindless fun this weekend.
Full review ↗TRM 5.9+0.1
The decision to convert the already thinly-plotted final book in Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games trilogy into two movies still remains highly debatable, but Mockingjay Part 1 manages to add more to the arguments in its favor than against it. The film manages to not be the disaster that it could've been, instead serving as an effective means of raising the curiosity and excitement levels for the final chapter. Go into the theaters with reasonable expectations, and you'll come out thinking of the film more as an additional treat than a cash-grab ploy by the producers.
Full review ↗TRM 5.2+0.8
It's a human drama, it's an end-of-the-world thriller, it's a spacetime odyssey, it's a big-budget action spectacle, and by the end, it's also a mind-bender. The only thing it's not is Memento, by far my favorite Nolan film. But considering the bar that the latter film set, that's not something that I could hold against Interstellar, and neither should you. So, clear 3 hours from your schedule this weekend and be prepared to get your mind blown.
Full review ↗TRM 7.4+0.6
The film belongs to Gillian Flynn, David Fincher and Rosamund Pike. It takes an old-fashioned murder-mystery tale and transforms it into a new-age classic that deserves multiple viewings to fully appreciate its brilliance. If there's only one film that you'll watch in the next one year, let it be this one. This is one film that shouldn't be missed at any cost. As if that wasn't apparent already.
Full review ↗TRM 7.3+0.7
Despite its lengthy running time, you never once look at your watch impatiently, which is a huge achievement for the film. It keeps you emotionally involved with the fate of its characters, keeps you hooked till the very end and gives you food for thought when you leave the theater. Add to that great performances and some badass action sequences involving tanks, and there's a great time to be had this weekend at a cinema near you.
Full review ↗TRM 6.3+0.7
Ultimately, the film is neither bad enough to give you a migraine, nor is it good enough to warrant a watch. It ends with a setup for a sequel, basically saying "haha, we'll be back, suckers!".
Full review ↗TRM 4.6+0.4
Manages to overcome weak writing and every single horror film cliche created by mankind by delivering a few unexpected scares. Go for it, if that's exactly what you're looking for.
Full review ↗TRM 5.2+0.8
It isn't everyone's cup of tea. The body count is extremely high (there are more corpses above ground than there are buried below it) and the film is dark and edgy to the point of excluding people. It is, after all, a Shakespearean tragedy. If this doesn't interest you, you might want to look elsewhere for a "Bang" for your buck. On the other hand, if this is your kind of cinema, you won't find a better way to spend 3 hours of your life.
Full review ↗TRM 7.1+0.9
... this film might just not even be good enough to pay money for. Does well despite the curse of the sequels (it's a real thing), but definitely not good enough to kill for.
Full review ↗TRM 5.8+0.2
