…this film has some fantastic moments. Some soul searching philosophy and some heart crushing realities on offer. Dear Zindagi is a feel good film. An experience that will make you feel alive.

All said and done, Force 2 should be watched for its stellar action sequences. They’re high on both quality and quantity. If you’ve grown up enjoying the careers of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, this film can provide a very satisfactory experience.

Rock On 2 does drag at certain points but the film has all the right ideas. Better still are the performances. Farhan Akhtar and Shraddha Kapoor sing reasonably well but they act to perfection. Farhan’s underplayed performance rocks you, there are moments when the tremble in his hands can give you gooseflesh. Shraddha gets the pitch of her fragile character right as well. She looks beautiful and has given one of her best performances ever. Arjun Rampal is impressive in his moments as well. The performances save it from the limitations of its writing and execution. Rock On 2 is nevertheless a bittersweet symphony.

Director Mike Mitchell loads the movie with countless pop culture references that make the story telling both cute and cool. The trolls are small and cute, in a funky disco-flavoured Smurfs sort of way and that works for the visuals of the movie. With a 90 minutes runtime, Trolls is a breeze to sit through. The camerawork complements the 3D content to great effect as well. Colours and glitter keep popping out of the screen all the time. While the sweetness and cutesy nature may seem over-the-top, that’s exactly what works for this movie. It’s light, bright and a very happy film.

Despite its hits and misses, Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is an experience worth having. Karan Johar peppers this love story with countless movie references, some his own, some of his mentors at Yash Raj and others of his idols from Hindi cinema. His homage driven treatment adds the right kind of spunk to the film. Barring the minor hiccups in the narrative, this film is easily one of the best efforts of his career. It’s a film that makes you cry, makes you laugh and makes you fall in love.

But the one reason Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children works wonders is Tim Burton’s direction and some well crafted CGI. The monsters in this movie look scary and yet they offer a light-hearted brand of entertainment and comedy. The climax scene where skeletons and monsters battle it out at an amusement park is downright hilarious. This movie and its perfect balance of mystery, gloom and innocence will charm you and leave you with a veritable sense of wonder. This is masterclass filmmaking at its best. Child or adult, this 3D fantasy adventure is a must watch.

…is a long film but it does well to both entertain and engage its audience despite its length. While it may not draw on major insights into Dhoni’s cricketing career, it does make for a compelling story through his personal life. If you ever wanted to get up close and personal with MS Dhoni the person, this is the film to watch. Its a solid biopic, one that makes a true hero out of its subject.

Whether you are an adult or a kid, Storks has plenty of comedic punch to delight you. There’s the family comes first subliminal message too. While the it’s not path-breaking or world changing, it is adequately quirky and effectively mushy. A sort of perfect combination of entertainment and fun.

Despite its grim setting and feudal themes, Parched is a film where women rise above the exploitation and the misogyny to live life on their own terms. The erotic nature of their conversations and their ability to retain their spirit through all adversity makes this film a true blue winner.

The Shallows is a taut thriller. It also features some stunning cinematography and slow motion surfing sequences. Director Jaume Collet-Serra has steadily improved over the years making action thrillers with Liam Neeson. But with The Shallows he’s definitely made the best film of his career.