It may not touch your heart, but it’s a feast for the eyes. Watch it for its sheer visual brilliance.

Sadly, Basu’s film goes on too long and drags its feet in the end. Barfi had the potential to be great cinema, but as it stands it’s a respectable film that’s still better than a lot else you’re likely to see. I’m going with three out of five for director Anurag Basu’s Barfi. It’s a treat like the mithai it takes its name from. Go on, indulge your sweet tooth.

Silver Linings Playbook, under its bittersweet exterior, explores themes of family, second chances, and notions of what is “normal” in the world. Relying on humor – often dark humor – to tell what is eventually an upbeat, feel-good story, the film quickly finds a place in your heart and stays with you long after you’ve left the cinema.

It’s a smart film with thrills – now how often do you get to see one of those?

It’s a good thing the film’s merits far outnumber its flaws. Beneath its cheeky wit and some of those slapstick gags, Shirin Farhad subtly touches upon issues like pride in one’s profession, embracing one’s physicality, and no expiry date on love. Bela steers clear of caricaturing the Parsi community, at best allowing Parsi characters themselves to take affectionate jibes at each others’ tics.

Shanghai is consistently watchable despite these lapses. I’m going with three-and-a-half out of five for Dibakar Banerjee’s ‘Shanghai’. It’s a good film from one of Hindi cinema’s most exciting filmmakers, just not great.

The film is not without its weaknesses – some characters, like that of the scheming Shakuni mama, are too caricaturish and could have done with a more subtle touch, while the Pandavas’ exile portion feels overly stretched and dull. For the most part, the movie works when it concentrates on its protagonist and his evil cousin Duryodhan.

If Wasseypur II has one fatal flaw, it’s the indulgence of its director, so in love with his baby that he doesn’t stop introducing pointless subplots and characters until the very end. Where the earlier film benefitted from the delicious machinations of its players and an overall sense of intrigue, the sequel never goes beyond a typical vendetta story.

Bolstered by its riveting performances and its thrilling plot dynamics, this is a gripping film that seizes your full attention. I’m going with three-and-a-half out of five for Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur. Despite its occasionally indulgent narrative, this bullet-ridden saga is worthy of a repeat viewing, if only to catch all its nuances. Don’t miss it.

Produced by the Children’s Film Society of India, Gattu won a special mention at the Berlin International Film Festival in February this year. It’s the kind of charming film that’ll feature on critics’ year-end lists of movies you should have watched but probably didn’t. Do yourself a favor – don’t miss it.