vatsalspandya Reviews

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

A 6-on-6 (or whatever) Avengers is not Civil War...

[7/10 · 24 May 2016]

I am reviewing this movie because I feel that a lot of people are liking it due to the wrong reasons. Here goes:-

Firstly, I went into the movie expecting a chaotic country with people being divided. That, for me, is civil war. It's not 10 guys fighting on an airport away from the country. Civil war is what happens within the country. This was the first let down.

Secondly, the last fight between the iron man and captain America which was tried (yes, it wasn't successful) to be portrayed as a war of the two ideologies was merely Tony being angry at Steve for not telling him who his parent's killers were. Though, the movie tries to show it as if it was that bad guy's master plan (sorry, forgot his name). Actually, the Sokovia accords did more damage to the friendship than that guy who was actually useless. Also, there was a very rare chance that the only avengers that would go to that cave were Cap, Tony and the WS. How convenient for the director, eh? The bad guy was tried to be shown as a common man from a civil war, but to no good (watch The Wednesday (2006)).

Lastly, balancing screen time for the actors is the biggest challenge in ensemble casts. It was as if the whole point of the movie was to bring together avengers to fight in that one scene. Characters should be given the opportunity within the story to develop. This was missing in some - like vision. Take a look at Bryan Singer's two latest X-Men (DoFP and Apocalypse) for some good character utilization.

Yet, this movie is overall actually good but not that good as the mass opinion currently is (8.3 !!!! Top 250 !!). The cameos are all good and funny. The Avengers MCU is increasingly focusing on laughs and the fun factor leaving behind the core of these movies (Deadpool first and now this). Due to this, Civil war always holds you and entertains you. I personally would prefer Winter Soldier to Civil War because it had a better script.

Thought these were some important points to think about before blindly giving a 10/10 just for the sake of entertainment.

Man of Steel (2013)

Disappointing after so much wait and anticipation

[6/10 · 15 June 2013]

Let me be clear on one thing that I generally have a lenient opinion in rating movies. Also, I watched this movie first day, first show and hence I was not at all biased with any reviews in my head. Though, leniently speaking, I rate it only 6/10.

The reason is clear that I was disappointed. Why? Easy. What do you expect when you hear a year ago that Christopher Nolan after his successes in Batman is producing a movie on Superman? Added to it is Zack Snyder's direction. I saw Watchmen(one of Zack Snyder's better movies) only to see his direction and I was utterly impressed. These are two classic movie makers. I had expected a gripping plot, unorthodox direction, a good story and some decent action.

The only place where this movie stood out was the action part. Though, it had too much action. The second half has nothing else. So, maybe good for action fans. Next comes the story. Here are the most expectations since Nolan has got the ability to make stories exciting without twists (his special ability). Nolan has written a new story but it gives up in the first half hour itself. Very predictable. The direction from Zack Snyder promises in the first half but fails later. The first half show touches of both Nolan and Snyder trying to make a crooked plot but to no good as we all come to know where it heads. Still, I intriguingly saw the first half expecting a good climax. Hopes fail me even this time. The end is very straight. This disappoints because the second half has nothing but action and story lovers like me want to see the unpredictable or at least something fruitful of the wait. Lastly, as I already mentioned, the plot is no good since "it is never created" - the biggest failure of the movie.

Overall, this is not what you expect when you see two of the best superhero movie makers combine to make one. The Dark Knight Trilogy was Epic with a similar to comic story though gripping and intriguing and Watchmen was a beauty in plot, climax.

The acting can be said about as good since this was my first Henry Cavill or Amy Adams movie. They tried but to no good.

Apart from this, there are holes in the story!!! Unanswerable happenings (don't want to write spoilers see for yourself). The dialogues, the strength of any Nolan story, are nowhere except one or two good ones which are copied themselves.

Overall, the simple story goes on and fights keep up. Really disappointed (5/10). I make it 6/10 because I felt that there was hard work behind even though only in the action department. Also, I feel copyright issues are likely to have kept the story down even though this is improbable after The Dark Knight.

Watch this on DVD.

P.S. I talk about 1st and 2nd halves here because we had an interval in the movie about midway(created by the theater people for some snacks sale).

Star Trek (2009)

Action Sci-Fi At Its Very Very Best

[8/10 · 21 May 2013]

This is a stunning piece of action with over the top sci-fi. The tone of the movie sets from its very offset. I believe that since I had no star trek background, I was immediately playing the catching up role and this really gripped me throughout.

Firstly, the graphics of the movie pulls you. Action scenes were quite breathtaking. This is more of an improbable sci-fi where time travel is again exploited but executed quite well. All the elements of fantasy of science are involved in the movie - relativity, black holes, warp speeds and what not. Secondly, the performances of the cast are quite to the script. Though, the focus on individual characters except James Kirk and Spock is quite less and the roles are not really challenging for any of the characters. This movie lives on its concept alone.

By the time I was in sync with the story, it got to its last quarter almost where there is a fast and promising end. The story is not really predictable too. However, this is because it seems more of a bits and pieces woven together along with revealing important facts at continuous times. Yes, the plot really lacks the spark and the story is a simple one with no major twists. Though, by the end, the stage has been set for the sequel (Into Darkness) and you can hope for a better plot along with more character involvement. The trailers are certainly promising.

Hoping to see Cumberbatch at his best in the next one. As far as this one is concerned, see it for its action and sci-fi and let the story build for a bright future. For me, its an 8 due to lack of plot and lack of character (emotional) involvement-->a part where I hope but do not expect much in the next ones too.

Players (2012)

THE PLAYERS Could Have Been Far better

[7/10 · 16 July 2012]

Some may call this movie an Indian version of the Italian Job but there are differences if you wish to see it in that way. I first saw the Italian Job and within a few days after that, saw Players. I now have no doubt in saying that even though its a remake, you would not get that thought in mind that this is the story of the Italian job unless you see the huge similarities to the Italian Job later in the movie.

Yes, the idea of the movie has been borrowed from the Italian Job but the main part, the thefts are quite original(not completely though). The first half is worth the watch. The robbery strategies are good. With little assumptions, you'll happily agree that the plan was superb.

It's the second half in which you see a direct connection to the Italian Job. But Abbas-Mustan manage the connection well by putting twists at some important points in the movie. Though, towards the end, there is a rain of twists which you find hard to get. The twists timing falters this time unlike in "Race". Also, there is more talk and less action as you approach the end. What I really didn't like was the blooywood-ish ending. Why do you always need emotional endings. An action sequence or even hero tricking villain case could've been done. But then again, the plans in the second half are OK.

Though, sometimes in the movie, you feel that there is a tinge of over-confidence among the characters and also that there are some things that seem impractical in the second half.

In the long cast, the performances are:- Abhishek Bachchan: He has learned to hold a movie and whenever he's on screen, he gives you the feeling that he is the master. He looks confident and and comes up with a lead performance.

Bobby Deol: He's been given a rather complex role (has too much in heart and brain and odd behavior). Though, he looks decent enough until he is eliminated.

Bipasha Basu: She was very good. Totally into her character always. All her emotions and expressions land on time. Though her character seemed under-developed, she managed to live it up.

Neil Mukesh: This guy has really got it in him. He comes up with a class performance but its just a few itchy dialogues of his that just doesn't let his performance rock above all.

Sonam Kapoor: Not good. I don't think that I liked how she tried to picturize character as above all. Just too much unwanted attitude and some childish behavior come out of her. She is only good in the initial part when not in the serious frame of things, she does seem mature then.

Vinod Khanna: Cameo. No need for comments. As involved in his character as ever. Even his role is rather light.

Johnny Lever: His 10 minutes in the movie perhaps mark a sort of a comeback of his to a one-man comedy stand-up. He speaks flawlessly and brings out real laughter just using his timing and his expressions. His is perhaps the only performance that really stands out. None others do as his does.

Omi Vaidya: He's still in his Bengali 3 idiots zone. Though, brings out some good punches enough to make you smile.

Sikander Kher: I saw this guy for the first time and thought he is good for serious characters. He lacks that spark of a comedian which he sometimes tries to be in the movie. See his with your soft corner please.

In the music part, I never noticed the songs as I watched it on TV. The only good song is in the album--> Dil Ye Bekarar Kyun Hai.

Overall, Players is quite a good movie and its just that apart from a little mixed performances, some badly placed twists and suspenses and a little lack of originality, this movie is a treat for the first 2 hours but just dries up a little at the very end. Its sort of a 6.7 or 6.8 and so 7.

This movie is thus underrated according to me and I think it is because of some career direction of a very good script.

Welcome (I) (2007)

Welcome to the Different Bollywood Comedy

[9/10 · 13 July 2012]

Welcome takes bollywood's modern movies to a new level. Anees Bazmee comes up with a very well directed comedy unlike his previous and 1 or 2 next ones as well. It is a mixture of a little senseless comedy, great situational comedy and even some intelligent comedy.

The movie really builds on its very one-line story. This is because of its characters and the performances of the actors. Nana Patekar has really not given as much to comedy film as he could have given. As Uday Shetty, in his very own style, his expressions and involvement are a toast to watch. He sort of does what I feel Paresh Rawal did in the all-time-great Hera Pheri (Though, he was not as hilarious as Babu Bhaiyya). But I really loved his character. Equally good is Anil Kapoor who himself gives his best ever performance in a comedy movie. Majnoo Bhai is so caring, innocent, dangerous. There is so much liveliness and the "taporiness" in him that whenever he is on screen, you are bound to laugh.

Rest of the cast is more supporting to these two. Akshay Kumar very rightly gets a supporting comedy role at which he's very good. He takes care of his comedy and romance scenes well since he doesn't have the burden to run this comedy movie all alone. Katrina Kaif comes up with a good performance which is really charming. She really became comfortable with the guidance of many veteran actors. Paresh Rawal gets a chance to show that he knows the art of comedy even in a different style. Dr. Ghoongroo does give you the laughs in his not very much screen time. Then there also is Feroz Khan who comes and gives a direction to a movie and really holds it till the end. The only problem with this other cast is they make you smile but not really laugh. Else, Sherveer Vakil, Mallika Sheravat, are good.

Lastly, to generate more, this movie finds a place in an ever welcoming story that could get many more characters. Other actors like Asrani, Mahesh Mishra and all the little goons, the film-making crew are all enjoyable and have the punches. These people have some punches delivered very well.

It is a treat to watch a bollywood movie with such a good level of situational comedy and the sort of creation of comedy (Uday's horses and onions). I may be crazy in watching this movie more than 10 times but every time it makes me laugh. You just need the right sense to see it.

See this movie for its performances and the comedy that really comes out of nowhere. The lack of story never really becomes a problem, he only real problem in this movie was the music in which "Hoonth Rasiley" was bad while the others okay and one like "Kiya Kiya" fairly decent.

WELCOME is a treat to watch. You will come out of the theater saying that it was a very good movie but only if some of the scenes were given a try to be made hilarious, it could have been much much better. (the one rating missing due to that).

Bol Bachchan (2012)

Enjoyable :A typical Rohit Shetty Family Entertainer

[7/10 · 11 July 2012]

It's a good Rohit Shetty comedy which has his Zameen cast thrill again. It's a movie seen without a brain. The story is all rattled and tries to create subplots just to not let it get boring while the comedy is a little missing in the starting of both the halves. Yet, it gets really hilarious at times in the first half that it's difficult to control the laughter. Also, the fighting scenes almost show super humans in action and the fights do go a level beyond Singham and you get a smile while seeing the nonsense-action.

Among the cast, Prithviraj Raghuvanshi takes your breath away with his English and his shocking expression and even his innocence seems to work. Abhieshek unexpectedly comes with a superb act as Abbas Ali, the dance teacher. He is too good for what is probably his first complete comedy movie. And among others, Asrani rocks in his little screen time. The screenplay disturbs you as it prefers first time bollywood actors like Krishna over veteran Asrani. He just has too much screen time to handle. A little more VIP in sharing time with him would have helped. Yet, both of them were decent. Even Archana, I thought could have got more screen time.

Also, please tell me why can't the actress in in a movie have some punches. Both, Asin and Prachi Desai have little time on screen and then they have to take care of the emotional content in that too. I would prefer Kareena in Golmaal 3 over these. These talented actresses were not used properly. In the actors, even the characters are developed well. A little more to the 2 actresses could've helped.

Lastly, this movie does have a little lack of originality but it still doesn't bother the viewer much as AB Jr. and Ajay just excel. Watch it for them. It's sort of a 7.5 movie but I think lack of story and well developed subplots brings it down to 7.

The Last Samurai (2003)

More Picturesque than meaningful

[8/10 · 10 July 2012]

The picturization of this movie is above all. It has beautifully captured the countryside of Japan. This does make you feel the peace and beauty of the countryside of Japan. Yet , it goes very slow in that part too. Its probably a 30 min content increased to an hour. Even I felt that Tom Cruise struggled in most of the scenes in the countryside and he was more sort of dumb in that part. Common, you can speak thru your expressions which always seems a blank face on Tom Cruise. Though, he rocks in the action and initial scenes. The Samurai fight in slow-mo is amazing. Bow and Arrow is good too. The idea almost comes good of modern vs old weapons but it a little pace could have helped. Also, the story is rather simple on the whole and mostly predictable too in the later stages. But, the plus point of the movie except the picturization is Ken Watanabe. He steals the show whenever on screen. He perfectly fits into Katsumoto till his last breath. Overall, this movie sometimes bores you but it is still pleasing(7/10).