Hunny + Choocha = Hydrocarbon

Fukrey 3 is below average. A hilarious first half. It is bizarre yet mad fun. It loses the plot in the second half. Isn’t able to maintain the momentum and hilarity of the first half. What begins as a satire on elections spirals down into an illogical mess in the second half with the writing becoming lazier and convenient. It feels as if the makers ran out of ideas for the second half. They have used a Zomato ad placement in the climax. That’s how lame it gets.

Below average direction. The screenplay is average. The dialogues are funny. What cracks you up are the characters and the performances. The camaraderie shared by the actors brings the house down. Varun Sharma is the highlight. Pulkit Samrat, Manjot Singh and Pankaj Tripathi are terrific. Richa Chadha is very good. Manu Rishi Chadha has been under-utilized. Some characters from the previous parts of the film are missing which makes it feel a bit incomplete. It would’ve been good to see the continuation of these characters as well. The cinematography, editing, background music and sound design is good. Production design is average. I am glad they didn’t ruin the film with unnecessary songs. The songs are used in the background to take the story forward. I liked the song ‘Ve Fukrey’ used in the end credits.

It is a leave your brain at home kind of comedy. It can be watched for the first half and the Fukrey gang. You won’t regret watching it on OTT.

It is no match to Fukrey, the first part which still is the best. The makers have just cashed on a hit first part to make it into a franchise. Even Fukrey Returns was average. I hope they don’t exploit it further. How much can the performances and characters save the franchise? It needs to be backed by solid content and execution. As a franchise it is already going downwards. Although the film promises another sequel with Zafar (Ali Fazal) making a comeback.

Eternity has an interesting concept which is executed well. It is bound to give you some Wes Anderson vibes. I felt the film is too convoluted. The climax is predictable. As an audience, at the back of your mind you already know who is going to get the girl because you have been rooting for that character all along and that is exactly what happens in the climax. They should’ve come to the point earlier. The duration of the film could’ve been shorter had they kept it sweet and simple rather than getting into too many complexities. It shows the psychology of women and how it affects men. At the same time, it feels too much to bear and illogical after a point of time. I’m sure it is exaggerated to show how complicated women are. It wasn’t needed though. The humor, emotions, drama and romance lands well. The film is visually colourful and vibrant. I like the treatment of the film. The screenplay could’ve been better. Some refining was required at the script level.

Elizabeth Olsen steals the show. The film belongs to her. She has portrayed the complexities of her character well. Miles Teller makes you root for his character. He is very good with the emotions. Callum Turner puts up a good performance. His character lacked the depth. You are not able to connect to the character because of which you are not rooting for his character. Miles Teller has a better camaraderie with Elizabeth Olsen as compared to Callum Turner. If you look at it like a love triangle then it is one-sided with one character having an obvious upper hand in the equation. Da’Vine Joy Randolph is good with her comic timing. It is fun to watch her character. John Early has also done well. The relationship between both their characters is one of the interesting sub-plots of the film.

Overall, the film is a good watch for the concept, visual storytelling and the performances.

Song Sung Blue is a Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson show. Both of them have looked so good. You can’t take your eyes off them. The cherry on the cake is that both of them have sung and performed the songs themselves in the film. No doubt, it feels so authentic. The film feels like a warm hug to begin the year with. A heartwarming musical. Hugh Jackman and musicals are made for each other. I went to watch the film for Hugh Jackman. I had loved his performance in The Greatest Showman (2017), one of my favourite musicals. I am glad to be introduced to the music of Neil Diamond through this film. He is going to be on my playlist. The film is a slow burner. It is highly engaging. You don’t want to come out of the world of the film. I didn’t feel like getting up during the interval or even when the film got over.

It is a beautiful cinematic experience. I loved the way in which the director has conveyed the drama and the emotions. I like when films don’t get over dramatic. The screenplay is simple; the director has taken it to the next level with his craft and execution. The editing is phenomenal. The cutting between time and space has been done well. The cinematography is fabulous. I liked the use of 35 mm aspect ratio that gives a very good feel to the film. I liked the vintage vibe that the film exudes. It feels like nostalgia. The classy, retro treatment is eye pleasing. The film visually transports you to the late 80s and the 90s without spoon-feeding which is great. The production design is fantastic. I liked the attention given to detailing. The visual storytelling is brilliant. Obviously, the music and the songs are the heart of the film. I liked the ending of the film; the way they have completed the circle of the narrative with the song, ‘Song Sung Blue.’ The film begins and concludes with the same song which makes the ending even more poignant.

The film is inspirational. It makes you believe anything is possible in life. There is no deadline to your dreams. It is worth a watch in the theater. I would highly recommend it. Especially, if you are a fan of Neil Diamond and the music of the 50s, 60s and the 70s then this one’s for you. It is a must watch for all the music buffs.

Kantara is Goated. It is so goated that even the prequel cannot match up to it. I watched it on Amazon Prime Video in Kannada with subtitles after watching the prequel in the theater. The prequel got me interested in visiting the sequel. I am glad to have watched it. The sequel is on a different level altogether. It has become one of my favourite films. Rishab Shetty’s writing, acting and direction is phenomenal. He has played the father and son so well that nobody can make out that it is the same actor playing both the roles. It has exactly what the prequel missed. A perfect blend of divine, rituals, traditions, supernatural, action, emotions, drama, comedy and romance. It has a gripping narrative. It is super entertaining. I loved the songs. One thing I noticed, there are some actors who are there in the prequel and the sequel including Rishab Shetty across different timelines. It remains to be seen in the further part/parts what they are trying to convey. There is definitely some meaning behind repeating the actors. I think it has to do something with the ancestral lineage of the characters or maybe rebirth. It is going to be something interesting for sure.

It is a very rooted, rustic and raw film. I liked the cinematography and the visual storytelling. The lighting is well done. The realistic treatment is eye catching. The production design is brilliant. The editing is superb. The film is engaging throughout. It has been properly paced. The performances are top notch. The sound design and background music is fantastic. The action is well choreographed. The VFX is good. Kudos to Hombale Films for backing pathbreaking films like Kantara. I would like to highly recommend it.

777 Charlie is the film of the year. The Kannada industry is making some fantastic films way ahead of any other industry. The kind of immersive cinematic experiences crafted by the industry is phenomenal. It is a Hollywood level pet adventure film. The best to come out of the Indian film industry. It is a beautiful experience which every human will enjoy irrespective of whether you are a dog lover or not. There are moments that will leave you teary eyed. It has everything to keep you entertained. All the emotions are effectively conveyed. The message that it gives is so so important. The film made me so emotional that I’m speechless. It is the most emotionally satisfying film that I have seen so far. It just touches you. It is a perfectly made film that you should just watch it for yourself. There is nothing negative really to point out just Love.

Outstanding visual storytelling. Loved the treatment. Brilliantly written. Super engaging. Fabulously shot and directed. It is a visual treat. Superb editing and production design. Good Vfx. Fantastic soundtrack and sound design. Brilliant performances. The film belongs to Charlie. She is the heart of the film. The relationship between Charlie and Dharma is the soul of the film. The bond that they share feels realistic and genuine. Rakshit Shetty is awesome. Thank you for this gem. ❤