A Funny Movie

I was very excited about ‪Dilwale‬ given that it was bringing the great on-screen couple of Shahrukh Khan and ‪Kajol‬ back together. I was also excited to see Varun Dhawan‬, given that he is one of the most talented actors in the younger generation in my opinion. I also love the soundtrack! I have been listening to the album non-stop ever since it released. However, I was nervous given that I hated Happy New Year and didn't like SRK and director, Rohit Shetty's last collaboration, Chennai Express. And when I read the mixed reviews of the movie, I got even more nervous.

So what did I think of this latest Bollywood release? Well, I didn't hate it. I didn't love it either but I liked it.

The story revolves around Kaali/Raj (SRK) and Meera (Kajol), who both belong to rival Don families. They fall in love but due to a misunderstanding, they are separated. A few years later, their respective siblings, Veer (Dhawan) and Ishita (Kriti Sanon), fall in love and attempt to reunite them.

At least, SRK didn't overact in this one as he did in Chennai Express. He looks good in the scruffy, bearded look. Kajol looks gorgeous! However, I wish we had gotten to see more of her "I am a badass!" moments. Unfortunately, their on-screen pairing in this film was not as magical as it was in DDLJ and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

Dhawan and SRK were great together in emotional scenes. Dhawan also had excellent comedic timing. I wish the romance between Sanon and Dhawan was more developed, even if it was just one more song. There was one song in the album: Premika, which was cut out of the movie and that was disappointing.

Shetty tried to tackle three genres in this flick: romance, comedy and action. He is known for the last two. As such, it is no surprise that the action sequences were good and the movie definitely had a lot of funny moments! However, the romance between both couples seemed rushed. As such, I think Shetty still needs to work on mastering that genre. The film was also visually very beautiful with most of it being shot in Bulgaria.

Overall, Dilwale was definitely cliché but I was still able to enjoy quite a few good laughs! It may not be the best movie ever but it wasn't the worst either.

A Relatable Story + A Commendable Performance

When ‪Tamasha first started, I didn't think I was going to like it. However, as the story started to unfold, I realized how good the film actually was.

Written and directed by I‬mtiaz Ali, this movie portrays a story of a man named Ved, played by ‪Ranbir Kapoor‬, who has always loved hearing and telling stories since childhood. However, due to familial pressures, he ends up becoming an engineer. He meets a girl named Tara, played by ‪Deepika Padukone,‬ in Corsica. They fall in love; however, they decide not to reveal each other's true identities. She ultimately finds him in India, where she helps him realize that he is not his true self in real life. This realization shakes up his whole identity as it brings back the repressed frustrations of following familial expectations, which has led to his daily mundane routine in life. How he finally breaks free and is able to follow his dream of becoming a storyteller is what forms the crux of the second half of this flick. 

Just like film critic Anupama Chopra, some may compare this film to 3 Idiots as the concept is similar. However, I think it was still enjoyable and was made quite differently. There were two aspects to the story that made this movie relatable in my opinion. Firstly, quite a few people out there forgo their dreams due to familial expectations. They end up leading miserable lives because they hate their jobs. The moral of the story is not to follow social conventions, create your own story and follow your dreams. Secondly, sometimes, you meet that one person that changes your life completely. That was Tara for Ved. If these reasons are not enough to convince you, I highly recommend this film just to watch Kapoor's commendable performance. How he demonstrates a dual personality when his repressed frustrations are brought to light is indeed remarkable to watch! With this flick, he proves that he is indeed a fine actor.

Three Hits, One Miss

When you love movies just as much as I do, it is no surprise that I recently watched four movies back to back.

We Are Your Friends

Any movie that is shot in Los Angeles excites me as I am now somewhat familiar with the city. Since We Are Your Friends is about a musician living in the San Fernando Valley in LA with four close friends, I was definitely intrigued. Much to my delight, I quite enjoyed it. 

Directed by Max Joseph (from the MTV show, Catfish, fame), the film mainly revolves around an EDM (Electronic Dance Music) DJ, played by Zac Effron, who gets a big break after a seasoned DJ, played by Wes Bentley, takes him under his wing. In my opinion, the plot was interesting, captivating and well-executed. As expected from a film about music, the soundtrack was really good. 

I think Effron is a good actor who just needs a breakthrough role to really showcase his talent just like Miles Teller was able to do in Whiplash. 

Phantom 

Directed by Kabir Khan, Phantom is a political thriller based on the book, Mumbai Avengers, written by Hussain Zaidi. The main premise involves a foreign intelligence agency in India that hires an ex-Army officer, played by Saif Ali Khan, to assassinate terrorists involved in the 11/26 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. 

Though this film has been subject to controversy because it was banned in Pakistan, I thought it was very well-made. Usually, I prefer Bollywood films with lots of songs and a romantic element. However, despite this movie lacking such elements even with a female lead played by Katrina Kaif, I really liked it. With global terrorism being such a major issue, the story was relevant and moving. 

The Man From U.N.C.L.E

Directed by Guy Ritchie and based on the 1964 TV series with the same name, The Man From U.N.C.L.E had a riveting plot. This spy film showcased how a CIA agent, played by Henry Cavill, and a KGB operative, played by Armie Hammer, work together to bring down a criminal organization in the process of making nuclear weapons. It was funny and sexy just like the leading actors.

She's Funny That Way

Directed by Peter Bogdanovich, She's Funny That Way revolves around six characters: an escort/ struggling actress, Broadway director, his wife who is also the leading actress in the play he is directing, the playwright, his girlfriend who is also a therapist and the leading actor of the play. Despite a good cast including Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Kathryn Hyne and Will Forte, this comedy film didn't quite hit the mark for me. It was quirky but wasn't that funny or interesting.