GallifreyRanger

Of the 2 superhero movies I watched this weekend, the Marvel one, in an established universe, isn't my favorite. That's how good Minnal Murali is. Kudos to Basil Joseph for making a fantastic superhero origin story. I'm just happy that we finally have a proper superhero movie of our own (though, to be fair, 'Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota' was a decent attempt). Sushin Shyam's background score complements the movie perfectly, so do his and Shaan Rahman's songs. Tovino Thomas as Jaison/Minnal Murali is charming, funny, and 'superheroic', yet grounded. He captures the cockiness and vulnerability of Jaison in equal measure. The rest of the supporting cast is great as well.

As with most great superhero movies, it's the villain who steals the show. Guru Somasundaram as Shibu is innocent and menacing in equal parts. The writers, Arun Arindhan and Justin Mathew, play a tug of war with us getting us to sympathize and despise him when least expected.

The VFX is a bit below par, but that is to be expected given the budget. The story does lag at times, but the good parts more than make up it.

The small homages to Superman and Batman are nice touches.

I sincerely hope that #MinnalMurali teaches Indian creators that superhero movies are more than just heavy VFX and awesome fights and encourages them to wade into the genre.

'Masters of the Universe: Revelations' is not an outstanding series by any stretch of imagination, but it is still quite a good one. While everyone has the right to like or dislike a series, hating a series over nostalgia is a tad stupid. Stories can evolve to fit in to contemporary times. The makers of this series have attempted the same, and have pulled it off quite well, without any sermonizing that seems prevalent at times.

The original He Man animated series formed a big part of my childhood and I loved that series. However, I must confess that I couldn't really get into it when tried to re-watch it a few years back. The characters seemed a bit one-dimensional, there was a lot of deus ex machina involved, and there was actually a bit of sermonizing involved as well since each episode would have a 'Moral of the Story' at the end of it. And, that was understandable as the series was aimed mainly at kids and to sell the toys (not that this one isn't intended for the same purpose).

With this series, the creators have tried to add depth to a lot of supporting characters, especially Teela, Orko, and Evil-Lyn. I haven't read the Masters of the Universe comic books, so I do not know if the same backstory is added for these characters in the comics. The focus on other characters has also enabled the creators to expand the universe and add more complexity to it. While the worldbuilding does seem a bit derivative at times, it nevertheless holds good as the characters themselves are given decent backstories and emotional connections.

The animation is quite good. So is the score (though, I do think the original opening theme was better). The voice cast is outstanding, with Mark Hamill as Skeletor and Lena Headey as Evil-Lyn doing a particularly brilliant job.

The main area where the series suffers is the actual building up of some of the relationships. It seems a bit abrupt at times. However, given the short runtime, that was inevitable, I guess. The series also lags a little bit in the middle, I feel, which shouldn't be the case given how short it is. I do agree that the first trailer that was released was a bit misleading (though again, that is no reason the hate the series), but showing anything else would have given away couple of a major spoilers.

Despite these shortcomings though, I found the series to be quite engaging. I hope all the negative feedback does not discourage Netflix from going for a second season.

On the surface, Jallikattu is just a movie about an entire village acting bonkers trying to catch a loose bull on the run. But, underneath the simple premise, Lijo Jose Pellissery quite audaciously ventures to create an entire movie as a metaphor for the darker side of humankind.

Boasting of a true ensemble, instead of a single leading actor (unless you count in the bull), Jallikattu's true strengths are its story, cinematography, and background music.

Jallikattu is a stark look at the unfathomable capacity of humans to, at times, devolve into something ugly when gathered in numbers. The movie is a raw look at the worst of human tendencies and, as a result, is quite cynical at times. While an argument can be made that humans are rarely so cruel, the movie tends to skip the in-betweens and jump to the extremes of human atrocities at times (especially, the climax, which was quite harrowing to watch). This is not a light watch, or a movie that one may enjoy rewatching. However, it is definitely worth a watch.

The cinematographer has done a spectacular job throughout out the movie. Though, frankly speaking, I am yet to watch a Malayalam movie having average cinematography.

The background music complements the story very well. Also, given that the movie doesn't have a lot of dialogue, the BGM was always going to be important.

This is the first LJP movie I have seen. And, I can understand why he is so highly talked about as the next big Indian director. As a fan of the movie, I am very much looking forward to watching his other works.

Last year saw two prominent movies taking socially relevant topics and telling a story that subverted expectations. Jana Gana Mana was one, and Gargi was the other. 'Gargi' follows the events surrounding the eponymous character after her father is accused of gang raping a minor. What follows are the endless rounds of court, media trials, and the instant judgement meted out by people and social media.

Gargi gives a glimpse on how we as a people can lose all sense of rationality, perspective, and right and wrong in this era of information overload. On the other hand, it also reminds us of the old adage of not judging a book by its cover; of how we can jump to conclusions based on some preconceived notions that we grow up with, especially when it comes to caste, professions, and other basic things.

The story is fairly tight, with very little procrastination. The direction and score is decent. However, this movie is all about performances, especially that of Sai Pallavi as the titular Gargi. And, she does the character great justice. Showing strength and vulnerability in equal measures. While she shines in moments where she is supposed to face up to the judges, media, and people, it is in her private moments that she truly shows her class. R.S. Shivaji, as the accused portrays the helpless father with great aplomb. Kaali Venkat as the, at times. clueless but determined lawyer helping out Gargi wins our hearts.

Overall, Gargi is a movie I'd definitely recommend.

The only regret that I have about watching Malayankunju is that I did not do so when it was in the theaters. I had heard some great reviews about it, but also some reviews stating a slow first half.

However, as I began to watch the movie, I realized that the events of the first half are required to build up the primary character, lend poignancy to the second half, and to prevent the movie from being a mere survival film. We see in the first half a broken man who is either a good one trying to put on a façade of being an asshole; or he is an asshole trying to be a good person. And, his survival attempts in the second half are emblematic of him trying to heal himself; one of the many subtle themes running through the movie.

In a refreshing departure from the standard survival movie tropes, 'Malayankunju' takes issues such as personal loss, depression, and climate change, and weaves a story around it. At the same time, the writer, Mahesh Narayanan, adds enough story to keep the causal viewer engaged.

As is the case with a lot of Malayalam movies, the supporting cast is very natural, and provides a nice glimpse into the rural Keralan lifestyle. However, this movie is all about Fahadh Faasil. There are no new paeans that I can sing about him that haven't already been sung. He is convincing in each shot of the movie and carries the film quite ably.

AR Rahman, apparently returning to Malayalam cinema after 30 years, provides a great background score. We get different themes for each of Anil Kumar's (FaFa) moods. Where the score in the first half oscillates between gentle to turbulent, in the second half, it is all about rousing crescendos interspersed with silences. I haven't seen a lot of 2022 releases, but among the ones that I have seen, this background score is up there with Vikram's score by Anirudh.

Overall, this is very much a movie worth everyone's time.

Malik, set in a fictional village of Ramadapally, chronicles the life of Ahmed Ali Sulaiman Malik. Based on a couple of real life incidences and characters, Malik is also quite reminiscent of Kamal Haasan's Nayakan; though it is definitely not a copy of the Tamilian classic. Malik is devout Muslim who rises from being a common smuggler to becoming the 'Godfather' of Ramadapally and maintaining the peace between the Muslim and Christian communities that live in the village.

The movie starts with the arrest of Malik as he is on his way to Hajj. The rest of the movie oscillates between the days following his arrest and the different characters narrating the backstory of his ascent to being the most powerful man in Ramadapally, leading up to the present day.

While most of the movie is a great watch, I felt that one of the major plot points in the movie is a bit weak and undermines what could have been a great modern day gangster classic. However, that plot point does not come to the fore till very late in the movie, and by then some of the other events going on in the movie are gripping enough to cover up for the shortcomings of that particular thread.

Some of the cinematography in the movie is just brilliant, including a couple of instances of single shot scenes. The action is gritty. The score is quite good as well.

But the high point of this movie (no surprises there) is the cast. This is only the fourth Fahadh Faasil movie I have seen, but I can confidently say that he is one of the best actors in India. He probably has the biggest range along with Rajkummar Rao and the late Irrfan Khan. Given that he was playing the titular character, and he is the biggest name in the movie, the focus was always going to be on him. And, he delivers in the most spectacular manner. He is a lot more reserved than Kamal Haasan was in Nayakan, but is as impressive as Kamal. This is not to say that the rest of the cast was not great. As is the case with a lot of modern Malayalam cinema, the acting was great all around. Nimisha Sajayen as Roselyn was brilliant and went toe-to-toe with FaFa. I also quite liked Jalaja as Jameela and Sanal Aman as Freddy.

Overall, Malik is a movie that falls just short of being a must-watch.

P.S: This is probably the most 'commercial' looking Malaylam movie I have seen so far.

Inspired by Shakespeare's 'Macbeth', Joji revolves around the eponymous character who happens to be a member of a very rich and influential family in rural Kerala. Joji is a delusional and stubborn young man who thinks he is wronged by everyone, from the society, to his friends, to his family. Looking for a way to succeed, his life takes a turn when his father gets paralyzed.

Despite being just over 1.5 hours long, Joji is a slow burn. There are no jump scare moments, or moments of grand revelations, yet the director, Dileesh Pothan, manages to build up enough tension to latch on to your attention and not let go till the end. I have been recommended at least two of his earlier movies (I enjoyed both of those trailers), but unfortunately, this is the first one that I found on OTT.

The great, yet simple, background score and the cinematography help as well (are there any good movies with bad cinematography in Malayalam cinema?).

Ultimately, the movie boils down to great storytelling and brilliant acting by the cast. I haven't read or seen the original Macbeth, but Shyam Pushkaran's writing has certainly piqued my interest to take a look at the original.

Fahadh Faasil does what Fahadh Faasil does best: put in a great acting masterclass. His different 'masks' (a metaphor used within the movie, referring to the COVID face masks, of course) are quite convincing, and the way he undergoes each transformation is subtle yet great to watch. Unnimaya Prasad as Bincy is brilliant as the 'enabler' for all that Joji does. The rest of the cast provide able support (I quite liked Basil Joseph's Father Kevin).

Overall, this is quite a good movie. One that I would definitely recommend.

Cinema Bandi lives up to its tag line of 'Everyone is a filmmaker at heart.' The movie bears unmistakable signs of a rookie director and editor making their debut, and most of the cast making their debut or being in early part of their career. However, it still works as they do not waver from their motto.

Veera is an auto rickshaw driver from a small village who happens to find an expensive camera that someone has forgotten in his rickshaw. Together with his friend Ganapathi, he embarks on a mission to make a movie that will earn millions and help him solve his own, and his village's problems. Armed with the camera, and a motley crew of writers and actors, the two friends stumble from one obstacle to another in their cinematic endeavors.

On the face of it, this is a very simple story with a predictable ending. However, the director explores the possibilities that technology, easily accessible and usable technology, affords those who can get a bit creative and are unafraid of making mistakes. This movie comes across as an ode to the thousands of YouTubers, TikTokers, etc., who dare to turn to new avenues made available thanks to a camera on devices of everyday use.

Cinema Bandi is by no means a cinematic achievement, but has enough heart - and, at 1.5 hours, is short enough - to keep you sufficiently engaged. This is not a movie to keep at the top of your 'To Watch' list, but can be a good leisure watch to wind down for a weekend over a pint (or a peg).

Set in a dystopian future, the the human race, after having tried to find an alternative to Earth (which is taken over by Godzilla), decide to come back and fight Godzilla and reclaim the planet. For a movie with such a short runtime (for a Monster movie), it takes its time to buildup the story and the world.

However, once we get into the thick of the action, the movie moves along at breakneck pace, with the humans, Godzilla, and other new species that have evolved on Earth (turns out that the humans have been absent from the Earth for about 20000 years, giving rise to a new animal kingdom) all having a go at each other.

While the movie is purely a Monster slugfest, it does skim the speculative sci-fi territory, especially in terms of evolution and the effect of the absence of humans on it.

I watched the English dubbed version, so I am not sure of the accuracy of the translated dialogue. However, it was good enough in English, with the correct emotions portrayed behind the words.

The animation is beautiful, and offers a great view of the post-human world. Godzilla, who is deemed to be Earth's response to growing human decadence, resembles something spawn from the womb of the planet.

Zack Snyder's Justice League begins from where the battle between Doomsday and Supes, Bats, and WW ended. As Luthor says at the end of BvS, 'The bells have been rung.' The death of Superman is essentially seen as a free pass to take over Earth by any extraterritorial beings looking to do so. One such being, Steppenwolf, steps forward and sets about the task of conquering Earth for Darkseid (there's a whole backstory here that would constitute major spoilers).

As a counter to this threat, Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince set about gathering some gifted individuals (resurrecting Superman along the way). While the story may seem pretty much similar to the now, rather unfairly, dubbed 'Josstice League', it is in the execution of the plot that the 'Snyder Cut' stands apart.

We see a very well fleshed out backstory for Victor Stone a.k.a Cyborg. Flash, while still a bit underdeveloped, has his moments in the sun as we see him unleash his full potential. And, while Batman may not have much to do in the movie, Bruce Wayne does. We see Bruce getting a lot of screen time, allowing Affleck to shine through. Even though Wonder Woman and Aquaman have additional scenes, their impact on the movie remains minimal; though they do have a much larger say in the outcome of the final fight. Superman, as is expected, does not have a lot to do in this movie. But, the one encouraging thing is that the character remains consistent in his portrayal from previous movies in DCEU, as opposed to the original JL, where he seemed a completely different character.

The score of the movie is quite great, and keeps you engaged in the story. The VFX and cinematography falters noticeably at times, something we do not really expect in a Zack Snyder movie. However, the fight sequences are still quite brilliant; something we do usually expect in a Zack Snyder movie.

While the movie runtime is 4 hours, the actual story is about 3 hours 40 minutes. The last 10-15 minutes are more of Snyder shoving his vision of DCEU under WB execs’ face. And it is these last 10-15 minutes that made me really sad about the fact that this might be the last that we see of Snyder in DC (unless of course extraordinary amount of money comes into play here). Snyder paints a picture that is intriguing and darker than, quite possibly, any other superhero movie has offered yet (with the exception of Watchmen). However, given how the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement got us this movie, it is ot unfathomable to maintain a modicum of hope.

So, is the famed 'Snyder Cut' better than the 2017 Justice League? Extraordinarily so. However, it still has some flaws in it, which keep it from being a perfect movie. Some of those can, of course, be attributed to the fact that Snyder was forced to convert what was supposed to be a trilogy into a single 4-hour film. Some, however, crop up from a lack of coherent editing.

However, this should not deter you from watching what is unquestionably a breath of fresh air (after BvS) in an era where comic book movies are reduced to grand CGI battles and, sometimes, silly quips.

Zack Snyder's Justice League begins from where the battle between Doomsday and Supes, Bats, and WW ended. As Luthor says at the end of BvS, 'The bells have been rung.' The death of Superman is essentially seen as a free pass to take over Earth by any extraterritorial beings looking to do so. One such being, Steppenwolf, steps forward and sets about the task of conquering Earth for Darkseid (there's a whole backstory here that would constitute major spoilers).

As a counter to this threat, Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince set about gathering some gifted individuals (resurrecting Superman along the way). While the story may seem pretty much similar to the now, rather unfairly, dubbed 'Josstice League', it is in the execution of the plot that the 'Snyder Cut' stands apart.

We see a very well fleshed out backstory for Victor Stone a.k.a Cyborg. Flash, while still a bit underdeveloped, has his moments in the sun as we see him unleash his full potential. And, while Batman may not have much to do in the movie, Bruce Wayne does. We see Bruce getting a lot of screen time, allowing Affleck to shine through. Even though Wonder Woman and Aquaman have additional scenes, their impact on the movie remains minimal; though they do have a much larger say in the outcome of the final fight. Superman, as is expected, does not have a lot to do in this movie. But, the one encouraging thing is that the character remains consistent in his portrayal from previous movies in DCEU, as opposed to the original JL, where he seemed a completely different character.

The score of the movie is quite great, and keeps you engaged in the story. The VFX and cinematography falters noticeably at times, something we do not really expect in a Zack Snyder movie. However, the fight sequences are still quite brilliant; something we do usually expect in a Zack Snyder movie.

While the movie runtime is 4 hours, the actual story is about 3 hours 40 minutes. The last 10-15 minutes are more of Snyder shoving his vision of DCEU under WB execs’ face. And it is these last 10-15 minutes that made me really sad about the fact that this might be the last that we see of Snyder in DC (unless of course extraordinary amount of money comes into play here). Snyder paints a picture that is intriguing and darker than, quite possibly, any other superhero movie has offered yet (with the exception of Watchmen). However, given how the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement got us this movie, it is ot unfathomable to maintain a modicum of hope.

So, is the famed 'Snyder Cut' better than the 2017 Justice League? Extraordinarily so. However, it still has some flaws in it, which keep it from being a perfect movie. Some of those can, of course, be attributed to the fact that Snyder was forced to convert what was supposed to be a trilogy into a single 4-hour film. Some, however, crop up from a lack of coherent editing.

However, this should not deter you from watching what is unquestionably a breath of fresh air (after BvS) in an era where comic book movies are reduced to grand CGI battles and, sometimes, silly quips.

An oft repeated, and exaggerated, quote for beautifully shot movies is how each frame of the movie can be a picture. However, that certainly does not seem to be the case with Qala. Right from the beginning to the end, I was mesmerized by the sheer beauty of each frame. And, of course, an movie based on music would not be worth watching if does not have a great score. And, Amit Trivedi delivers on that front.

Qala is a singer wracked by the horrors of her past. The movie weaves between the present day events, where Qala is a famous, award winning singer, and flashbacks, focusing on Qala's relationship with her mother and her mother's adopted protégé. Having grown up in a strictly patriarchal singing household, Qala's mother yearns for Qala what she could never have: the title of a Pandit. However, her focus shifts on the more gifted Jagan when she hears him singing at a music show. The rest of the story revolves around Qala struggling to find her place in the limelight all the while alienating her mother.

In 'Qala', director and writer Anvita Dutt focuses on telling a story of how deep-rooted notions of patriarchy and other antiquated notions are not necessarily carried forward by the male members of the society. That sometimes, the women are so brainwashed into believing what they are taught to be right, that they cannot break the cycle even if they want to (Qala's mother Urmila considers singing in movies to be below a classical singer's 'station'). Anvita Dutt also focuses on issues of some of the most common mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.

Despite being less than 2 hrs, I personally felt that the movie could have been cut short by 10 mins or so. However, Amit Trivedi's music helps in this case. I enjoyed all the songs in the movie (possibly one of the best albums of the last year). Have heard all the Hindi songs multiple times.

Tripti Dimri gives a convincing performance as the titular Qala. Babil Khan makes a solid debut. Most of the supporting cast gives a solid performance as well. However, for me, Swastika Mukherjee steals the show as Urmila. As the proud daughter-in-law of a renowned singing 'gharana', she portrays dignity, disdain, pride, as well as, disappointment in Qala remarkably well.

All in all, Qala is worth a watch just for its beauty and the music, the excellent story being an added bonus.

Often touted as Mani Ratnam’s best work (and one of only two entries from India in Time's Top 100 movies till 2005 list), Nayakan was long on my To-watch list. The movie is a gangster-drama set in 60’s-80’s Bombay, revolving around Sakthivelu, a union worker's son, who is forced to flee to Bombay from Tamil Nadu after his father is shot down by the Tamil Nadu police. The movie is inspired by an actual Bombay underworld gangster named Varadarajan Mudaliar, but Mani Ratnam also slips in some homages to The Godfather (and a small one to Amitabh Bachchan’s Deewar).

Believing his father's last words of ‘it's alright to commit a bad deed if it's to do good for someone’ as gospel, Velu (as he is affectionately known throughout the movie) rises from humble beginnings in Dharavi to become one of the biggest mob bosses in Bombay. The movie focuses on his rise to the summit in the criminal underworld and counterbalances it against the losses he suffers in his personal life time and again; all culminating into a rather poignant, but slightly predictable, ending.

Given the hype which surrounds the movie to this day, I came away slightly disappointed with the movie overall. That's not to say that the movie is a bad one. Just that I would not place it very high on the list of great gangster movies. There are some obvious aspects that mark the movie as a cut above the rest. However, I feel that it fails to stand up to the test of time in some other aspects. For instance, the editing at the beginning of the movie seems a bit haphazard as we jump from one scene to another a bit quickly. While the movie settles down after about 30 minutes or so, the beginning still leaves a slightly sour note. The overall story also seems a tad underwhelming at times and tends to lag in its pacing in the middle.

However, this movie has more positives than negatives. While I did complain about the story earlier, it is nevertheless quite gripping for most of the movie. Mani Ratnam masterfully captures Velu's anguish as he vacillates between making the right choice and the one that adheres to his father's gospel. Most of the characters that he has captured on the screen are quite believable and grounded. The push and pull between Velu's work life and personal life is also a fascinating watch. I guess, the movie also takes a small pass at the anti-Tamilian rhetoric that existed in Bombay at that time, though, Mani Ratnam cleverly uses it to build up the character of Velu rather than sermonizing. Similarly, Velu marrying a Neela, a prostitute, is a great commentary relevant even in today's time.

PC Sreeram's cinematography is quite great at times. The movie does a great job of capturing Bombay from a Tamilian's perspective during those times.

Ilaiyaraaja's score is haunting at times, so is the main theme song associated with Velu. There were a couple of songs that I did not like too much, especially their placement. However, overall, the score tends to elevate the scenes (as it is meant to) rather than drag them down. Incidentally, this was Ilaiyaraaja's 400th movie score.

Coming down to the acting, Kamal Haasan steals the show. I haven't seen a lot of Kamal Haasan movies, but this is definitely his best performance from the ones that I have seen so far. He is majestic, restrained, menacing, and heartbreakingly lonely when needed. The scenes with the death of his son and where he meets his grandson are two of the best ones in the movie. Saranya as Neela and Karthika as Charumathi hold their own under the shadow of Kamal's magnificence, I found the actors playing Surya and Selvam to be quite OK and nothing more. Rest of the cast is just a supporting one, and does a decent job.

Overall, the biggest incentive to watch this movie is Ilaiyaraaja's score and, more importantly, Kamal Haasan's great performance.

Kumalangi is a small fishing village in Kerala. Within the village, is a small island, also known as the dumping grounds of the village, where four brother (Saji, Bonny, Bobby, and Franky) live in a very dysfunctional relationship. Related in a slightly weird way (as explained during the course of the movie), the movie revolves around the evolving relationship of the brothers after their father has passed away and their mother leaves them in pursuit of becoming a nun (seemingly). We also get a glimpse of another family on the other side of Kumbalangi - Shammi, his wife Simmy, her younger sister Baby, and their mother.

What links the two stories together is the relationship between Bobby and Baby (yes, there are quite a few alliterations here). While Saji is a man struggling to come to terms with the loss of his parents and the responsibility of providing for this younger brothers, especially Bobby and Franky - Bonny seems to be doing well on his own - Shammi is a man very much in control of his life. As we delve in to the story, we get to see the constantly widening contrast between these two.

Despite some severely intense moments, this is a movie that one can enjoy during a lazy weekend over a few drinks. While the movie does revolve around issues with toxic masculinity and projects feminism in a very positive manner, it does so in a very non-intrusive and non-overbearing ways. You are given the space to enjoy the movie just for the sake of the story.

The performances from the entire main cast are absolutely brilliant and they make for a great ensemble. However, there's two that I feel compelled to point out here. Soubin Shahir as Saji presents the journey of a broken man trying to mend himself beautifully. He is convincing in every frame he occupies, and makes you ache for him at times. And, his would have been my favorite performance in the movie but for Fahadh Faasil. Faasil's Shammi is one of the creepiest characters I have ever come across on screen. And, he is creepy not because you think he is about to commit some evil deed. He is creepy because you do not know what he is capable of (and, it seems, at times, neither does he). Faasil's performance as Shammi has definitely given me an incentive to watch 'Super Deluxe'.

In fact, but for his performance, and the Soubin's and Sreenath Bhasi's (Bonny) supporting acts, one of the most intense scenes in the movie might have devolved into a typical Indian movie fracas that would have completely ruined an otherwise great watch.

There's two other aspects of the movie that deserve a shout out.

Music: One of the pains of watching a movie with subtitles is that the the song lyrics are always butchered mercilessly even if they capture the dialogues nicely. And so, I tend to switch off during the songs in non-Hindi/Marathi/English movies. However, given how beautiful the subbed lyrics were, I can only imagine the beauty of the actual lyrics in Malayalam (especially given the lyrics of Silent Cat; which was in English). Kudos to Sushin Shyam on a job well done.

Cinematography: Shyju Khalid does not bring the opulence or grandeur of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali to the movie, but it is no less colorful than any of SLB's movies. Instead of expensive props, Khalid simply uses Kerala as a backdrop for the events traversing before our eyes. The lush greenery of the Kerala backwaters and the luminescent glow of the sea sparkle or bioluminescence (apparently an actual phenomenon that occurs in Kumbalangi and some other areas of Kerala) serve as a feast for the eyes; not to mention the fact that it is one more reason to visit Kerala.

Overall, this directorial debut of Madhu Narayanan is an excellent and refreshing watch. Given that it was a family drama, I did not go into the movie expecting to like it as I am not much into the genre (and, maybe that helped). But, I was pleasantly surprised by this one, and I would definitely recommend this to anyone willing to lend me their ears.

What happens when a laser-spewing, self-declared 'King of Monsters', angry lizard meets a chest-thumping, sign-language speaking, angry simian: Mayhem.

Godzilla vs Kong, the latest offering from WB's Monster-verse lives upto the hype. Set a few years after the events of Godzilla: King of Monsters, the movie begins with getting us up-to-date with what has happened to Kong since 'Kong: Skull Island'.

Right at the outset, we have Team Kong in one corner, led by Dr. Ilene Andrews' and Jia, the last of the natives from Skull Island after it is destroyed by Skull Crawlers. And, in the other corner, we have the Team Godzilla, led by Madison Russell (Millie Bobbie Brown reprising her role from the previous movie).

After Godzilla goes on a rampage in one of the Apex facilities, Walter Simmons, Apex CEO, recruits the help of Team Kong to try and use Kong to find Hollow Earth, home of the Titans. Meanwhile, Team Godzilla, believing that Godzilla would not go berserk on the humans for no reason, start investigating the destroyed Apex facility.

While the involvement of two different human agencies might have rendered the movie a bit boring, the writers spring enough surprises along each of the teams' humans' journey to keep us hooked on till the next fight/Titan sighting in the movie.

Quite frankly, this isn't a movie one watches to delve into the vast spectrum of human emotions or anything remotely approaching that (in fact, there are quite a few casualties during the Godzilla vs Kong slugfest).

This is a movie we watch to enjoy two of the oldest and most amazing monsters in popular culture go mano-a-mano against each other. And, the movie delivers on that aspect.

Probably, the only sad thing about this movie is that it will not be watched by enough people in theatres owing to the current pandemic. But, it is nevertheless worth a watch to forget the times that we live in for a while.