Adhogati Reviews

DogMan (2023)

Luc besoin d'un prix!

[9/10 · 9 March 2024]

Luc Besson's movies have that certain je ne sais quoi that make for a riveting watch. It is a surprise that they are not rated more highly.

This movie is another such movie. While being far away from the likes of his established hits (Transporter, Taken), it still retain the classic elements of Besson's signature Cinema du look.

The film has ardor in spades - primarily delivered by Caleb Landry's Douglas Munrow. This is also one of those rare films where the human actor has done a more moving job than the canine ones.

I came for the dogs, and stayed for the human. And this, is a first for me.

Caleb Landry makes the Joker look like a farce!

NB: If you've decided to watch the movie, I humbly beseech you to not watch the trailer. It, unlike the movie, is an utter travesty!

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

The perfect introduction into the world of Wes Anderson

[10/10 · 4 October 2023]

In these days of disappearing attention spans and barely extant characteristic of patience - this short film will serve as the perfect introduction into the world of colour Wes Anderson has been transporting movie watchers into.

The sense of subiminal and sublime urgency that forms the unrelenting undercurrent speaks to the constant rush we are in today.

If you have a young friend who shares your mindset, yet lacks the patience that youth do naturally lack to enjoy the quiet blossomming of a typical Wes Anderson flora, this will tell them some of the virtues of patience while also in an oh-so understated way reveal to the thinking audience why philosophers have long said that it is the journey that matters and not the destination.

Enjoy the journey.

Roald Dahl would have loved this one!

Train to Busan (2016)

A Lesson in Genre Film-making

[9/10 · 21 June 2020]

The movie does not have a single jump scare.

The previous statement is the most important thing other film-making industries need to learn tout-de-suite.

The acting is stellar. To be able to make a young girl that age, emote at that level is something I have not seen in a movie this kind ever!

Why not 10 stars? The ending could have been cut-short by about 5 minutes. That is the only flaw I could find with this one.

If you like such movies, this is a must watch.

Baywatch (2017)

Paying for Baywatch...

[7/10 · 15 September 2017]

If you are paying to watch Baywatch, then you oughtn't write a review for Vertigo.

This is Baywatch, based on, well.. Baywatch. What did you expect? Something out of the cerebral wedlock of Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock? Yes there are dick jokes, and the dialogue is sophomoric at best. The actor were pretty, and for once, Priyanka Chopra gets the fate she deserved and all is well with the world.

If you went into this expecting a taut, suspenseful thriller or some kind of an emotional epiphany or dialogue that would make you want to become a better human being, then something is certainly wrong with you! This is a campy movie that even the makers and actors do not take seriously, why should you?

Sicario (2015)

Dark, Brutal, and Benicio Del Toro

[8/10 · 16 July 2017]

One of those rare movies when the flagship star is completely sidelined by veteran steamrollers. Like a dark cloud getting lost in the afterglow of the silver-lining.

I am not an American, but I could see some political undertones in this movie, and I cannot comment on it. As an uninformed viewer, I tend to agree with most of the reviewers here in that this movie is fantastic.

It is one of those subtle, insidious thrillers that take you to the edge of your seat without you even realising it. I watched it on a lazy Sunday evening, and despite the cold rainy weather, I suddenly became part of a delta team that was undertaking a covert operation.

The best part about the movie is that it does not rely on 'blockbuster' action sequences. It banks on the human element, and it pays off in the most consummate of ways.

Despite the presence of Emily Blunt, who did a blisteringly good job, the movie rides on the very able, intense shoulders of the Bull, egged on by the staggeringly awesome tongue-in cheekily serious performance of Josh Brolin.

This is one movie you ought to watch!

A Dog's Purpose (2017)

A Review's Purpose

[10/10 · 25 April 2017]

This is an incredibly predictable movie that will make you laugh and cry at the same time. It does not have anything new. It does not do anything differently. It does not have an start, end or a middle that will blow you away. What it does have though is soul.

And not a mangy, dishevelled human soul, but a woof-laden, bon-vivant, joie-de-vivre filled canine soul. And boy what a bark it is! If you are a dog lover in particular or an animal lover in general, there is no reason why you should miss this movie.

Movies are a willing suspension of disbelief. And this one is more so. In that respect, it is no different from a horror or a superhero movie. And if you can believe in hammers that behave like boomerang, or bulletproof men, you could definitely do worse than having an open mind while watching this movie.

And What is a dog's purpose? Well all know it, but we should all listen to Bailey tell us, just for the pleasure of listening to it from the canine's mouth.

Lasse Hallstrom - you have made my day! Thank you!

Shivaay (2016)

Will probably set a record for the number of paid reviews

[1/10 · 23 April 2017]

There is a certain minimum number of words that need to be written for a review to be published. Putting in that effort for a film like Shivaay would be original sin. However, morality dictates that ethics should be suspended for teleological reasons. This is the only reason why I am writing a review here.

For the greater good of the world.

Calling this movie a disaster would greatly elevate the sense of utter dejection, sadness, infuriation, pain, suffering, angst, agony, and pure evil that the word disaster originally conveys.

Every scene is clichéd. That is still okay. Every scene takes the audience to be idiots with single digit IQs drooling at the mouth, standing in a corner with their flies open and a wad of cash held in their hands to be grabbed anyone passing by.

And if you did indeed pay for watching the movie (in terms of time or money) you would surely be left feeling that way. I sure did.

If someone paid me money for a stellar review, I would probably do it. If someone asked to write a paid, 10-star review for Shivaay after having made me watch it, I would shoot him, and then go on to destroy the rest of the world.

Don't watch it.

The Grand Tour: Operation Desert Stumble (2016) Season 1, Episode 2

5 stars for the gags and 5 stars taken away for everything else!

[5/10 · 4 December 2016]

When I saw the first episode, I thought there was a show that was going somewhere good. But the second episode seems to have taken a different path and headed into the wilderness of Whoknowswhere.

Agreed that the gags were fantastic. Every bit as biting, as cutting, as scathing and humorous as these three can get and I loved every moment of it.

Yes, the take on Edge of Tomorrow was funny, in parts, but then, as a cohesive whole, the show as boring. And this was the first time that I wanted to fast forward something made by these three.

Tip: If you really want to know what the Aston Martin Vulcan is made of, head to the TopGear where it was driven and voiced to cinematic perfection by Chris Harris!

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Why so hated?

[8/10 · 2 October 2016]

I was a great fan of the original Star Trek series with Shatner and Nimoy. And this movie in my opinion comes the closest to the dynamics of the original.

What I loved in particular was the relationship between McCoy and Spock. Though brief and relegated to a few scenes, it was was brilliantly done.

Simon Pegg, I think, showed a remarkable understanding of the characters of the original series. Yes, the Uhura-Spock thing was not a part of the original, but Spock was always involved with someone or the other. In this particular instance, who better than Uhura?

Especially since there was no Nurse Chapel.

As for the acting, full marks to all the cast with the possible exception of Chris Pine who in places looked markedly wooden.

All in all, it was a film that I loved and despite the predictability (how many films are truly unpredictable?), was definitely entertaining.

Props to Simon Pegg! I hope he keeps writing more Star Trek movies and lace them with more comedy and even more character development. (Makes me long for a TV series reboot with the new cast!)

Rustom (2016)

Damn the Pundits

[8/10 · 20 August 2016]

Star tattoos were not the norm on the wrists of Indian woman in 1959. The fire arm might have been an anachronism. The Oxford platforms for women were probably unheard of then.

Look hard enough, and find a flaw, you shall.

But movies are not about flaws. Movies are all about willing suspension of disbelief. We know Dogs can't talk, and humans no matter how super they are cannot be bullet proof. This does not stop us from enjoying our movies.

Rustom is a thorough entertainer and should be considered as such. If you want an accurate depiction of what happened and when, try looking for a documentary.

The acting by everyone was superb (Illeana D'cruz being the exception, and, and Esha Gupta - was just a prop that had to make a few faces). While Akshay Kumar was his usual stellar self, the supporting cast here takes the cake.

Pavan Malhotra as Det. Lobo, Kumud Mishra as Billimoria, Usha Nadkarna as the maid, Anang Desai as the judge, Brijendra Kala as the police constable all did a spectacular job in the movie.

The comic relief in the court scenes was superbly timed and executed. I watched it in a cinema and all through the court scenes the audience were thoroughly entertained.

It is definitely worth the time.

One of those movies where the supporting cast overshadows the protagonists.

PS: Props to the press-photographer who accompanies Billimoria to the court proceedings!

The Intouchables (2011)

Aujourd'hui plus qu'hier et bien moins que demain.

[10/10 · 7 May 2016]

A touching version of a true story that could have only been made by the French combined with a sweetness that only celluloid can deliver! I chanced upon this movie on a Saturday evening, and having loved the language all my life, I decided to give it a go. And, over a period of two hours, my life, my world view, my sensibilities went, for the lack of a better word, *boom* The performances were not good, they were subtle, understated, deep, and so incroyably French! While most say - and, I agree - the movie rides on Omar Sy's very capable shoulders, the music is the Horse that Omar Sy rides on.

Ludovico Einaudi could not have done a better job if he had the invisible hand helping him.

If you want a deeply moving movie that makes you laugh out loud, helped along by a background of soulful classical music that gently intertwines with funk, or if you want a movie that pokes fun at art while being deeply reverent of it all at the same time, or if you just want a movie that simply ticks all the boxes and then creates some new ones - this will be it.

And to the French sensibilities, I once again take my hat off!

Alien Outpost (2014)

Flawed Rating System - Idiocracy?

[8/10 · 7 May 2016]

I have just watched this movie (May 2016) for the first time, and I was thoroughly impressed. Reading the reviews revealed that it was a low budget flick. This is something that the movie kept well to itself.

The movie is tautly directed, and the 'interview' portions are brief and add depth to the storyline.

This movie, even on a very, very, bad day, does not deserve a rating under 6.5.

It is on the lines of District 9, and truly deserves a commendation.

There are little sfx, but you definitely do not miss those. Despite being just a 90 minute movie with several characters, most of the important ones are well fleshed out.

Definitely worth a dekko!

PS: Watch out for hte post credits scene!!

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

More Pizaz than the Haberdashers

[10/10 · 28 August 2015]

Matthew Vaughn started off the race with Kingsman and now here is his pal Guy Ritchie going ahead and winning it. Just about.

I have been waiting for the movie to open in India (28th August) and at the first available opportunity, got my eyballsfull. And I have never been happier.

I cannot remember the last time I was as taken in by the good looks, the capabilities and the on-screen chemistry of the two male leads who, in every frame hold their own while producing an output so seamless that you marvel at how capable Guy Ritchie is at doing this stuff.

If I had to choose between the two leads, I would have to pull my hair out and poke my eyes. They are that good. One a picture of cool elegance combined with the debonair chutzpah of an accomplished moonlighter, and the other counter-balancing half, of a stereotypical, half-deranged, fully-indestructible, three-quarters-vulnerable, and four-fifths-ruthless KGB agent played to orgasmic perfection by Armie Hammer, we shouldn't be asking for more.

It is here we experience true generosity. Ritchie offers more. Italian settings,period style car chases, Going over the Berlin wall, and the oh so honeyed British voice of Hugh Grant.

The laughs are real, and they are loud, the tension is titillating, the chases engaging, every scene crafted to perfection, doing just what it is meant to do.

If I were a betting man, I would have bet my house and your too on the movie. Heck, I would still bet them if I weren't. Watch it, and like it. There is no other way.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)

Predictability at its absolute finest!

[10/10 · 5 July 2015]

Most reviews are dissing the movie are right. It is utterly, and most cliché-ladenly predictable. And there in lies the sweetness of writing or directing fiction.

Everything that can be said about the human condition has already been said by the literary greats. What a writer of fiction can only do is re-visit the themes, because, as common place as love and heartbreak seem, the first time they happen to you seems like the first time they are happening in the history of mankind.

And this movie grandly, sweetly, gloriously, and charmingly captures the uniqueness of predictability that befalls the human suffering.

And the cast. What could be said of a cast that hasn't been said before? Other than that they kick super-hero butt just by being in the frame?

Movies like these are the ultimate reason for celluloid to exist. To bring to the non-readers of world the slow discovery of emotions that move the soul.

What a watch!

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Jabberwockingly impossible to review!

[9/10 · 18 May 2015]

*Situation Alert:I watched it in 3D on am IMAX screen*

The first scene ripped my eyeballs off from their sockets and plastered them to the screen, and there they stayed, resolutely, unwaveringly.

Meanwhile, somewhere else in the upper cranial regions, my mind was being pounded into synaesthetic pulp at what was a surreal, visceral, sensory orgasm of a movie.

I have never watched a single Mad Max movie. I have never seen a single trailer or a promo photo of this movie. I just went in, and at the end of the movie, I stayed back to collect the atomised remains of my mind before I could walk out.

Had I walked out earlier, I would have been a gawping, drooling retard trying to find the meaning of what movie making is, only to return once more to the screening.

If a picture speaks a thousand words, an movie speaks a million; MadMax with its barely-a-legal-sheet-full dialogue mashes the dictionary into pulp and writes a whole new one.

If there is one movie you could watch this entire year, this should probably be it.

To the makers of the movie, I take my hat off. What a ride it was. What a lovely day!

Chappie (2015)

A fitting continuation of the District 9 finesse.

[10/10 · 13 March 2015]

When I heard of Chappie and learnt that the movie featured the likes of Weaver and Jackman, I was honestly expecting a swashbuckling Hollywood visual extravaganza, and every last expectation of mine went away unmet, and I couldn't have been happier!

It is easily among the most thought provoking science fiction movies to have come in the recent times. Describing the movie without revealing much would mean calling it a perfect mix of the sensibilities of Bicentennial Man, District 9, and Robot & Frank.

It is spectacularly directed. To find faults in this movie would be like calling the contended gurgles of child a abomination because they do not compare to Bach.

The critics were probably watching another movie in another dimension. Ignore them all and enjoy the movie. As a side note, not watching any trailers or reading any reviews of the movie before having watched the movie did me a world of good.

Having been miserable all day learning about the death of Terry Pratchett, this movie pulled me out of despondency and landed me dry on the shores of hope.

Whattamovie!

TMNT (2007)

Absolutely Topnotch!

[9/10 · 6 February 2015]

I first watched the film in 2007 when it was actually released. I was feeling bored and 7 years later revisit our green reptilian friends and was once again thoroughly entertained.

Make no mistake, I might be biased here. I am a TMNT fan and have always, always enjoyed the shows, the movies and even the odd video game.

The animation of this movie is brilliantly done, and even 7 years and many advances of technology later can easily hold its own against the current crop of animated movies.

Especially awesome is the battle sequence in the rain at night. That alone is worth it. It is brilliantly animated and the soundtrack is just great.

This is a turtles movie, and if you think some sequences are too unreal and if you feel that use of deus ex machina is a no-no, you seriously need to get your head checked.

We watch movies for exactly this stuff!

The Book of Life (2014)

The Bull Does it Again!

[9/10 · 18 January 2015]

And I will wager you will love it.

Like all love stories, good and bad, it is predictable. And like all love stories good, it makes you laugh, chuckle, and tear-up just enough to leave you with a warm feeling at the end of it all.

The voice acting is good and the direction is crisp and the dear Del Toro was awesomely impressive and proves that he still has that pizazz that makes his movies so anticipated.

A lovely animated parable that hits all the sweet spots with a couple of really soul stirring songs (one is during the end credits).

And, here is one more line for IMDb to accept the review :)

Attack on Titan (2013–2023)

Why I did not rate it a 9

[6/10 · 16 January 2015]

If I was to rate this show purely on the quality of the animation, I would have rated it an 8, a 9? Maybe. As the quality of animation goes, it is pretty solid and doesn't give any reason to complain. That said, it is not surreal or anything. It is good. Solid.

The stars have been docked for several reasons which I am going to succinctly list.

1. Long previews of previous episode, plus an extra long opening and end credits. These take away almost 5 minutes of a 25 minutes show, and after a few episodes, they are grating.

2. Too many asides. The story relies heavily on lines spoken by characters to the audience, and they are not succinct. They are repetitive, tedious, and verbose.

3. Lacks a strong story line. The story is pedestrian and predictable and once again, very repetitive. There is barely anything that will make you wait for the next episode.

4. The characters are flat and you absolutely do not connect or feel for them even towards the end.

If you want to watch an anime that you do not have to pay attention to while you are doing something else, this is great.

If you are expecting something like Avatar: The Last Airbender or even Korra, which I rate much lower than ATLA, stay away.

The Expendables 3 (2014)

Predictable. Hackneyed. Trite. And a whole lot of fun!

[8/10 · 8 September 2014]

First, all the low-balling reviews are wrong. Just plain wrong. When you have a movie with so many starts, a few of them are bound to get smaller roles than expected.

All the low-balling reviewers, please learn to deal with it.

And when you ready yourself to watch something like Sharknado or Expendables, please do not peg your expectations at Schindler's List or Dead Poets' Society. It is like going to a sushi bar and ordering a beef jerky.

The movie is exactly as it is supposed to be. You know that the good guys win, and the bad guys lose (all the time). You know that every bullet that comes out of a bad guys gun misses and every stiletto that leaves a good guy's hand can disarm a supersonic ICBM.

But that is exactly what you expect out of an action movie and that is exactly what this movie delivers. Why whine about getting what you were expecting? Some people can never be pleased. They complain when they get what they were expecting and they complain when they don't. *Sigh* A nice, fun, afternoon movie.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

Turtle Power

[10/10 · 30 August 2014]

If you, like me, like turtles, there is not one single reason why you would not like the movie. NOT ONE! I have read reviews about purists going on and on about how the pizza recipe has half an ounce of pepperoni less than what it had in the original and how the 'origin' was meddled/altered and how the heights of the turtles are different, and how April O Neill's jacket was the wrong pantone of yellow.

I say damn them to a nasty place.

It is a Turtles movie for heaven's sake. You are in it for the goofy humour in the midst of smashing Ninja action. You are in it for the Renaissance painters turned reptiles. You are in it for the thrill ride and on all these counts, the movie delivers.

It is hilarious (exactly amount of goofy that one would expect from the turtles). It has lots of action. It has a bad ass Shredder. It has the predictable storyline where the heroes eventually win.

Watch the movie. The perfect turtles movie yet! I LOOOVVEEE IT!

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

What a tale!

[10/10 · 27 July 2014]

A simple, straightforward story of people with very human failings of love, greed, compassion, and desire so beautifully told.

A peaceful, lilting tale of colour, laughter, and more than a hint of nostalgia. This movie is most definitely worth a watch no matter what genre you are a fan of.

Some might feel that a 10 on 10 is overkill, but as the end credits were rolling, I felt a sense of fulfillment, of happiness, and a bittersweet feeling. All marks of a movie that is beautifully made.

To use the most routine of phrases, like Moonrise Kingdon (another of my favourites) this is Wes Anderson crafting a movie with love. If you did like Moonrise Kingdon, you will definitely love this one.

Haywire (2011)

Hay and wire, when you are really hungry...

[4/10 · 4 February 2012]

There are times I wished IMDb allowed one-lines for reviews, since it doesn't, I will try to tell you in more words than necessary.

Gina Carano is the only thing worth watching. And hence the 4. She looks smashing, but doesn't do much of it.

The action sequences in the movies could have been handled by my 4 year old niece with a martial-arts skills of a sleeping slug.

If the previous statement deludes you into thinking that there are any real action sequences, I truly apologise. If you want some action sequences, and you have a choice, watch a cookery show. Your chances will seriously be better.

What a waste of Gina Carano.

The only thing that would have made the movie better was to have Jackie Chan as the stunt choreographer.

Man on a Ledge (2012)

Damn the Rating

[8/10 · 4 February 2012]

At the time of writing this, this movie had a rating of 6.6 while Haywire was riding along with a 7.0. What utter tripe!

This movie is the perfect weekend thriller. It is meant to entertain, and entertain it does. After a string of oh-so-overrated movies, this one comes as a breather.

If you want an easy watch movie, watch this. True, there are no eye popping graphics, there are no half-naked women (there is one, and the one is hot, but then, I will leave that to you) but it is definitely a good enough watch.

If you are looking for a water tight plot, go back to sleep, if you want to be entertained, watch this movie.

The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

An Absolute Romp for Tintin Fans!

[7/10 · 11 November 2011]

I would have given this movie an 8, but that would have been a disservice in general. While those who have read and loved Tintin would immensely enjoy every frame of the movie, those who are being introduced to the Character the first time around are likely to miss a few things here and there.

Yes, Tintin is brilliantly swashbuckling, and Haddock amazingly entertaining, but the story seems a trifle hurried while the pacing in some sequences in patchy.

What deserves a 10 on 10 however is the way Red Rackham's tale is woven into the story and how it was so evocatively presented, along with reference to a few characters which paved the path for any sequels that would be forthcoming.

Top marks to Spielberg an Jackson for sticking to the books even while weaving an original story line! Must Watch!