Manojit Chakraborty

Wow, what a movie. Being able to be so wacky yet so profound is difficult, but this movie is able to do it all at once(no pun intended)! The main character's exploration of her relationships with her father, husband, and especially her daughter ground the movie, but its willingness to turn the mundane what-if scenarios that we make up in our heads into plot points is truly something special. While it drags on just a tad near the end, this movie is a must-watch, and expect it to get some Oscar nods this coming year.

I'll get this out of the way, the movie does get a tad boring towards the middle. But I want to clarify that the performance IS all it's cracked up to be. The entire cast was stunning, and the exceptional performance from Fraser brought tears to my eyes multiple times. I was also a fan of how deep the story really got, and the entire thought process behind loss and behind religion. Not for everyone, but it is nothing short of amazing. I can wholeheartedly say that Brendan Fraser is back, and this role deserves an Oscar. And the set/costume design is nothing to ignore. The haunting and devastating apartment complex to the disturbingly realistic suit that he wears really draws you into this foreboding atmosphere. The audio production was top-notch with a beautiful orchestra of strings to either exclaim or soften the mood of the scene. And the eating disorders were tenfold to exemplify the horror you were watching. In the end, I believe this movie is phenomenal and shouldn't be skipped.

One of the best war movies I have ever seen. This movie is a great example of why so few films have been made about the Western Front of World War 1. There is nothing to glorify or romanticize about the brutality, horror, and needless slaughter that occurred in the trenches of WWI, especially in those final days before the armistice. You might be asking yourself why you should watch the movie in light of what I've said so far. You should watch it because it is a reminder of what blind nationalism and disconnected leadership can lead to. You should watch it because we must never forget what happened when hell existed on Earth for four years from 1914 to 1918.

'Eddie the Eagle' is A Wonder. A delightful, feel-good Biopic about an Underdog. And Taron Egerton as Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, delivers a career-defining performance! 'Eddie The Eagle is The story of Eddie Edwards, the notoriously tenacious British underdog ski jumper who charmed the world at the 1988 Winter Olympics. Eddie Edwards believed in himself & despite all the odds against him, he achieved what he wanted to. And this Biopic narrates Eddie's heartwarming, delightful story with complete conviction. You're involved in his journey to get it right & the series of events that follow, leave you engrossed. 'Eddie the Eagle' is finely Written by Sean Macaulay & Simon Kelton. The Screenplay beautifully progresses & the triumph of its protagonist is overwhelming. Dexter Fletcher's Direction is very well-done. He has handled the film commendably. George Richmond's Cinematography is fabulous. 'Eddie the Eagle' is a visual treat & it's all thanks to some great Camera-work. Martin Walsh's Editing is perfect. Matthew Margeson's Score is wonderful. Stunts are well-executed. Performance-Wise: Taron Egerton as Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, is simply terrific. He enacts the underdog, with rare ease & understanding. If you liked him in Kingsman, you're bound to love him here as Eddie the Eagle. This is a career-defining performance from the young lad. Hugh Jackman excels as his Coach. He gets a meaty role & Jackman has a blast portraying it. Christopher Walken, in a cameo, is impeccable, as ever. Iris Berben is first-rate. Others lend very good support. On the whole, 'Eddie the Eagle' is a must-watch!

I saw that 'Breaking Away' was nominated for Best Picture in 1979. Directed by Peter Yates. It had a measly 16000 ratings. I thought I'd give it a viewing just to tick off the remaining film of that year's nominees. Man, was I impressed!! A cast of 4 misfits who just want to see their hometown in the rearview mirror but aren't finding avenues for escape. The gang is called 'cutter by the others in the town. A derogatory term. Daniel Stern, Dennis Quaid, Jackie Earle Haley, and Dennis Christopher are the boys going through the same things and feelings we all do at a vital age. The themes of escape and development into adulthood are the ones you relate to. You find yourself on the boy's side and you pine for them to succeed. Dennis Christopher is the main character who is the most motivated of the group and is interested in cycling as a way to build a career. His parents don't believe in him but he isn't fussed He pulls his friends through. He lifts them. He uses his passions to drive others. The climax of the film is the bike race in front of all the town. It's effective without ever being a cliche. The screenwriter won the Oscar for best screenplay and I'm not surprised. Definitely a long-lost classic.

Sam Raimi definitely put a splash of horror in this action film. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is darker & more violent than any previous MCU movie, which could be considered a strength. However, I felt like there was not enough multiverse and maybe too much madness. Despite the entertaining visuals, the plot is fairly chaotic, and the acting & dialogue are inconsistent. This movie is an entertaining ride, but it's a little too messy to stand on its own.

There are hardly any jokes and no laugh-out-loud moments. The humor is strained and unoriginal and the crude toilet part is so done to death. The dialog is obvious and predictable. Even when they started to exact their revenge it wasn't delightful to watch at all. What they made Leslie Mann do - acting so loopy was just painful. The drunk thing was repetitive. The ending with Nikolaj Coster Waldau walking into the glass is not funny at all. Cameron isn't so good at acting the serious one. Better as the crazy one. She was better in Bad Teacher. Kate Upton didn't have many lines and looked quite sweet. Of course, her voluptuous body is used to full effect. Taylor Kinney as Cameron's love interest is a bit underutilized. Can't help but compare it to another wronged woman's revenge comedy "The First Wives Club". That one was funny and delightful. Melissa Stack is not good enough as a writer to write a movie - she needed help. The talented cast could do nothing with this material. The only good point is that it's pretty to look at with nicely decorated sets and beach resort scenery. See it if you are a fan of one of the stars but be warned it's not funny.

Now, I haven't seen the 2006 French movie "La Doublure" of which this 2022 comedy is a remake. So I can't say how much of a copy this 2022 version of the original movie. However, I must admit that "The Valet" by writers Bob Fisher and Rob Greenberg was actually rather enjoyable. The storyline is good and well-written and has elements of romance and comedy to it, and it works out quite nicely. I was genuinely entertained by this movie, and director Richard Wong did deliver a wholesome and enjoyable movie. I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in "The Valet", but they had some great talents to portray the various characters. Eugenio Derbez (playing Antonio) was really a nicely cast actor for the leading part, alongside Samara Weaving (playing Olivia). "The Valet" is a movie that has a good atmosphere to it and it makes you feel good, so thumbs up to director Richard Wong on that accomplishment. Lots of good comedy moments that made me have good, genuine laughs.

After increasingly better roles in F9 and The Suicide Squad this summer, John Cena closes out his epic summer with his best performance yet. He is by far the highlight of the film and does the best he can with a subpar script. The rest of the cast is not really outstanding and the story is quite predictable. Also, the main actor is playing discount Kevin Hart and it was not enjoyable. The premise isn't the worst, but they just play it as safely as possible. Cena's shenanigans are fun though. This isn't the best or the worst comedy of the year. There are some decent laughs, but just don't go in with too high of expectations.

No surprise that the visuals were breathtaking, some beautiful shots and immersive cinematography. However, there was no depth to the plot. Some lovely character moments.