Ankita Saxena

An excruciating watch. It's high time they stopped serving us trash in the name of art. Don't get me wrong, I love art and I love cinema that portrays it. But I just cannot tolerate a travesty like The Royal Hotel that promises you the stars and offers nothing but dirt. The premise is simple, the life of a woman in a world dominated by men and their toxic masculinity - portrayed by their hunger for alcohol, women and violence. But the execution is poor. It takes forever to build and then nothing happens. The movie is boring. There's no storyline and the characters are ludicrous, especially Liv. I mean how can she be having so much fun in such a drab and disturbing environment? She seems totally oblivious to the seething rot around her that she is slowly sinking in, like quicksand. She feels insufferable at times. I wasted 1.5 hours of my time watching this garbage, waiting for it to redeem itself in the final minutes of its runtime - but it never happened. The movie fell flat on its face. Wish there was an option to rate it with a zero star.

A rather painful watch. I've watched this movie more times than I can remember, and it never ceases to amaze me with the brutality of Nazi Germany, the unimaginable agony of the Jews and amidst all that, a kind and genuine man that went above and beyond to save 1100 lives. Thoughtfully shot in monochrome, Schindler's List has a poignant background score and a sort of nostalgic quality of an era gone by. Liam Neeson looks absolutely cut out for this role, not to mention his towering persona and flamboyant screen presence that adds to his exuberance as a wealthy businessman with the gift of gab. Ralph and Ben Kingsley too are brilliant in their respective roles. Might be an hour too long for some who might argue that it gets boring and repetitive after a while. However, personally I feel it needed that run time for Steven Spielberg to artfully demonstrate the evolution of Schindler from an apathetic German to the compassionate human being that cries like a kid in the arms of his Jewish accountant at the end of the war. Brilliant movie. Will watch again!

Event Horizon has an interesting Lovecraftian concept which could have been executed better. The premise of the ship having travelled to hell and brought back something with it is quite imaginative. After returning from the other dimension, the ship seems to be alive now and messing with the crews' minds. I liked the set design, especially the Gravity Drive. True to its nature, the Gravity Drive is built like a beast. But that's that. Even with a stellar star cast, the movie ends up feeling flat and monotonous. A major chunk of the movie involves people running around for their lives and trying to figure out ways to deal with the sinister spaceship they're on. There is a lot of talk about the crew running out of breathable air and yet there seems to be an endless amount of it available to them. I am not a fan of slasher horror and any amount of gore irks me. This movie has a decent amount of it. Although, I'm not completely opposed to the idea that there is hell on the other side, it's a little too mythological for my taste. It does not align with all that I have learnt from a scientific point of view about space and the universe. So, the movie fails to impress me in that sense as well. Might watch it again for a few of the fun scenes in the beginning (like when they first spot the Event Horizon or see the Gravity Drive) and leave it at that.

One of those simple, light-hearted movies that you turn to when you need a little comfort. Set in a sleepy town, Endora, 'where nothing much every happens and nothing much every will', this movie gives you a glimpse into the lives of people who are 'wedged into' their roots, for whatever reason - people who would like to break free from the seething monotony of a purpose-less life and explore greener pastures. Leonardo Dicaprio is stunning as a special abilities teenager. It is mind-boggling how you literally forget that you are watching an actor play out a character on screen and not a real special abilities child going through his life. Johnny Depp plays Gilbert Grape, a 20-something guy whose life involves working at a local grocery store where no one shops, taking care of Arnie (Leo), arguing with his younger sister, hanging out with his two friends, making grocery deliveries (read: playing a toyboy to a local lady) and feeling embarrassed of his overweight mother. He delivers a convincing performance as a dreary person whose life revolves around feeding his family and taking care of his younger brother. He goes through life with little excitement and that resignation to a life of misery is evident on his almost-expressionless face. But don't let that expressionless face fool you. There is the storm of turbulent emotions that surface occasionally in response to his hapless surroundings. I like the premise of the movie and the fact that it is an easy watch. I recommend watching this movie for its simplicity, its depiction of the slow village life and some unforgettable performances.

Not worth the time it takes to sit through this yawnfest. There are really good movies that seemingly belong to the same genre-think 'Now You See Me'- that are extremely fast-paced, stylish and have a certain novelty about them that makes it difficult to predict what's next. 21 is boring, predictable, and not as exciting as it aims to be. Watched it only because of Kevin Spacey and honestly, it's one of his more forgettable performances that leave no impact on the audience whatsoever.

An Interesting Watch! I usually go into horror movies with little expectation since a majority of them turn out to be a wastage of time. Not this one, though. Judging by the IMDB rating, I wasn't super excited to give this one a watch. However, intrigued by the plot description, I was lured in. Surprisingly, it wasn't all that bad as it was made out to be! It's an interesting one-time watch. Although I understand the audience's frustration on not getting answers to their questions, I just believe that sometimes it's best to leave certain plot points to individual interpretation. The concept of the movie is refreshing to watch play out on screen. The acting was good. The idea of being stuck into an infinite loop, though tried and tested, is always great to watch. 4 stars for the effort, minus 1 for the ending - could have been better.

I've watched this movie far too many times to put off writing a review yet again. To be honest, I have been intrigued by this movie ever since the first time I watched it. The cozy book shops, the delicious richness of old books, the dread of Satanic powers lurking in the dark, the mysterious streets of quaint European towns and the charming presence of Johnny Depp, all make this movie a treat to behold. However, I am not sure I fully understood or enjoyed the ending. It seems open to perception and yet it sort of deviates from the classiness of the rest of the film. The sex scene between Dean and 'the girl' at the end looked a tad unnatural, forced and bordering on vulgar. Also, why would Dean walk into the ninth gate when he has been a skeptic all along? I have some all-time personal favourites from Roman Polanski's filmography such as The Pianist and Rosemary's Baby. That said, I wouldn't consider The Ninth Gate among his finest.

So, I had heard great things about this film. And that sort of raised my expectations way too high. But after watching this movie, I wasn't as mesmerised as I had thought I would be. It is a rather simple story of a teenager and his toddler sister fighting for survival in a war-ravaged Japan. The struggle to get the next meal is constant. And yet, it is nothing out of the ordinary. It happens to hundreds and thousands of people around the world everyday. The movie does highlight the bitter truth about war - that no matter why nations decide to go to the battlefield and no matter which side wins, it's always the common man that loses, every single time. For him, it's all about putting food on the plate and seeking shelter from missile strikes. People die, children die and for what - to satisfy the whims and ego of a few higher-up officials that are supposed to be the protectors of the country. It also highlights the fact that war or any such calamity brings out the worst in people. When pushed to the limits, a person loses perspective and is able to care solely about the ones closest to them. They become selfish, but that's how all living organisms have evolved, to do whatever it takes to survive in the face of adversity. It is the law of the jungle. Now coming to the actual story, I feel it's not completely justified. I mean I do not understand why the brother did not try to take up a job of some sort, try to earn a living, instead of relying solely on his aunt's mercy and his parent's inheritance? And I'm not talking about anything fancy, just something like physical labour (like helping someone on the farm etc) to earn a couple of bucks and feed his little sister. He was old enough for it. It breaks my heart to see that joyous little girl slowly wither away for a lack of basic nutrition. But, I feel that the brother could have done more, rather than being so lazy and imprudent. The aunt was definitely a b&*$h. But the brother too did not contribute in anyway to her household by doing any chores etc. (he would leave the dirty dishes in the sink!). All he would do is lie around on the mat reading books or run around the farm with his sister. Also, if you have to choose between swallowing your pride(especially during a war when nothing is fair) and surviving to see another day or watching your 4 year-old sister slowly starve to death, the decision is a no-brainer. I liked the poignant montage of the little girl (at the end when she has died) trying to pass time alone in that tiny cave when her brother would be out to get food. It was pretty sad. But that's that. I have seen such stories play out in real life. And, that's probably why this movie did not affect me much. Wouldn't watch again for sure.

It's one of those movies that I used to like at one point in my life. But watching it as a more mature viewer recently, I can safely say, it annoyed the heck out of me. I can understand the emotions and all of having a terminally ill loved one, but I honestly did not like the way they were dealt with in the film. The ailing sister was quite irritating with her over sappy expressions throughout the movie. It is incomprehensible how a teenager does not show any signs of being frightened or scared of her inevitable fate. It is weird how she has reached this state of zen so early in life, especially amidst such adversity. It's unnatural. I never really liked Cameron Diaz. I don't think she knows how to act. Frankly, I think she is a classic case of nepotism. Her expressions seem forced and often lacking genuineness. I mean what's with the exaggerated hysterics in the scene where the father decides to take Kate out on the beach and the mom starts shrieking at the top of her lungs. I mean hello, you're screaming in the face of a sick person. I felt giddy with all that yelling and I am not terminally ill. The hot Dad and aunt (more like eye candies) seemed like a hopeless effort to mask the drabness of the story and make it more bearable. The only characters that I did like were that of Alec Baldwin and Abigail Breslin and both acted well. I feel the movie would have turned out a lot better if they chose a better cast and made the mother and sick daughter less annoying. Watch it at your own peril.

One of the most depressing movies I've ever watched and yet I have watched it multiple times. Terrific direction, acting and a powerful storyline that reveals the true face of addiction. The movie is dark in the sense that you lose all hope by the end of it - hope being the only thing that keeps you going in the face of adversity. It brilliantly captures the physical and emotional repercussions of consuming drugs - how it makes you lose your mind, slowly but surely, how it makes you take rash decisions just to get your next fix, how it crushes your ability to reason, how it practically takes away your right to a happy and healthy life. What often starts as recreation or a means to make you feel better when life seems unfair, almost always leads you on the road to complete and utter destruction. I like the movie but wouldn't say I love it - because it always fills me with despair and I hate myself for watching it yet again. However, that doesn't discount the fact that it is a really well-made movie. Watch it on a good day. Wouldn't recommend putting yourself through this tragic tale of woe when you are already miserable.