Aindrila Ghosh

Deadpool and Wolverine try to kill each other every two minutes while simultaneously flirting with each other. That's it. That's the movie. They can't go a scene without getting their hands on the other. These two are in love, Your Honour!!!

A film centered around the Indian Air Force and their unstoppable bravery in the face of threats posed by terrorists, 'Fighter' focusses on Air Dragons (an unit of the IAF) leading a retaliatory attack against Jaish, a terrorist organisation, in Balakot. The film heavily features awe-inspiring air stunts of the Air Dragons; and I think that's the highlight of the movie. Make of that what you will. Hrithik Roshan, playing the character of Shamsher Pathania (call name: Patty), leads the cast full of talent with his masterful performance, nuanced with emotions and vulnerability, as he prepares to fight the villains of his country in the real world while simultaneously battling his own demons of the past. Anil Kapoor, per usual, portrays the character of the CO of the unit, Rocky, brilliantly, his acting easily convincing the audience of his inner turmoil as he struggles to keep his professional life separate from his personal feelings. Deepika Padukone is next in line albeit with arguably very little to do in terms of her character significance. She's a nice stand-in for women with huge ambitions and who fight every day to rise above the double-standards of a society that is yet adapting to the importance of women outside of kitchen. However, I believe the impact would've been more profound if the tearful reunion with her parents (who had disowned her because she went into Air Force rather than getting married to the first guy they brought home) had happened because they saw her capability on field rather than another man taking up for her and convincing them of her importance. The movie has a supporting -- pun intended -- supporting cast who help bring a cohesive and holistic dimension to the events. It could have been better if they had picked one thing and stuck to it. I understand that no Bollywood film is perceived complete without a song-and-dance sequence and some hand-to-hand combat between the "hero" and the "villain" but perhaps the romantic swaying in the hills -- though in this one, it was in a pool with drinks in hands to suit the more modern times -- and the fistfight could've been shelved seeing as this was a movie about IAF pilots and the "hero" letting its plane perish in favour of taking out an opponent and then descending to the land with a parachute to then engage in a slugfest with the "Most Wanted Terrorist" while taunting him despite that man having been one of the "best Western operatives" of Jaish, yeah, realistic wouldn't be an adjective I'd pick for the climax. The less said about songs the better, as is becoming concerningly typical for most new Bollywood releases. There were times where I whined -- squeaky, high-pitched voice and all -- to my father that the movie was boring and we should just switch to something else. Of course, we made it till the end so I suppose there's something to be said about that. Overall, it's a good one-time watch if one is in the mood for some IAF-awesomeness, soldier-angst, Deepika-Padukone-beauty and Hrithik-Roshan-handsomeness.

I'm convinced this is a gay love story. Just hear me out! They kiss! Anyway, the film is an interesting take on good and evil and everything in between. I watched this movie for Charlize Theron, fell in love with her all over again (no surprise there!). The script may not be all that solid; you can see the end twist coming from miles away, but still, its execution is good. The movie forces you to question the definition of what is good and what is evil at every turn, and where do you think you fit. The performances, both leading and supporting, are solid (as is expected with some of the big names comprising the cast). Overall, it's a good watch if one is in the mood for some fairytale without all the stereotypical 'The Prince saves the Princess' drawl. Oh, and of course, there's the obligatory true love's kiss!

Okay, so I'm a huge Katrina Kaif fan, and I think one can already guess what dragged me to the cinemas. I watched this movie in the theatre when it came out in January. Then I remember I hadn't left a review for it, so here I am. I love crime thrillers. I dig murder mysteries unapologetically (not that there's anything to be apologetic about it). 'Merry Christmas' started off nicely enough; the fact that there's something wrong with both Maria and Albert evident from the get-go. They hit if off right away, go on an impromptu date because it's Christmas Eve and both are alone, with Maria's husband apparently busy with his girlfriend. Only when they come back from date, her husband's waiting for her in their flat, very much present and very much dead. What ensues is a series of events that keeps one guessing as to how on earth did the man die. I say "how" and not "who" because any amateur who has watched two crime thrillers will be able to guess the who part. I would have said the movie was average and an overall one-time watch if not for the ending. I don't think I've ever seen an ending as subpar as this one. Now this is a huge thing for me to say because I adore Katrina Kaif and I'd probably watch any movie of hers without thinking twice. Still, I have never regretted watching a movie in theatres as much as I did for this one. (Okay, no, that dubious honour belongs to Kabir Singh.) Katrina Kaif portrays the character of Maria with a developed finesse (and I'm not just saying this because I'm biased). She gives you that nagging feeling in your stomach where you know she has killed her husband yet you can't be sure how she did it. Vijay Sethupathi plays the role of Albert convincingly; his acting putting one on edge about him and at the same time, making one feel bad for the man and his life so far. Radhika Apte, in the brief time that she is in the movie, nails her character. Overall, it's a one-time watch (perhaps not even that) for movie-goers who are okay with a below-average ending that is less thrill and more typical Bollywood. I'd have given this one star only but, well, it's Katrina Kaif. (Sue me!) If only the ending was different! *sighs*

'Damsel' puts an interesting spin on the stereotypical fairytales. When offered aid for the starving people of their cold and barren land by the royal family of Aurea, Elodie's family promise her hand to Aurea's Prince in marriage. Only the royals' reason to seek a bride for the prince is much more sinister than it seems to the eye. Plagued by a vengeful fire-breathing dragon, Aurea is under a "deal" to provide three daughters in each generation to sate the beast's blood-thirst. And when the royal family births sons, bringing others' daughters into the family by marriage becomes an acceptable solution. Elodie is the latest in what is certainly a long line of brides sacrificed. Milly Bobby Brown portrays the role of Elodie with plenty of courage and a lot of heart. Though playing the titular role of "Damsel", Elodie herself is no damsel in distress. She is resourceful, smart, and her wit and practical knowledge are what help her to turn the lethal situation into her favour. One sees Elodie's journey through her eyes, and one can surely be found cheering on her wins, crying when she falls down, and gasping when it seems like all the doors are closed. Brown makes us live Elodie's struggles, and I think that's beautiful. Although a power-packed movie, Robin Wright, Angela Basset, Ray Winstone and others have limited roles to play. It's mainly the fight for survival that Elodie bravely puts up against a, er, fire-breathing dragon. However, she's no common fire-breathing dragon, she talks and she has a touching villain-origin story. No, but seriously, you actually feel bad for the dragon. Overall, it's a good watch. 'Damsel' may not be the typical fairytale, but it is the fairytale that every little girl and boy should be taught, if only for them to understand that at the end of the day, it's you who is going to rescue yourself from the dragons of your life; nobody else.

A murder mystery hinged on long-kept secrets and the flaky matters of the heart, 'Murder Mubarak' is a good option if one is in the mood for solving crimes in a tight-knitted scenario. Everybody has skeletons in their closet -- metaphorical, of course -- and the rich often more so. When a gym trainer at the club of the ultra-rich threatens to oust the deep-buried secrets of the members, everyone scrambles to protect themselves, but someone among them has decided that offence is the best defense. Leading this twisted thriller is Pankaj Tripathi in all his riveting glory. He portrays the character of the investigating officer2, with a penchant for speaking Hindi in its purest form and clumsy skills of parallel parking, with perfection. Next comes Sara Ali Khan. She's, once again, the bubbly and talkative woman with a kind smile to offer to anybody who may seem to need it. Her performance reminded me of her acting in 'Gaslight (2023)' in that it felt much like a copy. This is not to say that she did not do well (because she did) but she has that spark that alludes to her potential of achieving much better. Star-studded as the movie is, we have the extremely talented Vijay Varma, Dimple Kapadia, Tisca Chopra, Karisma Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, and many others; the operative word here being "many". I am nearly certain the film did not need as many characters as it had. While a mystery/comedy movie, the thrill that's required to keep one on edge and constantly trying to work out who on earth could be the murderer is missing. The film focusses more on interpersonal relationships though every conversation has managed to somewhat plant a seed of doubt against the parties involved. Everybody has an agenda, after all. It's a good one-time watch. You can guess the guilty in the first half of the movie. The twist in the end is not something new and has been employed many a time in the movies that have come earlier. Still, it's much more enjoyable than some of the ones that have come out recently so I guess, there's something to be said about that.

"This isn't a crime story about a family, this is a family story that happens to be about a crime." ~ William Landay, author of the book 'Defending Jacob' on which the series is based. It's a character-driven crime thriller, by which I mean it focusses more on the emotions the characters are experiencing during the period leading up to and on the day of the trial, and also afterwards. Jacob Barber, a fourteen-year-old boy is accused of murdering his classmate and bully, Ben Rifkin. The story centers the struggle the Barber family goes through as they scramble to put together a good enough defence for young Jacob. In the end, a confession comes from another suspected party in the form of an eleventh hour reprieve. Only, is it true? This limited series ends with a closure but not all is resolved. It leaves us on an ambiguous point that is more open to interpretation than an actual cliffhanger. A quick Google research quashes any hope of a second season for an objective ending. Either way, it's a crime thriller with plenty of thrill but not the kind that puts you on the edge of your seat because you want to know who murdered the victim, but the sort which anchors you to your chair because you want to know what happens to the Barbers. I liked it. I have my own judgement regarding the case, but that's neither here nor there. This is a good watch for those interested in an intriguing cross between a crime thriller and a family drama.

This comedy movie is a nice and funny take on an unlikely friendship being forged between two men, who couldn't be more different from each other, when both are stuck having to go on a road trip together -- completely unwilling on one's part. RDJ, as usual, nails his part as an exasperated architect who has to put up with the shenanigans and the less-than-desirable personality of a man-child, but who also develops a feeling of reluctant sympathy for the man's current lonely circumstances. Zach Galifianakis is hilarious in his role of the said man-child who evidently has a heart of gold -- or maybe that's just his idiocy resisting the realisation that not everybody is as nice as he'd like them to be. Or is it both? Let's go with both! :) Jamie Foxx and Michelle Monaghan have welcome parts for cameos. It's a good comedy film for some time pass when one feels bored or has nothing of substance to watch.

I think it's a beautiful tribute to an artist father from his artist son. The vulnerabilities they had had the guts to show, especially towards the end, touch your heart like no other. This documentary is a great take on acceptance and unconditional love. I, honestly, am a bit lost for words right now. All I'd like to say is I'm glad I watched this.

I want my three hours and ten minutes back. However, since that's impossible, I'll just have to make do with writing a review. I didn't watch this in the theatre, and I'm glad for that. I had seen a lot of reviews comparing this movie's experience to that in front of a butcher shop. During the first two hours, I honestly thought that was a bit of an exaggeration. The last hour, and especially the last ten minutes, proved me wrong. The first two hours is boring. There's no other word for it. Nothing happens except for Ranbir Kapoor's character calling out for his "Papa" as if he were chanting a mantra. The structuring of the story required a lot more work. None of the characters made me concerned about them. I did not care what happened to Anil Kapoor's Balbir Singh, I did not care who was behind his life and why. A good story is supposed to make me care about who the bad guy is and what happens to the good guy. Here, insouciance is the word when it comes to how I felt for any of the people in the movie. The last hour honestly had me closing my eyes every ten minutes, either because the scene going on could very well be passed as that belonging to soft porn, or it was gore and violence in its rawest form. The director said this movie can not be called misogynistic because his production house is named "Bhadrakali Productions". Well, Sir, this movie is so misogynistic, it makes Kabir Singh look like a good guy. Acting-wise, the two Kapoors are good, as is expected; Tripti Dimri, though had very few scenes to work with, managed to justify her character as much as a woman can in a movie that is practically the epitome of misogyny; Rashmika Mandana was...okayish? Bobby Deol's character could have done with a little more screen time (one barely sees him) and a little less explicit death scene. One thing that I abhorred the most about this movie is the numerous cheap gestures littered throughout the three-hour-and-ten-minutes' duration. The last ten minutes had me nearly retching my guts out (just like Tripti Dimri's character). The fact that a movie such as this has become a box-office hit like it has is reflective of the society's current views which is not only dangerous but also extremely concerning. The only good this film does is to help us identify the red flags surrounding us. Anybody who hasn't seen the movie, trust me, ignorance is bliss. Anybody who wants to see the movie, I would suggest you not to watch it with any family member. Anybody who has seen the movie and is regretting it like I did, I suggest 'Salaam Namaste' or 'Kal Ho Naa Ho' or any other SRK movies to detox. Have a good day! :-)