Kashyap Raina

Sam Bahadur is a 2023 biographical war drama about the life of Sam Manekahaw the first field martial of the Indian Army.Vicky Kaushal transforms into Mr Manekahaw and perfectly depicts his charisma,body language, gait and passion on the big screen.This is a performance that uplifts the entire film as we see Sam deal with various military conflicts during his career in the army. The film goes from one military conflict to the other and some events are more fleshed out than the others due to the constraints of time. Meghna Gulzar's direction is focused on shining a light on this great hero and she does not shy away from the fact that Mr Manekahaw may be blunt and to the point but he may come across as obnoxious and offensive to other people.One of my favourite sequences in the film is a scene where military platoons from different regions repeat their respective war cries in their native language. This is a well made film with a fantastic lead performance that deserves to be supported and seen on the big screen.

Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves is a 2023 fantasy adventure/ heist comedy based on the widely popular board game Dungeons and Dragons.The story centers on a band of misfits lead by a charismatic thief on a perilous journey to overthrow an evil king and a dark witch who has her own nefarious agenda.The film has great characters and relies heavily on the banter between characters to generate humour that doesn't feel forced and will make you laugh a lot during the film.The cast is perfect and everyone does their job really well.Chris Pine shines as Edgin a spy turned thief who is charming,goofy, persistent and has a heart of gold despite of his constant failures.Michelle Rodriguez stars as Holga a badass warrior which might seem like a typecast for Michelle Rodriguez but her character has depth and her expressions are great all throughout this crazy , zany adventure.Also she is fantastic during the fight scenes where she battles several bad guys at the same time.Justice Smith is earnest and entertaining as Simon the under confident and shy Sorcerer who has a cliched character arc however the actor doesnt hit a single false note in his performance.Sophia Lillis as Doric the Druid is good as well and her character has some of the best sequences in the film as she shapeshifts into various creatures.Hugh Grant is fantastic as the villain Forge who uses his charisma and charm to trick people.He is not entirely a cruel despot but doesn't mind getting his hands dirty. The Cinematography in the film is amazing as various locales are explored in the two hour runtime of the film. Stunt work and action in the film is very exciting especially the climactic battle.Overall this film is one of the best films of the year but it's a travesty that not a lot of people have seen the film.This film seems to have been created by people who understand the source material and have a deep appreciation for it.This is a film that both the fans of the fantasy adventure genre and casual viewers should check out.Available on Amazon Prime for free.

Mission impossible Dead Reckoning Part One is a non stop 165 minutes breathless thrill ride that unlike it's predecessors is first and foremost a spy thriller in the vein of the original 1996 movie as we see Ethan hunt go after "The Entity" an AI program that can infiltrate any defence, financial or information system in the world.The Entity is the type of technology that world governments and security agencies want to control for their nefarious agendas however Ethan hunt's mission should he choose to accept it is to destroy it and right of the bat this is a relevant premise as the world today is already paranoid about the evolution of AI.The story of the film moves at a breakneck speed and never slows down which in this case is an extremely good thing.The character of Ethan hunt is the most fleshed out in this movie as we see him battle an enemy from his past and we get to witness that he has chosen this life where he is continuously on the run not only from his enemies but from his past as well. Hayley Atwell is a fantastic addition to this cast as her character's arc is something that we haven't seen done this well in a spy movie in a long time.She has a great chemistry with Tom cruise and goes toe to toe with him in the action sequences.I am excited to see how her character is explored in this franchise.My favourite part of the movie was the return of Henry Czerny as Eugene Kitteridge whose first and only appearance in this franchise was in the 1996 original film. His character adds a certain level of mystery and ambiguity to the film.Just like the original film Kitteridge's intentions aren't very clear however his back and forth interactions with Hunt is extended entertaining.There is also humour in the film which works as it is mostly character based and not inserted to lighten up the proceedings.Overall this is the prime cinematic experience of the summer and should be seen in the biggest screen possible.A huge recommend a fantastic film.This should not be missed at any cost.

The Flash 2023 is a surprisingly fun experience that will make both the fanboys and the casual audience rejoice together. Loosely based on DCs famous Flashpoint comic book arc the story features the Flash travelling back in time to save his mom only to find out that the world is now again at risk from the Kryptonian dictator General Zod. This film proves to be a breath of Fresh air as we see Barry Allen interact with his younger more obnoxious self which leads to a lot of banter and humour in the film.My personal favourite gag in the movie is about Back to the future and it's really hilarious if you are a movie nerd.Michael Keaton also shows up as Batman and delivers a really fantastic turn as the caped crusader he is old and is no longer the Bat when we meet him however the flash reinvigorates him and he puts on the cape and cowl to assist Barry(All this is in the trailer so no spoilers here).Despite all the unsavoury things he is in the news for Ezra Miller is great as the Flash in the film and the film gives him some solid character moments to sink his teeth into especially in the scenes he has to interact with his mother.The director Andres Muschieti does a fantastic job of conveying emotion and chaos on the screen This one might surprise you pleasantly if you watch it on the big screen but sadly people are not supporting this movie.Watch this in the theatres.

Detective Byomkesh Bakshy is a bonafide masterpiece that film students and cinema afficianados will Marvel at in the near future.It features the first adventure of the famous fictional Bengali sleuth as right out of college he investigates the disappearance of a chemist during World War 2 in Kolkata. While searching for the whereabouts of the chemist Byomkesh comes across a conspiracy that puts the fate of Kolkata at stake and now we have our neo-noir detective thriller with a fantastic lead performance from the late great Sushant Singh Rajput who embodies Byomkesh perfectly he is observant, subtle yet isn't afraid to get in people's faces when the situation demands it. I would've loved to see more of Sushant in this role unfortunately that would never happen.The script is one of the best stories Bollywood has ever told it is filled with misdirections as we see Byomkesh being manipulated only for him to triumph against all odds. Director Dibakar Banerjee poured his heart out in this project the attention to detail is immaculate as you are transferred to World War 2 Calcutta and Dibakar gets the best out of all of his actors. Neeraj Kabi as Doctor Guha is phenomenal his intentions unclear and his performance an exercise in nuance. The score/music in the film lends a unique feel to it. Dibakar Banerjee famously decided to use as much non Bollywood music as possible. This is one of the best cinematic thrill rides Bollywood has to offer. This film remains criminally underseen and deserves all the attention it can get. A few nitpicks would be that editing in some places could've been tighter and it overrelies on replaying key moments from early in the movie. #dibakarbanerjee #sushantsinghrajput #neerajkabi #swastikamukhejee #divyamenon

The Guardians are back in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 which in my humble opinion is their best outing on the big screen. This film has humour, exciting visuals and a kick-ass soundtrack all things you will expect from a Guardians movie however what sets this film apart from the previous two outings is that it presents one of the best origin stories for any character in MCU with Rocket's backstory being the emotional core and foundation of this film that will make you cry and rejoice at the same time. I really liked how strong and formidable of a villain High Evolutionary proved to be he is a despicable character with a God complex who tortures and pulverizes creatures so that they can be perfect in his distorted and messed up image. Overall this is one of the better offerings in MCU and has been tagged with title of "Best MCU film since Endgame" I don't particularly agree with that however i really enjoyed the space adventure fantasy that this film presents with a backstory for one of its most popular characters.#jamesgunn #chrispratt #zoesaldana #davebautista #karengillan #pomklementieff

Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994) is a classic of the romantic comedy genre and follows Sunil an aspiring musician from Goa who is head over heels in love with Anna a girl from his band who loves Chris one of the other members of the band and now we have our cute , effervescent love triangle of a movie that's Charming , innocent and its core representative of every great thing about the 90s the music , the new India imploding out of small suburban towns. The characters feel like real people especially Sunil who is very flawed he lies to people , sometimes even deceives them but always has good intentions . The music is phenomenal every track has a different flavour . My favourite of the soundtrack is Deewana Dil Deewana the peppy powerful romantic song where both Sunil and Chris are reminiscing about meeting Anna after a long time as they go to the railway station to pick her up . Shahrukh Khan delivers a great performance perhaps his finest as he makes Sunil Charming , Lovable and endearing and yeah he goes a bit overboard but has a genuine underdog quality to him .A Classic that needs to be available on YouTube. Apologies for the Misleading Picture.

A forgotten Gem , An undiscovered classic and one of the best Love stories of this century Indignation deserves recognition for portraying the romance between an Intellectual Jewish boy Marcus and a troubled young girl named Olivia which is both considered Taboo and outrageous in the conservative Catholic college they sludy in especially during the 1950s .Marcus butts heads with the Dean of his College and it leads to some of the most entertaining moments as they clash over ideologies and worldviews.This one is tragic,leaves you with unanswered questions and just with a sense of sorrow at the end. Watch this with a box of tissues or a large handkerchief.

Evil Dead Rise is gleefully gory , Brutally violent and a fantastic theatre experience. This film for the most part is not concerned with deep messages or themes instead it satisfies the primal cravings of horror fans by featuring creative kills and wonderfully satisfying gory moments as characters are dismembered , stabbed , beheaded and have their limbs hacked off in some of the most satisfying kills in any horror movie in atleast last 5 years. Yet it also features a strong family dynamic and also provides some commentary about maternal instincts and what it takes to be a good mother . Watch this one in the theatre with a packed audience for a bloody good time ( pun intended) at the theatre. Alyssa Sutherland is phenomenal as Ellie a mother of 3 possessed by a demon and once she is possessed her performance is masterful as she contorts her body , howls and terrifies audience in a performance that definitely pays some homage to the Exorcist. Director Lee Cronin features some callbacks to the previous evil dead films but overall he manages to punctuate the gore on the screen with some real sequences where he builds tensions and focuses on characters reacting to the terrifying occurences happening in front of them .He also makes the most of the claustrophobic setting of this old dilapidated building by making it hard for the characters to get out of it. This is one of the best horror films I've seen in a long time and deserves to be viewed on the biggest screen possible.

Pearl 2022 is the prequel to Ti West's own 2022 slasher thriller XXX and explores the life of a disturbed Young farm girl during the first world war. Her husband is serving in the war and she is left at her farm to care after her sick father and under the watchful eye of her stern seemingly cold German mother. Pearl is a fascinatingly disturbing film that will make you feel empathy for it's lead character when she is unable to achieve the ambitions she had but will also terrify you when you witness the carnage that her actions cause. Mia Goth is phenomenal and this is perhaps in the top 5 greatest performances I've ever seen , This is definitely the best and the most humane performance I've ever seen in a horror film she makes Pearl seem desperate, insecure, jealous, deranged and dangerous sometimes all at the same time. The monologue at the end is just chilling and will keep you hooked to your seat and then at the flip side of it you feel that this is just a girl who wants to escape her terrible life at this farm and nothing else. Ti West is in complete command of this film he milks every reaction out of Mia Goth expertly . The creepy smiling scene at the end over the credits as depicted in the attached screenshot is a perfect example of how Ti west realised that Mia Goth's performance is perfection and will leave the audience disturbed and on the edge . The set design and cinematography especially in the first half of the film is extremely bright and chirpy which i think was an ironic contrast to the horrible and terrible things Pearl would do throughout the film. This is a character Drama along the likes of something like a Joker than being an all out Horror flick .Yes it has gore and moments of tension but it has dollops of organic character development for it's lead as well, Extremely excited now for Maxxxine which serves as a sequel to XXX and honestly now I am clamouring for a direct sequel to Pearl .Huge Recommend. #miagoth #tiwest

Super Mario Bros is awesome, It is one of the fun experiences I have had in the movie theatre in a long time. It is nostalgic and pays homage to the original games in all the right ways and yet the main focus stays on the bond between the Brothers Mario and Luigi who we all love.Their bond is unbreakable and there is a purity to the love and care they have for each other. The voice acting is really strong Chris Pratt and Charlie Day shine as Mario and Luigi respectively while Anya Taylor Joy's version of Princess Peach is in no way a Damsel in Distress as she is in the games she actually comes across as a fearless warrior.The animation in the film is beautiful The Mushroom Kingdom looks really pretty in the film and the movie has several moments showing the obstacles that Mario has to overcome in the actual games. This one is an extremely fun time at the movies as Kids will love it and Adults will also be taken on a Nostalgia infused trip. I saw this film in a theatre filled with children and they were giggling and laughing at every joke and Gag in the film.An Absolute recommend. Watch this one in theatres.