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Reviews
Fast X (2023)
Decent watch
Fast and Furious X directed by Louis Laterrier is a decent watch that stands out in the year. The storyline continues from the series' fifth film, where Dante Reyes takes revenge for the death of his father and the loss of his wealth caused by the main gang. The storyline is simple, has a paper-thin story, and does not have scope to further flesh out more in the story. The screenplay was below average, which does not greatly impact the movie, and was directed to make a commercial movie. The comedy was one of the highlights, having humorous scenes for the major of the movie. The emotional value was not used much in the movie except for a few scenes. The direction was also done decent, giving good justice to the mediocre script. The performances were done great by the lead actors, especially Jason Mamoa. Jason Mamoa has done a great performance giving a good payoff to his humorous but villain character. The action sequences were done aptly and stylishly, standing out in the movie. The music was average and the background music stood out in parts. The cinematography was also done decent, that was adding a good visual to some parts of the movie. The editing was done slickly, which was good for the action sequences. The post-credit scene was a good scene to add, giving a nice end to the film. Overall, the film is decent with good humor, action sequences, and performances.
Pichaikkaran 2 (2023)
This film can be avoided
Pichaikkaran 2, directed by Vijay Antony, is an avoidable film covering many predictable things. The story is about two men whose brains are transplanted and one of the men has to lead a new life with his new memories. Even though the concept was intriguing at first, writing has been one of the biggest minuses. The writing has been predictable and offers nothing new other than the first 20 minutes. The screenplay was in a predictable manner and written in a melodramatic way. The flashback and second half were melodramatic and not properly used for the film. The direction was absolutely wasted and did not create any spark or interest in the film. It neither helped improve the movie to be more interesting. The performances were decent and could have been better for the film. The performances felt like they were artificial. Coming to the technicalities, the cinematography was rich and looked great on screen but the VFX was poorly crafted. It was clearly visible on the screen that a green screen was being used. The editing was decent but could have been better. Overall, the film is avoidable and could save time for the viewers.
Custody (2023)
A soulless film
Custody, directed by Venkat Prabhu, is an entirely soulless movie amid huge expectations. The story follows a police officer who is assigned to take a criminal to court but the police department wants the criminal dead. The wafer-thin storyline sounded interesting on paper but the writing has ruined the execution. The writing was loosely written and it did not make sense as a whole. The screenplay has made the film go even worse, prolonging the movie. As the movie continued, the film was creating more boredom. The flashback episode was written cliche and made the film predictable. The direction went utterly wrong, despite having decent expectations of the director. The performances were decent with Aravind Swamy's performance being the best. The only highlight of the film was the action sequences, especially the underwater and police station sequences, which were stylishly designed. The music was not composed well and was not suited to the script at all. The production value was decent for the movie. Overall, the film is a lackluster film not leaving much to watch.
Ponniyin Selvan: Part Two (2023)
Better than first one
Ponniyin Selvan II, directed by Mani Ratnam, is a magnum opus of the two-part series that must be watched for the art of work. This second part is the continuation of the fight between the Cholas and Pandavas. The film will be wholesome for the class audience who have liked the first installment and have understood the politics of the kingdoms. The storyline was simpler compared to the first film, with the help of more research on the story. The screenplay was done really nicely and neatly, having a great flow. The direction was created grandiose, making it more of an artistic visual for the eyes to feast at. The lead performances were riveting and emotional, filling the screens with thousands of more hidden expressions. The action sequences were designed with a nice flow and suited for the time period. The soundtrack was soothing and beautifully composed with lyrics were well constructed. The art design was a big highlight, showcasing the period of time with very grandeur. Overall, the film is a must-watch for the technical aspects, direction, and performances.
Virupaksha (2023)
One of the best movies of the year
Virupaksha directed by Karthik Varma Dandu is one of the best supernatural movies that came out this year. The film follows a series of mysterious deaths occurring in a village and how it is linked to the mystics. Writing is one of the film's biggest highlights, creating an intriguing storyline that explores the supernatural genre very well. The world-building was also very done, introducing the daily lives in the village. The characters are well explored and their characterizations have been given justice. The screenplay done by Sukumar was the backbone of the film, creating a mouthful of twists and making the script even more crisp. The screenplay has really paid off to the genre and has been precise with detailing. The direction was done really good as well, paying off for the script. Although there were some lagged scenes in the first half, it was covered by a brilliant interval and the second half. The direction has really explored world-building. Another highlight of the film is the cinematography, giving some bright and dark lighting into the film. The cinematography has helped in the climax portion, bringing in the bright colors and making it a good visual to watch. It also gets some better dark-tone visuals in the film. The editing and sound design was done very aptly, supporting the story's horror elements. The performances were outstanding, especially the actress' performance, which was out beating the lead actor's performance and was needed for the film. In final words, Virupaksha is a must-watch for the story, twists, and performances.
Dasara (2023)
A lackluster film
Dasara directed by Srikanth Odella is a lackluster film while having a few positives made in the film. The film is about political dynamics and relationships that take place in a fictional village, Andhra Pradesh. The writing was an absolute letdown to the film. The plot was cliche and predictable, giving the same scenes that have been already explored in many other movies. The screenplay has also given the cliche experience, not giving new changes to the already cliche script. The direction was an aspect that was done good, exploring the village and characters well and fleshing them out. The world-building has been really good, giving time to explain the traditions within the place. The dialect done by the actors has been improvised well. The performance done by Nani as Dharani has been outstanding, he has really lived in the actor and brought a rustic character to the audience. The performances done by Keerthy Suresh have also been really good, giving a good experience of the experience. The characters have been really fleshed out in the movie, giving an arc. Shine Tom Chaco's character has been another letdown because of his routine villainous character that has not been a new arc or plot point to the movie. The action sequences are one of the highlights of the movie, giving a high-octane experience. The sequences were giving raw and rustic energy to the audience and the film, as a whole. The music and score were also benefitting the movie, giving the right vibe to the film. The cinematography was another highlight of the film, giving a bright and rustic visual feast to the audience. The editing was a good aspect of the film, as well, giving a good dynamic to the film. Overall, the film is a lackluster drama but gives a highly energized experience technically.
Vaathi (2023)
A film with a good message
Sir, directed by Venkat Atluri, is a solid film backed up by a strong social message. The film, set in the 80s, is about a teacher correcting the education system and bringing the education needed for underprivileged students. The storyline was routine but the screenplay is what made the movie interesting and watchable. The storyline was simple and predictable but the screenplay was constructed well and was solid. The direction was good, focusing on the subject, with no unnecessary scenes added to the movie giving a distraction. The performances were decent, but Dhanush's performance was notable in the film. The action sequences were not over the top and were realistic. One drawback of the film is the runtime, which was longer than it should have been. The music was average, not making an asset to the film but was something to listen to. The production values were decent, giving an enrichment. Overall, the film is a decent watch for the story, screenplay, and performances.
Vinaro Bhagyamu Vishnu Katha (2023)
A unique and a decent watch
Vinaro Bhagyamu Vishnu Katha, directed by Murali Kishor Abburu, is a decent watch for the concept and screenplay. Two individuals who fall in love must fall into some danger and take some twists and turns. The writing was interesting with a fresh and new concept. The writing of the film becomes more interesting with the idea implemented. Although the narrative is flat and watered down for most of the scenes, the writing lifts the soul of the film and takes the audience on a thrilling ride. The screenplay was designed nicely and gives the audience good twists throughout the film. The second half of the film is more interesting because of the twists which seem to be very impressive than expected. The screenplay is probably one of the best highlights of the film. The direction was decent and it impresses for the most part but might be a letdown in some scenes as the narrative is flat. The cinematography was decent but the costume design was impressive in a few scenes. The music was a big let down and it does not suit any of the scenes. The production value was pretty good and looked on screen. Overall, the movie is decent for the storyline and screenplay.
Amigos (2023)
No logics
Amigos directed by Rajendra Reddy is an average movie that does not live up to the hype. The film is about three look-alike, who meet up through a website and what happens after making up the story. The writing was dull and inconsistent. It does not create any interest in the storyline. The concept of the plot line was good but the writing has ruined the potential. The script could have been more crisp and apt, removing unnecessary scenes. The screenplay was mushy and had irrelevant scenes in the movie. The screenplay could have created a thrill to the already ruined script but is also a huge letdown. The performances were below average, except for Kalyan Ram's triple role appearance, which was made with the most effort. The direction was mismatched and heading in a commercial direction but was flawed. The direction was leading in underwhelming and didn't help the scope of the script at all. The cinematography was poor but did stand in some scenes. The editing was done on average. The music was totally wasted and had no impact on the story. Overall, Amigos is an underwhelming story that had wasted a story with potential.
Pathaan (2023)
Not worth it
Pathaan, directed by Siddharth Anand, is an adrenaline-rushed film with a mediocre storyline. The film, which is a part of the Spy series, is an adventure on Pathaan stopping the evil character, Jim. The storyline was wafer-thin and was not properly written. The quality of the story was dropped, as the runtime came to an end. The makers have, moreover, focused on the commercial aspects of the film than the plot points. The screenplay made it no better for the story to be a 'wow' factor. The direction was loosely done, making the film go in an irregular format. One of the only highlights of the film was the action sequences. The action sequences were designed correctly, matching the script, even though they were a bit over-the-top sequences. The sequences have created an adrenaline rush for the audience to watch. The performances done by 'King Khan' and John Abraham were really good, making it worthwhile to watch the film. The soundtrack was done good, making the listeners listen to them on a loop. The cinematography was done decent and stood out in parts. Overall, the film is a below-average movie having action sequences and the performances as the only things to stand out.
Missing (2023)
Kind of keeps you on the edge
Missing, directed by Will Merrick and Nick Johnathan, is a decent film to watch but fails to impress in many parts. The film is shown in a screen-life format about a teenage girl who is trying to find her missing mother. The writing is predictable and is written in a cliche format. The screenplay is what made it a bit better to watch the film but was overall, predictable as well. The direction was decent and gave better justice to the story. The lead performances were really good, especially Storm Reid, which was pulled off great. The cinematography was pretty good. The subject given for the film was really justified enough from the presentation of the film, which was a drawback of the film. Overall the film is an average watch with minimum expectations.
Waltair Veerayya (2023)
Decent Watch
Waltair Veerayya directed by Bobby Kolli is an average commercial entertainer that can be given a watch. Veerayya, a fisherman, tracks down a gangster called Micheal to take revenge. The writing is simply written, which can be a one-pager, and has the main commercial elements that any Indian movie would have and focuses on the characterizations of the leading actors. The screenplay was plain and mediocre, giving predictability to the story on screen. Not much weight was given to the story or the screenplay. The direction was also done in a regular manner, not giving any new nuances or surprise factors. The characterization of the lead actor's character was designed well, which is one of the biggest highlights of the movie. The action sequences have above average, and the interval sequence has stood out. The performances done by the principles cast were well done, especially Chiranjeevi's performance, which was outdone for his character and lifted up the film. Ravi Teja's presence stands out and so does his performance. The cinematography was well done, which was outstanding in some scenes. The music was averagely done and was placed in the wrong order. Overall, Waltair Veerayya is an average revenge drama that could be given a watch by the family audience.
Veera Simha Reddy (2023)
The cause of your headache
Veera Simha Reddy by Gopichand Malineni is a perfect film for the cause of your headache. The film is a total blunder and shouldn't have been made in the first place. The film is about the factions that take place in a village and the bonding between a son and father. The storyline is a mixture of commercial drama and violence and does not provide any plot points. The screenplay is even worse, ruining the plot and making it look like the epitome of boredom. The characterizations were childishly written and don't help the story. The music was one of the main reasons for the headache, the background music was heavily composed and filled 90% of the movie. The soundtrack was also badly composed, leaving no songs to hear more than once. The cinematography was decent, giving a positive change to the film. The editing was average but the sound design was horrible. The only highlight of the film is the performance of Balakrishna but couldn't help save the overdramatic, violent film.
Varisu (2023)
Could have been way better
Varisu directed by Vamshi Paidipally is below average with more than needed entertainment value. The film is about an estranged billionaire's son, who makes his way back home as problems arise. The writing was mediocre, written in a commercially formulated format. The script was written in a cliche format. The comedy value was almost all throughout the film, giving laughs for most of the film. The screenplay is average, giving little to no help to make the script more engaging. Instead, the writing and screenplay were not organic and dragged throughout the film. The runtime was more than needed and the director could have cut some scenes, to make the film more concise. The direction was mediocre, giving good enough justice but did not entertain the audience, along with the script. The cinematography was decent but the VFX work did not pay off at all and I was able to spot the green screen. The music was pretty good and helped the commercial film. Overall, the film is a commercial movie with good comedy and music for the family audience.
Meg 2: The Trench (2023)
A boring one
Meg 2: The Trench, directed by Ben Wheatley, is not worth a watch but could be given a try for the experience. The story is about a bunch of scientists who outsmart Megs while facing threats from their enemies. The writing was really bland and offered the same cliched story that we have seen in many other movies similar to this. The writing was not interesting at all and did not grab interest right from the beginning. The characters were poorly written and their characterization was in a good vs. Bad form with a much more cliched and watered-down form. The screenplay was as predictable as it could get. Right from the start, we could figure out what the ending could be and the ending is worse than what the audience could expect. The conflict was familiar and the screenplay made it more predictable for the audience and has them bored throughout the movie. The direction was boring and did not make an impactful experience for the audience to watch. As the movie progressed, the direction was far left behind, leaving the plot as boring as it was. The performances were decent and were up to par, the actors acted on point as they should have. The technical aspects were great, especially the CGI. The CGI looked really good on screen and haven't looked like they were fake at all. The CGI effects have really paid off for the efforts on the screen The cinematography was great and looked realistic on screen. The color contrast looked great on screen. Overall, the movie is something you could watch if you really wish too.