Gisteller

Tomb Raider (2018) – rating (3.5/5)  Cast : Alicia Wikander, Dominic West, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu Directed by Roar Uthaug Story by Geneva Robert-Dworet, Evan Daughterty Review by Zulfiqar             The legend goes Himiko, the ancient queen of Japan, was a witch who ruled her empire using dark arts. She was buried alive in a tomb, which is guarded using heavy reinforcements of tricks and magic, for it is considered once her soul gets out, there is no cure for the scourge on the whole humanity. For eons, the tomb is a secret buried on one of the mysterious islands of Japan, until Mr Richard Croft, a rich millionaire and an explorer by avocation, ferrets out the particular island amond and the secrets of the tomb’s architecture. His main intention is to protect the crypt and its secrets.             Before we venture out about his daughter, Lara, w...

Black Panther (2018) – rating (3.5/5) Cast : Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong’O, Danai Gurira Direction by Ryan Coogler Review by Zulfiqar             ‘Black Panther’ is long awaited tribute for Africa, which has given much to the world in terms of its resources and natural beauty. Marvel studios with the pertaining theme of inclusivity gives its due to the black community by this superhero comic adapted novel and it is given in the richest way possible.             Ryan Coogler, who has given the boxing epic, ‘Creed’ and critically acclaimed ‘Fruitvale station’, is the man at the helm and you couldn’t expect anybody better. Chadwick Boseman reprises his role of T’Challa from ‘Captain America : Civil War’ and he is that ardent do-gooder in the skin of the righteous superhero, Black Panther. He is to be crowned as the new king of Waka...

Notting Hill (1999) – rating (4/5) Cast : Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts, Rhys Ifans, Hugh Bonneville Directed by Roger Michell Written by Richard Curtis Review by Zulfiqar             Notting Hill is an ultimate romantic fantasy epitomized. What could be more unbelievable and more jubilant than a famous showbiz icon, whom you have a severe crush on, falling in love with you? We never are explained how much William Thacker (Hugh Grant), a small travel bookshop owner, idolizes Anna Scott (Julia Roberts), the famous movie actress around the globe. But we know in the way William behaves around her that he indeed is crazy about her.             But director Roger Michell spices things up by explaining the two characters in the lines we couldn’t comprehend. William isn’t that idiotic fan who cries or jumps around seeing the actress and telling her, he is her ult...

Love Actually (2003) –   rating (4/5) Cast : Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Keira Knighley, Bill Nighy Written and Directed by Richard Curtis Review by Zulfiqar             Love comes in all forms. Love between parent and kids : between office colleagues : between persons of different cadres at a workspace : between agents and artistes : between spouses, who have lived a long time and had their romance numbed, only to be reignited by a May-September affair of a partner : between committed and non-committed : between people from rebound romances : between kids : bereavement passion. These are some of the things, ‘Love Actually’ covers in its 134 minutes of runtime.             Though it doesn’t aspire to glorify a single love story, the notion that love is formless and could come in any shape is what the movie d...

Coco (2017) Rating – 5/5 Starring : Gael Garcia Bernal, Anthony Gonzalez, Benjamin Bratt, Renee Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguia Directed by Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina Story by Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina, Matthew Aldrich, Jason Katz Music by Michael Giacchino Review by Zulfiqar There is dearth of superlatives while explaining a film like ‘Coco’. Just take out the checkbox for essentials which makes it a great movie (not just great animation) and it ticks every square. It a measure of the finest animation work happening in Hollywood and undoubtedly Pixar soars highest among its rivals. A tidbit about the film, I have stumbled upon recently, and it left me astonished as to the excellence of achievements in the accuracy of the details. The strums which are played on the guitar in a song by a character match the specific notes, of that particular tone. It could have been ignored in the flurry of sketches, but Pixar doesn’t take the easy path. Its hues are taken from th...

Ferdinand (2017) Starring – John Cena, Kate McKinnon, David Tennant, Peyton Manning Directed by Carlos Saldanha Story by Ron Burch, David Kidd, Don Rhymer Based on the Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson’s illustrated book Ferdinand Rating – 3.5/5 Review by Zulfiqar             Colliding head on with Coco in the oscar nomination of 2018 for best animation is Ferdinand. Though it is a mammoth climb for it to scale the Mexican themed animation epic, Ferdinand has its heart at the right place. The movie’s Achilles heel, however, lies in its prosaic first half. It has a very moderate pace in the first half, not your zapping you out of your zone – type of style.             Based on Munro Leaf’s 1936 illustrated novel, Ferdinand is the story of a bull, who against his mammoth size prefers smelling flowers rather than be the center of attraction in a bullfighting...

Mudbound (2017) Rating – 3.5/5 Starring Jonathan Banks, Mary J Blige, Garett Hedlund, Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke Directed by Dee Rees Review by Zulfiqar             The whole essence of Mudbound lies in its quaint atmosphere of 1940s America, which is seeped in its global war turmoil as much as in its racial politics. Dee Rees’ employs multi-pronged narration coming from various characters of the story. The narration is somber, meditative and rarely incisive.             McAllan family has father, Pappy (Jonathan Banks), and his sons, Henry and Jamie (Garett Hedlund). While Jamie enlists in the war, the more simpleton Henry settles at a farm with his wife and kids and his father. The black Jackson family head, Hap is their tenant help. He and his family works on the farm. Their eldest son Ronsel is serving as tank commander in Europe. Pappy is downright ...

The day of the Jackal (1973) Review rating – 5/5 Directed by Fred Zinnemann Starring Edward Fox, Michael Lonsdale Review by Zulfiqar             In 1974 Oscars, this great movie lost in the best editing category to another wonderful flick, the Sting. But I would definitely at any rate vote for Ralph Kampien on his stupendous work for this Frederick Forsyth’s novel adaptation. Mention should also be made of Kenneth Ross, who did an absolute fine screenplay. The movie has a no-nonsense tone in it with a documentary style visual narration. Critics may look at the main things like story and performances for its strength. And they are absolutely spot on, no qualms about that. But for me, the real raw energy of the movie lies in its small things like the fine inner workings of both the governments, British and French. The diplomatic wings and also the inner ministerial circle of the defence structure have a rea...

Jumanji : return to the jungle (2017) Rating : 2.5/5 Cast : Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillen Directed by Jake Kasdan Review by Zulfiqar             Watching the latest reincarnation of the 1995 classic children’s fantasy movie, Jumanji, I couldn’t help but marvel at the brevity of the earlier version by 16 minutes and how it had in such a limited duration crammed not only a great deal of story and action but also a lovable atmosphere, which differentiates it from other children’s stories.             Despite being quarter an hour long, Jumanji : return to the jungle fails in terms of convincing the audience, novelty of its plot and a special aura of its own. The movie’s saving grace is its cast and their quirky humor timing convincingly tries to overcome its shortcomings. But it is hard for a movie critic, albeit an amateur, to just...