Introduction

This is the post excerpt.

July Must-See

As promised I will be reviewing (ranting) about The Incredibles 2 and how it was in short INCREDIBLE. Don’t hate me for the pun, its not my review without it.

Firstly, what was amazing about this film is that the sequel actually picks up from where it left off. There was no fast forwarding to 14 years late. It begins with the crappy excuse of a villain ‘The Underminer” (*spoilers ahead, although shame on you for not seeing it yet*), who manages to get-away making supers look bad.

Unlike last time, where the focus was on Mr Incredible, we get to see Helen (aka Elastic Girl) really materialise as a character. Now, its clear that times have changed and female driven films have become a thing, but its the first time I’ve seen an animated female character look truly bad-ass. It was also nice to see ‘Bob’ (Mr Incredible) take on the role of supporting house husband, who was enthusiastic to help Helen live her dreams and to be the bread-winner for the family. I think this was a great message to our younger generations and to the older ones. So, I am officially grateful to be part of 2018.

We also see the quirky and witty Violet and Dash back with their shenanigans. Violet is trying to deal with her crush on a boy at school and Dash well is still being Dash. I am so glad that we were able to see Dash and Violet coming to save their parents again, it was a nice throwback to the first film. Audiences also get to see Jack-Jack unveil his array of super powers, which for the most part had the audiences rolling on the floor with laughter. Well, I did anyway.

There is an infamous scene which must be discussed, where Mr Incredible has taken Violet and Dash to a restaurant in order for Violet to meet her school crush. Unfortunately for Violet, she ends up spitting out water through her nose and I don’t think I’ve seen so many people belly-laugh in a cinema before.

Edna also makes a return as ‘Aunty Edna’ for Jack-Jack. This duo was iconic and I hope that there are plans for Edna having her own spinoff movie/TV-Show, the woman is a legend.

The plot centres around The Incredibles family being roped in by a telecommunications company who wants to help superheroes become legal again. So, the idea is to showcase superheroes in the best possible light by filming their hard work to show their towns what they are doing for their citizens. Things go a bit haywire when it is revealed that the main villain ‘Screenslaver’ seems to be an invention from the telecommunications company that hired ‘Elastic Girl’. So, its up to the Incredibles to save the future of superheroes.

My only criticism is that I do wish there was some more screen time given to the kids, especially when they save their parents. Then again, we’d be here all year if they added in everything we wanted.

 

IMDB:8.1/10

My rating: 9.5/10

My rant is over, but if it takes another 14 years to make another Incredibles movie, I actually think its worth the wait.

ciao,

Nimrat

June Trio

Okay, so I haven’t fallen off the face of the planet…yet. I have just been uber busy with my crazy lifestyle (watching movies and more movies). In all honesty, I’ve graduated university (hurrah!) and I am kind of still coming to terms with being an adult. So I’m behind on my posts and I plan to catch up with being a semi-efficient productive 21 year old (*employee of the month tagline insert here*). I’ve come up with three movies I think you should have seen in June…

1.  Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

We were all expecting the sequel to be a flop, but boy were we wrong. This was an excellent sequel. I think it was a great to see the aftermath of the first Jurassic World and I’m glad they brought back Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard for it. They’re a great duo onscreen and I actually liked that their whole love story was a mystery even to the characters themselves and we don’t lose sight of the real story here. Saving the dinosaurs. Although in places, some scenes were dragged, I do feel the film entertained audiences from start to finish. I am also glad my favourite dinosaur Blue made a reappearance, but a little sad that the funny kids from the last one didn’t. Do go and see this movie, if you like dinosaurs, Chris Pratt and action, this is your movie.

IMDB: 6.5/10

My rating: 7/10

 

2. The Incredibles

This is my favourite animated film series hands down. Its witty without trying to be and you love every character in this film, which I feel is a rarity in film-making. I’ve included this in my June trio because Incredibles 2 came out in July, so you need to see the first one before you see the second one, otherwise all the jokes are lost on you in the sequel. The Incredibles is about a family of superheroes who are in hiding for the most part, but evils in the world force them to take superhero action. Now, this is not some average superhero film, this is a bad ass film, where this family can really kick some ass. My personal favourite character is Edna because I think she was her own superhero and it made me love her more (go see it and you’ll agree). This family doesn’t need capes because they really are that incredible (the worst pun ever, don’t worry I am aware).

IMDB: 8/10

My rating: 10/10

 

3. Raazi

I don’t usually give many international films any sort of honourable mentions, but in this case I must. Raazi is about an Indian spy (Alia Bhatt) who marries a Pakistani man (Vicky Kaushal) during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971. The plot is pretty straightforward, but the film is something else. I have always viewed spies like the flashy macho ones in James Bond, but you really see what lengths spies in the past went through in order to obtain information. They gave up their lives and for the most part they never get any credit for it. They’re seen as rats or snitches, but in fact they are the reason you’re country has progressed, won wars or has remained powerful. This movie really was a thank you letter not only to Indian spies, but to those who silently served their country. Not only is this a female driven film, which also gave a great spotlight on the immense international female talent we have, but also how a spy never really lives one life. Even if you don’t understand Hindi, you will understand this film and it will touch your soul in some way (it did for me). There are subtitles, so no excuses, we can all read.

 

IMDB: 7.9/10

My rating: 8.5/10

That’s my june trio, sorry for it being so late, I will try to be more organised as this new better adult version of myself.

My next post will be a rant on how the sequel to the Incredibles was an animation masterpiece because I am not an adult and the jokes on you for believing in what I said above. Ha!

toodles,

Nimrat

 

May Not See

So, this is a film I believe is completely overrated and terrible. Red Sparrow.

Now, usually when I hear the words Jennifer Lawrence, I do image an Oscar, but in this case what I am viewing is a garbage bin. This film has definitely been a movie that wasn’t sure what it was. I don’t think any of us did. Most of the movie was spent hiding in your friends shoulder whilst a penis was being skinned because that was seen as a good way to torture someone. It did the job, definitely scarred me for life.

Throughout the film, I was pretty shocked with the level of violence, nudity and gore in the film. Was it all necessary? No. Did I need to see a mutilated body in the bath tub? No. Did I need to see J-Law sit on a desk and ask a guy to fuck her? No. Did I need to see a brutal near rape scene? Most definitely not.

So I guess the inevitable question is, did I need to see this movie? Hell no.

Even though, the plot on paper may have actually been praise-worthy, the execution was poor and if anything played on shock factor than well-thought out scenes.

Spoiler alert: if you’re a wimp like me about blood, you’re better waiting for Incredibles 2 to hit the cinemas.

The chemistry between Lawrence and Edgerton is as sexy as watching a grandma put on a bikini. The duo were boring in a supposed sexy, spy thriller and even Lawrence in a cut out swimsuit didn’t seem to bring a smile to Edgerton’s face in the film. The casting was completely wrong and seemed like Hunger Game’s director Francis Lawrence, had taken the Hunger Games franchise to Russia and replaced the dreamy Liam Hemsworth with an ogre and expressionless look alike.

The plot was never made clear and was dragged out, I had never felt so relieved to leave a cinema hall. It felt like an ordeal rather than a few hours to escape. The film was supposed to fit the genre of spy and female empowered film, but turns out to be some raunchy thriller, where Lawrence seems to be playing the role of eye candy rather than a kick ass spy.

Needless to say a disappointing film with a much too high IMDb score for me to digest.

IMDb: 6.6/10

My rating: 4/10

see you in a better movie,

Nimrat

April Must-Sees

I’m a bit late to the party, but no fear, my exams are over and so I’ve managed to obtain something that resembles my life. Here are 5 films that probably helped you get through the Easter.

1. A Quiet Place

This small budget horror/thriller surprised critics and the audience by becoming a box office hit. This was John Krasinski’s directorial debut, usually known for his acting, critics would have been skeptical with an actor become director film. However, AQP proves us wrong and keeps us on the edge of our seats. A unique concept, where a family must make no noise to avoid being killed by the monsters that have taken over (if they hear you, they hunt you). It really is a film like no other, hearing the sounds of everything, from walking to the sound of the wind is completely unnerving. It’s a film not to be missed.

My rating: 7.5/10

IMDb: 8/10

 

2. Sing Street

This is honestly one of the best musical comedies of all time. It’s an unexpectedly great film to watch with light humour and an absolute love for music. Taking you back to the 80s where music still had a chance, this film will make you all kinds of ‘happy-sad’, but also laugh. The plot centres around Conor, a boy living in Dublin, who is moved from a private school to an inner city alternative, there he decides to form a band in order to impress a young model, who he is madly in love with. This coming of age film explores growing up in a new format through music and love for art, where anything and everything can be created if tried. I’ve seen Sing Street twice now and I’d see it again without getting bored.

My Rating: 8.5/10

IMDb: 8/10

 

3. Hindi Medium

Being a Bollywood lover myself, I’ve started to appreciate Bollywood films in recent years, especially with the kinds of films being made. I stumbled upon this gem in April and was pleasantly surprised with the genius of this movie. Class ranking in Indian society is always placed with the utmost importance, sending your child to the right school secures their future. So, in this film, new-money parents, Raj and Mita want their child to be educated from a well established school. However, their new-money status seems to be holding their child back and they move hell and earth to make sure their daughter is placed in the best school possible. However, through the various challenges faced, it becomes clear that school systems in India need readjusting and need to stop emphasising on class, but rather on merit. Irfan Khan is always incredible in every role he plays, especially as a doting father, but I can’t emphasise enough how good this movie is. Don’t know Hindi? No problem there’s subtitles.

My rating: 8/10

IMDb: 7.9/10

 

4. LOL

This is a major throwback to when Miley Cyrus was not twerking on Robin Thicke, but it’s still one of my favourite coming of age, feel good and cheesy films to watch. It just makes me want to get all my friends on a plane and run around Paris. It’s not the most critically acclaimed film, but it talks about first relationships, heart break and friendships all into one, something which was relatable to me back in 2012. If you’re like me who likes to do movie marathons or laugh through cheesy movies with your best friend, this is your movie.

My rating: 5.8/10

IMDb: 4.4/10

5. Game Night

I did not have high expectations for this movie at all, but the twists and turns paired with humour made for the film to be quite fantastic. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams make for a funny duo with an excellent script and for a light hearted action comedy this definitely entertained viewers. The film centres around a couple, Max and Annie (Bateman, McAdams), who host a weekly game night, but Max’s brother comes into town and decides to host a murder mystery party. However, the night turns chaotic and the murder mystery party becomes more than a mystery itself. If you’re looking for two hours of entertainment, this is a movie to take a date to, where he/she will wince while Annie takes a bullet out of Max’s arm. It’s a fake yawning and placing your arm over their shoulder kind of film.

My rating: 6.5/10

IMDb: 7.1/10

 

My next post will be May See and May Not See because I think I’m funny.

Anyway, till next time and hopefully that will be soon.

Nimrat x

 

 

 

 

 

March Must-Sees

It’s nearly Easter and that means unwrap the chocolate, drizzle it over some popcorn and get ready to feel happy, sad or both with this list of movies to shake up your March. There’s definitely a theme because all of them are coming of age movies perhaps because I am starting to miss the days where I didn’t have to think about being an adult. So, I guess March is my farewell to childhood and a greeting to adulthood. How depressing.

Here are my top 5 must-sees for March.

1. Love, Simon

I was lucky enough to preview this film before it was released in the UK (6th April 2018, keep your eyes peeled). This is hands down one of the best coming of age movies I have ever seen. I do not mean to exaggerate, but this film will make you cry, laugh and feel something. It aims to influence and tell a story that many production houses are afraid to tell.  A 17 year old boy named Simon Spier, who is a closeted teenager is still trying to figure out he’s going to tell the whole world he’s gay. He starts an email correspondence with another closeted teen at school, who calls himself ‘Blue.’ Through these emails, Simon learns a lot about himself and love, but also must keep one of his classmates happy in order to stop them from leaking his private emails with Blue. This movie is a romantic comedy that is actually funny, witty and exciting. Nothing was predictable, the casting was so true to what an actual american high school looks like. We also saw some familiar faces with Katherine Langford (Leah) playing Simon’s best friend and support system, but also Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel reprising their roles as hilarious parents. The leading man, Nick Robinson (Simon), finally was able to play a leading role for a major picture house and excelled in every sense of the word. Go see this movie.

 

2. Lady Bird

I knew that this movie would be brilliant not only because it was an A24 production, but Saiorse Ronan was in it and anything she touches is gold. A worthy oscar nominated film and another tragically true coming of age story, where Christine known as ‘Lady Bird’ is navigating through a turbulent relationship with her mother (Laura Metcalfe) during her senior year. Her ambition is to leave Sacramento and end up in college in New York. Lady Bird is the teenager we’ve all wanted to be, but too scared to fully allow ourselves to be. It’s definitely worth a watch, if anything to credit Ronan’s performance in Greta Gerwig”s masterpiece of a female directorial debut.

 

3. The Kings of Summer

After being swept away by Nick Robinson’s performance in Love, Simon; I found another feel good coming of age movie. The Kings of Summer is the indie coming of age drama that only pleases with excellent performances from both Robinson (Joe) and Offerman (Joe’s dad). The plot is surprisingly brilliant, extremely simple, but brilliant. Three teenagers decide to escape their overbearing parents by building a house in the woods and living off the land. Even though this idea seems highly unsuccessful, the film shows that the teenagers are very outdoorsy and woodland lovers, something that is a rarity in the age of social media. The film was a refreshing take on family and friendship, but also you see three boys that grow into men by the end of the film. It’s all on Netflix, so you’re welcome.

 

4. Miss Stevens

Another directorial debut from Julia Hart, which was fantastic to see more women directing movies that are so heartfelt like this one. The film follows a teacher (Rabe) who chaperones three teenagers (Chalamet, Reinhart and Quintal) who are attending a drama competition. A stand out performance from my personal favourite Timothee Chalamet, particularly when he delivers a monologue as part of the drama competition that was executed with such heartwarming emotion, it’ll have you on the edge of your seat. Lily Rabe who plays Miss Stevens was also a revelation throughout this movie with her debut in a leading role. She stuns audiences with her quiet, but firm demeanour. If anything you’ll come out of this film wishing you got to go on a road trip with a teacher as cool as Miss Stevens.

 

5. Adventureland

A complete throwback to 9 years ago where Kristen Stewart was cast in every role where the girl was a little bit too cool and tom-boyish, but that made her more interesting. To be honest, I’ll watch anything with Jesse Eisenberg and Ryan Reynolds, but this film didn’t disappoint. James (Eisenberg) who finds out his parents can’t fund his trip around Europe (no surprise there) takes up a job at an amusement park ‘Adventureland’ to fund his trip. Here, he meets the beautiful Em (Stewart), who turns out to be having an affair with another worker. Its funny, witty and a charming film about relationships and discovery, you’ll come out of the film feeling either like you learned something or you just watched a pretty decent movie.

 

So, thats all the fun I have for now, I’ll be back with more reviews soon.

Kudos,

Nimrat

February Must-Sees

So, we’ve made it to February, the month of fewer days and a special day of love. I won’t bombard you with romantic comedies to fit the Valentines day niche, especially for those who are Netflix and chilling on the 14th. However, I will give you 5 must-see movies for this month with one romantic comedy for all those couples doing a Chinese take out and movie-in-bed on V-day.

1. The Fundamentals of Caring.  A writer, Ben (Paul Rudd, Ant Man) retires after losing his son and becomes a caregiver for a paralysed teen (Craig Roberts, Skins). They embark on a road trip and discover there is more to life than it seems. The brilliance of this film lies in the dynamic duo of Rudd and Roberts, who bring an endearing friendship come to life. If you like jokes about not being able to walk or pee standing up, then this might just fit the bill! It’s a light hearted drama, which will probably get a few chuckles out of you.

2. 99 Homes: Apart from Andrew Garfield’s incredible performance in Hacksaw Ridge, this is another movie where Garfield’s acting ability is put on display for all to admire. A desperate construction worker, Dennis Nash, (Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge) who has a child at a young age is struggling to make ends meet. He lives in a house with his mother and son, this house is owned by Rick Carver (Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road). Carver is a manipulative money-maker who makes money by evicting honest families from their homes. He rolls profit through manipulation of the government and banks, but manages to convince Dennis to work for him (Garfield) after he evicts him from his house, with the hope of fortune and a house for his evicted family. This leads to lies, theft and the man himself having to evict families like his own. A very different, but very real story to many working class families of the US, who will have faced similar issues, a low budget film, but worth watching.

3. Jack of the Red Hearts: Jack is a teenage girl (AnnaSophia Robb, Soul Surfer) who has lost her mother and is now battling her probation officer in order to take custody of her younger sister. As an eighteen year old she needs to get a job, a home and stick to the rules to make this happen. With a criminal record and not much money in her pocket she impersonates a child carer called ‘Donna’ in order to get the job she needs. What she doesn’t expect is to be taking care of an autistic child called Glory (Taylor Richardson). Nor does she expect to have feelings for her older brother (Israel Brussard, Bling Ring). Jack realises through this family the responsibility she has for her younger sister forms an unlikely bond with Glory. A tear jerker and emotional movie, great for those looking to spread love on Valentine’s day.

4. King Jack: a great coming of age story from director Felix Thompson (Lolotte), who is an enterprising director with a great eye for talent.  Jack (Charlie Plummer, All The Money In The World) has to look after his younger cousin (Cory Nichols, The Mend) who comes to visit as his mother is battling with cancer. Jack does not have many friends and is quite independent. He forms an unlikely brotherly bond with his younger cousin, but falls into the hands of cruel school bullies. He also meets a girl who seems to understand him and likes him, even though he has his eyes set on the popular girl in school.  I promise you it’s not as high school musical as it sounds and is definitely worth watching this month.

5. Brooklyn: Now, for all the couples cuddling up on the sofa, a great love story set in the backdrop of NYC, Brooklyn is your film. Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird), the three time oscar nominee does not fail to stun audiences with this international love affair. John Crowley (Boy A) takes us on a journey into history, where Eilis (Ronan) navigates her way through the 50s of bustling New York, with the promise of a better life all the way from Ireland. The initial homesickness is taken away by a deeply fulfilling romance with Tony, an Italian plummer (Emory Cohen, The Place Beyond The Pines). Brooklyn is a promise for tomorrow and a better future, but Eilis is stuck between a new found love and her home, where she has to choose where she really belongs. It’s not your typical love story, you’ll find yourself relating to the situation much more than one would expect.

So, those are the February must-sees! Let me know what movies you might add to this list!

Note: this is not a list for valentine’s day (:

A new review will be coming soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Nimrat

 

 

Monthly Must See

This is where I will post Monthly Must-Sees, which are films that may have not received the recongition they deserve, but are not necessarily films that are yet to be released or have come out this year. These films will be from all genres and all times.

So here is your 5 must-see films for January 2018.

1. The Journey Is The Destination: Ben Schnetzer makes his debut in the titular role of Dan Eldon, a photo journalist, who visits war torn Africa to report the tragedies occurring there. A very inspiring movie about passion, grief and emotion, a movie not to be underestimated in its artistic vision.

2. The Book Thief: Liesel, a young girl stuck in the conflict of WW2, is fostered by a German family to keep her safe, she meets a young jewish man (Schnetzer) called Max, who incites her love for reading. Again, another brilliant film, which movie-goers will appreciate the heart and history of this film as expected.

3. The Book of Henry: Released in 2017, this movie was very much not the expected box office hit, but in my eyes did not fail to entertain with the stellar performances from Naomi Watts (The Impossible), Jaedan Lieberher (IT) and Jacob Tremblay (Room). What starts out as a family friendly film turns into a darker and heartbreaking story about family.

4.Better Watch Out: This small budget film also released last year was a clear indication of the immense young talent present in Hollywood. Levi Miller was refreshingly brilliant in his role as the innocent 12 year old boy who is facing a home invasion, where things take a turn for the worst with the backdrop of ironic christmas songs.

5. The ZooKeeper’s Wife: One can never expect less from the beautifully talented Jessica Chastain (Molly’s Game), who has also received the Oscar nod this year with her role in Molly’s Game. Unsurprisingly, this period drama focuses on a couple who own a zoo and hide many jewish citizen during the war, where they were targeted by the Nazis. The unexpected heroes of this film make it an endearing film to watch, restoring some faith back into humanity.

 

Any more suggestions for 2018? Comment below!

Nimrat x

Call Me By Your Name

Transporting you back to 1983, Call Me By Your Name, is a love story like no other. Luca Guadagnino does not take you down Brokeback Mountain’s memory lane, but instead you get to be immersed into the beauty that is Italy.

Elio Perlman, an intelligent 17 year-old boy spends his day at his family’s picturesque villa in Lombardy, Italy. Elio, soon meets Oliver, a handsome, but older young man, who is spending the summer as an intern for his father. Over the course of the summer under the beautiful Italian sun, Elio and Oliver partake in a romance that is truly unforgettable.

It is important to note that this is not the male version of Blue is The Warmest Colour, even though I am sure that film was an inspiration to all the actors in CMBYN. Truthfully, I did not have great expectations for this film on arrival to the cinema, but was completely blown away by the revelation that is Timothee Chalamet. I really do wonder where this young Daniel Day Lewis look alike has been hiding. It is no surprise that he has received great acclaim for his outstanding performance as Elio,with a SAG,Golden Globe and Oscar nod; I am sure we have only tapped into the surface of an overnight star.

Oliver (Hammer, left) and Elio (Chalamet, right)

Another surprise came with his supporting costar Armie Hammer, who I had last seen in an adaptation of Snow White alongside Lily Collins, which was an unsurprisingly dull cinematic experience. Yet, his calm demeanour and genuine nature as Oliver, was mature and brave alongside Chalamet. Being the older man in the relationship did not make him fit the stereotypical dominant or controlling partner in the relationship, if anything he came across as a lost and found soul for Elio.

If you want to see a film about real love that does not include cheesy lines and a kiss in the rain, this is your movie. If you have an appreciation for all things Italian, this is also your movie. The movie is beautifully directed and the idyllic nature of Lombardy comes across on screen, making you want to book a flight to somewhere where the sky isn’t grey and full of clouds.

I was lost in awe watching the brilliance of this film, it was heartbreaking and truly set a high expectation for love.

Of course, one of the most talked about scenes in the movie is ‘the peach scene’. Personally, I was not taken aback during this scene, if anything it made sense that Elio was a curious young man, who was struggling with identifying with his sexuality. The heartbreak came when you see Elio break down as Oliver attempts to eat the peach that Elio has used, his break down of gratitude.

Just when I thought this tear jerking and heart wrenching love story had come to an end, I see Chalamet completely break down and emotionally face the love story he was part of in the final scene of the film, where the credits were rolling. I was shocked to see people leaving, when this was the scene, which I honestly felt made the whole movie a success. Not to mention the absolutely incredible soundtrack, which has also received recognition for its mastery. Nevertheless, I have ‘mystery of love‘ and ‘visions of Gideon’ on repeat and every time I am transported back to the heady Lombardy, where love truly does exist.

The only downside of this film is that I am not sure how much this film will appear to the wider public, but I urge you all to see this film! It’s a gift to humanity.

The downside? Armie Hammer is not up for an Oscar and Timothee Chalamet has yet to win one.

Rating: 9/10

kudos, see you at the movies.

Nimrat