Goosebumps is a film directed by Rob Letterman. back in 2015, when I watched the film I liked it. It made me remember the Goosebumps series that I had watched back in the 90's. So I decided to watch it again in order to write it a review. I again felt the same.

Plot: RL Stine teams up with a group of tenagers to stop his monsters from creating havoc in the town of Madison.

Story and direction: I haven't read the Gossebumps books, but still I can say that this was an enjoyable film. The comedy was spot on. I chucked on most of the jokes that were cracked. Also most of the characters were quite likable> we get to see the kinds of similarities that both Rl Stine and Zach face. LAos dealt with quite greatly is the mother-son dynamic between Zach and his mother. I hope that aspect would have been explored more. The creatures wre quite entertaining in their own way. But sometimes while watching I felt that there was a big VFX creature being watched. The VFX was very superficial in some places that irritated me a lot. Also I felt that I didn't have so many memorable moments in the film that would make the film last long in my mind.

Performances: Jack Black once again stole the show for me. He nailed it as R L Stine. HIs voice work as Slappy and the Invisible Boy were on point. Dylan Minette was great too. Same can be said for Odeya Rush and Ryan Lee. Why was Jillian Bell taken also is not yet understood by me. Both the actors who portrayed police officers were also OK. I hoped that Amy Ryan get more screen time. It was good to see RL Stine (the original Goosebumps author) get a screen time.

Favorite Scene: It would be the scene depicting the small conversation between Zach and R L Stine to depict how similar they are. That scene touched me a bit.

Verdict: Goosebumps is a very enjoyable film. Don't keep any expectations while watching the film. Keep a free mind while watching this venture, you will surely be entertained by it.

I am going with a 7.5/10.

Little Miss Sunshine is a film directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. I had heard of this film once from my friend who would go on praising the film. Yesterday night when I had nothing to see my sister suddenly decided to see this. After the film finished, I was just flabbergasted.

Plot: A road trip is taken by the Hoover family from Albuquerque to Los Angeles to attend the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant for their young daughter, Olive.

Story and direction: The film has a very simple story but yet its heart is in the right place. Although the film revolves around only 6 characters, but yet they are so varied. I felt an instant connection with all the characters. The pace of the story is good also. Never do you feel a dull moment. It's comedy which is in bits and pieces also works. Kudos to Micheal Arndt for the wonderful writing. Considering the budget in which the film was made, the result is awesome. The troubles and ways to get out of those troubles with a smile is perfectly shown in this film. The film gives the perfect message that whatever happens, just never give up. The film had such authenticity in its feel which is what attracted me even more to the film.

Performances: Greg Kinnear was great. Toni Collette was awesome too. I didn't know Steve Carell was such a talented actor. He nailed this role. Paul Dano was awesome too. Alan Arkin was exceelent as the foul mouthed elderly member. Abigail Breslin was good too. My heart went out for her. It was good to see Bryan Cranston and Dean Norris although they have roles in only one scene.

Favorite Scene: The scene where Olive doubts about her position in the competition and then Edwin instills confidence in her was my favorite scene. This particular scene perfectly defined the main theme that the film was going for.

Verdict: This 101 minute ride is worth the watch. This again goes to prove that with the right talent and the right script, the film can work wonders. It's a must watch for those who feel they haven't achieved anything in life.

It gets a well deserved 10/10.

Captain America - Civil War is a film directed by Russo Brothers. Back in 2016, watching the trailer excited me. But due to some reasons, I couldn't watch it in the cinema. Finally, when I watched it at home, I felt so bad for not watching this film in the cinemas. But still I was satisfied since I got the best that MCU had to offer.

Plot: Due to recent events, the Avengers are divided into 2 factions over an Accord that would oversee the Avengers' activities.

Story and direction: Russo Brothers nailed it when it came to The Winter Soldier. They opened so new dimensions to Captain America and MCU that I couldn't think of. So when announced that they would be returning for the third installment, I was overjoyed. The story encompasses all the events that have happened in the past eight years. The theme dealt with in the film regarding those who still suffer while the Avengers win, so gets attached with you. This is what instantly got me connected. Also we get the MCU dose of entertainment which never is off. The characters, even the new ones although minimal in their roles get their due importance in this film. You can understand as to why a person makes such a decision. Same can be said for the villain too. As usual, production design and VFX are top-notch. Never does it feel artificial, it feels so natural. The action sequences are jaw-dropping. Many people complained of shaky cam been quite often used, but I didn't notice any. Henry Jackman's score is awesome to hear especially during the Bucky-Cap-T'Challa chase scene and the climax in Siberia. I couldn't fault this film even in a single bit even in my 5th viewing of this film.

Performances: Chris Evans is again on par excellence as Captain America. Robert Downey Jr I guess delivered his best performance as Iron Man/Tony Stark. A special mention to Sebastian Stan for wonderfully carrying the role of Bucky Barnes. Same goes for Anthony Mackie. Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Jeremy Renner and Scarlett Johansson were alos great in their appearances. I missed Hayley Atwell in this film a lot. Emily VanCamp was great. Chadwick Boseman looked promising and can't wait for his solo venture. It was good to see William Hurt Back. Daniel Bruhl also was impressive. Paul Rudd reminded me again why he is perfect Ant-Man. Finally, Tom Holland. It's a Spider-Man that I have been waiting for years. Than you MCU for giving us the Spidey we love to see.

Favorite Scene: When it comes to this many will say the Airport fight or the climatic battle in Siberia. But those are action scenes. Not that I am saying they are not great, but those don't count for me as a favorite scene. My favorite one would be the one-on-one Stark has with Peter Parker as to why he (Peter) gets up every morning. That scene impressed me a lot because of what Stark makes Peter realise in the scene.

Verdict: Civil War is definitely the best that MCU has us to offer. The Russo Brothers again did it. They had a difficult task of handling an ensemble cast and they came out victorious. Can't wait for their Infinity War.

I give it deserved 10/10.

Hook is a film directed by Steven Spielberg. I read about the film some time ago and critics especially had trashed the film for not being upto Speilberg's standard. But watching the film last night on TV, I found it quite good.

Plot: Peter Pan, now, Peter Banning has to return to Neverland when his arch-nemesis James Hook kidnaps his kids.

Story and direction: I Have always loved Spielberg and his films. He is quite a genius when it comes to film-making. Give him any kind of film, dark or light, in tone, he will deliver it. So I was curious to find what the hell went wrong with this film. First, lets see the positives. I liked the father-son relationship that is shown in the film. A son always has some expectations from his father and when those not fulfilled the son is disappointed. Also the working environment in present days where you get no time to breathe and no time for your family is very well shown. Then we have the scenes from Neverland. Most of the scenes especially with the Lost Boys were awesome. I chucked each and every moment in those scenes. And finally, the battle between Pan and Hook. That was the kind of battle you want to see in a swashbuckling film (although at some places it felt like Star Wars' lightsaber battles). John Williams' score was awesome too. Now for the negatives, the production design of the film felt very poor. The sets actually felt like large giant sets constructed. Then it would be the interaction betwen Peter Pan and Tinker Bell just before the finale. I mean that actually made no sense. And also, Hook's ultimate fate with the crocodile. I didn't get that also. Also the interest in the film during the first hour was on and off. Also as a character I felt the villains were given nothing much to do.

Performances: Robin Willaims was great from the scared and taget driven Peter Banning to the child-like Peter Pan. Dustin Hoffman was good too, but he wasn't actually given much to do. Julia Roberts was also excellent. The Lost Boys especially Rufio and Thud Ball were awesome. Bob Hoskins was OK. Maggie Smith was great in her role. So as Caroline Goodall.

Favorite Scene: It would be the food eating scene where everyone just starts eating and Peter begins to wonder where the hell is the food. And suddenly he lets his imagination go wild and sees food in front of him. My mouth watered seeing the scene. And the subsequent scene, where there is a war od words between Rufio and Peter. That was hilarious.

Verdict: Hook is an enjoyable film. I had a great time with it. Yes, it has some issues regarding themes, characters and some random scenes, but it is still very entertaining.

I am going with an 8/10.

Coco is a film co-written and directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina. The instant I saw the trailer of this film, I knew it will be the best for 2017's animated films. And seeing a film after a very long wait proved that I was right.

Plot: Migues, an aspiring musician, reaches the Land of the Dead by accidently playing the deceased Ernesto de la Cruz's guitar.

Story and direction: Pixar for me is the animation company that not only provided some great characters and films, but also with each film gives something that latches on to you for the rest of your life. That in Coco is the theme. Its the importance of family that takes prime importance in the story. This theme is so well crafted in the story. Then the animation. I was mesmerized by the kind of animation this film had especially the designs for the land of the dead. It felt like I was travelling through that place. It felt very live-like. I might be wrong about this fact but I have never seen Spanish culture so very correctly depicted in any film. It respected the culture and showed the culture in its various colors. The songs and background score by Micheal Giacchino were awesome. It further enriched the Spanish culture. But this film had a tiny little fault. I felt that in some places the film took a route that was seen before in many films.

Favorite Scene: it would be the scene where Miguel tries to play the guitar while seeing a music video of Ernesto de la Cruz on TV. The passion and love that Miguel has for music is clearly visible in this particular scene.

Verdict: Pixar again proves why it is the best when it comes to animated films. This film will be remembered for a long time in the minds of people. Watch this film certainly, it has a lot of entertaining and emotional value that will be woven into your hearts forever.

I am going with a 9/10.

Spy Kids 2 is a film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. AS I had seen the first Spy Kids film, I decided to give this film also a go, but with much lesser expectations. And what we get is the same mismash of the first film.

Plot: It is upto OSS agents Carmen and Juni to recover a Transmooker device from a mysterious island.

Story and direction: As usual, there is nothing much interesting to the story. BUt the way Robert decides to go with the story is very conventional. He follows the same old route that he followed with the first film. Even we have some new characters that are added to this venture, but none of them seem very likable. That may be because Robert Rodriguesz liked to do everything in the film but doesn't excel in any part. Although the visual effects are a wee bit better than the first film, but still it is a pain to the eyes considering the film's that came before this one employed much better VFX. And the implausibilties are so much that you cringe in almost every scene at the stupidity that happens. I am not saying that I have a problem with stupidity. But there is always a way to make it presentable, where this film fails the most.

Performances: Alexa Vega and Carla Juni were again adorable as the Spy Kids agents. Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino were likable. Why were Alan Cummin and Tony Shalhoub asked to return for this, is still not understandable to me. Danny Trejo is will be always rememberede as Machete. The other rival kids were kind of irritating. I don't know whether it was their acting or characterization, I hated them.

Verdict: Stepping down from the first film, Spy Kidfs 2 was not a great watch for me. I kept seeing my watch as to when this film will be over. Again this film will bring some smiles on the kids' faces, but nothing for teenagers or adults.

I am going with a 4/10.

Ittefaq is a film directed by Yash Chopra. The film caught my attention as a remake was being produced in 2017 of the same name. Researching the film, I decided that I had to watch it. And after watching it I can say that I liked the film a lot.

Plot: Dilip Roy seeks shelter in Rekha's house after escaping a mental asylum. But Rekha too has secrets of her own.

Story and direction: The film being a remake comes as no surprise to me. But still for pulling of this kind of film requires guts. Releasing in an era where romance dominated and films had songs that were hummable is quite a challenge. But this film stood by every means. We get greatly woven characters and story. Which is what anyone wants in a film. You care for each and very character that is present on the screen. I remember being on the edge of the seat every minute. Being 105 minutes, the film utilized mostly every minute. And the editing is so great. It feels like the film took place in one shot. But this film has its share of flaws. Somewhere after 40 minutes have passed, the next 20 minutes have nothing much to offer. I felt bores during that time. But then the film gets a rise and again my interest for the film piqued. The background score wasn't much interesting too. It employed some strange sounds and music which was just noise to my years. Considering Salil Choudhary's calibre that wasn't expected.

Performances: Nanda was impressed. Her variations in her character clearly reflected in her acting. Rajesh Khanna again proved no matter what the role he can master it. Iftekhar and Bindu too provided some great support. Sujit Kumar was good too.

Favorite Scene: The scene where Dilip tells Rekha that we can live together in this world without any anger or hate. The way in which Rajesh Khanna said the dialogue and the setting made me attract towars this scene.

Verdict: Although with a few hiccups. Ittefaq is quite a decent watch. Considering the time in which it was made it is quite good. Yash Chopra still proved that why we still consider him as one of the great directors.

I am going with an 8.5/10.

Paddington 2 is a film co-written and directed by Paul King. I remember watching the first part back in 2014 and loving this film. And so, when I heard about a second film, I was very much excited. The trailers too looked great. And finally after waiting for a long time for the film and seeing it, I can say that I was rejoiced by this film.

Plot: Paddington decides to gift Aunt Lucy a pop-up book about London. But before that, he gets arrested and is framed for stealing the book. Can he and the Brown's prove his innocence?

Story and direction: Like the first part, the film respected the Paddington character and the world. This is what I liked about this film. Normally, the films that are in franchises do tend to repeat the same things that made the first film a success, thus having a dip in quality. But that is not the case with this venture. Paul KIng exactly knows his audience and treats it in the same way. The characters never feel diluted and the story is very engaging. It also never makes it too 'for kids'. It is a film that can be very well enjoyed by adults too. The VFX of Paddington's character once again stands out. Never was a moment I felt that it is a CGI-ed character that is being booked at. The film shows London in a way that I guess no other film has showed. But this film too has its issues. Somewhere along the film, do you feel the implausibilties of the situation. Being a person who watches a lot of films, that interrupted the fun a few times.

Performances: Hugh Bonneville was great once again. Sally Hawkins was top-notch. Peter Calpadi was good too, although his role was lesser as compared to the first part. Brendan Gleeson was also good in the film and I want to see what this character has to offer us (If there is a 3rd film). Hugh Grant was also excellent as the film's villain. He provided a kind of ege to his charactyer. Finally, Ben Winshaw is great in his voice work.

Favorite Scene: The scene where Mr. Gruber show Paddington the pop-up book and Paddington imagines about showing his London to Aunt Lucy. The innovative-ness of the scene is what impressed me about this particular scene.

Verdict: This bear is lovable to watch. If there will be a third film, I hope it can match to the greatness the first two have gotten to. My preference would be this part than to the first because this film showed Paddington more than just a bear.

I am going with a 9/10.

Baahubali – The Beginning is a film co-written and directed by S S Rajamouli. As I remember watching the trailer about 3 years ago, I could go on praising the grandeur of the film. And I watched the film back then and couldn’t stop praising it. Watching it again after a long time, made me feel nostalgic.

Plot: Shivudu’s life changes after he meets Avanthika

Story and direction: I still don’t think that there is nothing that is quite great with the story. It is a mishmash of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Anyone watching it will know what I am talking about. But the way S S Rajamouli has taken what we know and incorporated into the world of Mahismati is incredible. The story also doesn’t provide you all the information at once. It keeps the mystery so that the audience stay intrigued and interested. You can see the hard work that has gone into the making of this magnum-opus. I can go on praising the Mahismati kingdom. The characters are also varied and interesting. You can care for each character that is in the film. The stunt sequences are also great and look very much real (quite rare in South Indian cinema). But everything has faults and so does this one. I felt the romantic track was added just to bring the audience to the theatres. It just added to the runtime and nothing substantial was there in that. Also the VFX was OK. In some scenes, you can just guess that green/blue screen was used. Also the editing is not crisp. Characters happen to just pop up at some places. Some scenes also never made sense.

Performances: Prabhas stole the show. His dual roles as Babhubali and Shivudu were impressive. Rana Daggubati was great too. The stern and angered looks were nicely carried by him. Sathyaraj was impressive as Katappa. Nassar looked cruel as Bijjalaeva. Ramya Krishnan was beyond praise as Sivagami. Tamannah Bhatia was eye-candy for me. Anushka Shetty was also good in the role provided.

Music: Very rarely I do love South Indian music. M M Keeravani delivers some great songs and an impressive background score. Although I liked each and every song of the film, ‘Dheevera’ was the one that impressed me the most.

Favorite Scene: The scene just before the interval where Shivudu helps in the installation of the golden statue of Bhallaladeva. When one person happens to see Shivudu and says ‘Baahubali’ and everyone just repeat the same, the energy they get helps in the installation of the statue. The sheer grandness and respect for Baahubali the people have inspired me a lot.

Verdict: Even with its faults and some stupidity, Baahubali is an enjoyable experience. I was never bored even for a milli-second.
I am going with an 8/10.

Golmaal Again is a film directed by Rohit Shetty. The trailers for this film didn’t excite me as I knew that it was going to be the same thing repeated all over again. And that is what I exactly got.

Plot: Gopal and his friends go to Jamnadas orphanage when its owner dies and discover something that changes their lives.

Story and direction: Knowing what Rohit Shetty has done in the past, I didn’t keep my expectations high. The film starts off quite nicely. But as it progresses, I felt that it is the same thing all over again. When will filmmakers understand that the audience is evolving? I know that there is a section of audiences who love such films. But there is a limit. Comedy means to go slapstick for some people, which this film is all about. When the interval showed that there is some scope of improvement, again we go right back to square one. The film could have been so much better, but they wanted to go the conventional route. The film is 150 minutes long which could have been over in like 2 hours. The VFX were not up to the mark. But there was some good in this film. The cinematography and production design were not compromised. It looked very gigantic and huge. Also looked colourful, this is not a pain to the eye. We can doubt Rohit’s directorial abilities but when it comes to action I can salute him. The way he directs those scenes are great.

Performances: I still don’t understand what does Ajay Devgn get doing these kind of films. Arshad Warsi, Shreyas Talpade and Kunal Khemu basically do nothing here. Tusshar Kapoor is doing what he does best. Tabu is totally wasted. Parineeti Chopra has nothing to do except standing as a statue in most of the scenes. Prakash Raj was very bad. Johnny Lever wasn’t also used considering the potential he has. Same can be said for Sanjay Mishra.

Music: I don’t think that there was even a shred of some sensible music in this film. Even 5 music directors couldn’t come up with one single great track.

Verdict: The basic idea for this film to be made was to cash in on Ajay-Rohit team popularity. I still think nothing can beat the first Golmaal. But still, I can say that this is a one-time watch.

I am going with a 5/10.