Meenakshi Rao's Bollywood and Hollywood movie reviews

Voiceovers: Craig T Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, Samuel L Jackson Rated: 6.5/10 When you are with the Incredibles 2, you are on a ride of no return. Fast, groovy, determined and full of never say die spirit, the super-duper family — now of five with the addition of a laser-empowered electrical toddler with hidden powers — is definitely the film of the week. Taking off from the very popular first edition 14 years ago, No 2 is no less and a lot more. Papa Incredible takes a back seat here, or should we say is forced to baby sit, while Momma Elastigirl takes on the baddies in her campaign to have the “illegals” tag removed from super gifted community of her sort. That’s of course is another thing altogether that the earnest Elastigirl is ably conned by a derisive geek (looks and sounds so much like Angelina Jolie) whose brother invites her to join and propel the campaign. The movie rolls in laughter as much as it does on action. The toddler is oh-so-cute ev...

*ing: Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd, Gabriel Byrne Rated: 5/10 There are very few movies that do justice to the horror genre, especially after Hollywood started churning them out like nobody’s business. Losing the plot on the way, the directors have turned gory rather than come up with plots that can send a chill down your spine. But once in a while, it does manage to scare the jeebies out of you and the latest unholy offering, Hereditary is  adequately scary, thanks to the efforts of first-time feature filmmaker Ari Aster. Toni Collette, who plays Annie Graham — a wife, mother of two  and a miniature artist who builds replica of houses and hospitals that are not only odd and but so detailed and they are creepy. The good part is that as horrors go, this one is great filmmaking wise. Creepy, strange and horrific things happen, and continue to happen for most of the film. Also, the storyline is altogether different and one keeps wondering where t...

*ing: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, Justice Smith, Daniella Pineda, James Cromwell, Toby Jones Rated: 6/10 The dinosaurs are back with their innate bigness, fury, ferocity and cluck-cluck inelegance, this time in the expert hands of director JA Bayona. The Jurassic franchise, ever since it overturned the cinematic perception of big canvas, jaw-dropping cinema by bringing in these extinct species through the lens eye of Steven Spielberg, has continuously recreated itself with more action and apocalyptic leanings than the previous editions. This one, too, travels back to the scenic and remote volcanic island of Isla Nublar off the Costa Rican coast, but with a total extinction storyline that brings in a lot more emotions for the 11 species of dinosaurs who are all being left to burn up as the world stands and watches with unhesitant Government sanction. The story unravels on much the same grounds with victims, saviour, conspiracy, a grandly dirty genetic proje...

*ing : Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar, Shikha Talsania, Sumeet Vyas Rated : 8/10 This bold and beautiful womance is the first refreshing foray of Bollywood into real-time female bonding, friendships and relationships. The fact that it does so without being coy, adds to the sheen of this breezy film where everyday life of four youthful women unfolds with fun and laughter. The film comes with an adult tag and despite that there are a lots of beeps amid conversations which make it an interesting first in many ways. The sex talk flows without veneers and is still never over the top but reality stung. Many would identify, though still not acknowledge, that in their growing years they did talk similar with pals, whatever tier of cities they may have come from. Yes, there may not have been swish girlie therapy holidays at the end of it, like the Phuket binge the four friends have after Kalinidi (Kareena Kapoor Khan) breaks her very Punjabi wedding almost at t...

*ing:  Jimmy Sheirgill, Shriya Saran, Kay Kay Menon, Pankaj Tripathi, Jackie Shroff, Mahie Gill Rated : 2/10 The Chambal ravines and their mori-mora wild west culture with guns and no roses is what this unrequired film is all about — in a sense it is about nothing but violence flowing from the barrel of the gun, a land where women are picked up, raped and killed without a blink. Jimmy Sherigill as the good boy and Kay Kay as the mean cat-eyed and kohl lined gunda do a great job in a film which will sadly have no takers. But Pankaj Tripathi as the oversexed politician with no scruples when it comes to any woman, takes the cake in the film. Unfortunately you wonder why such a film is made and what could have drawn stars like Jackie Shroff and Mahi Gill to grace this otherwise unhappening film.  Source: The Pioneer, 3 June, 2018