New Delhi: The run-up to Salman Khan’s big Eid release Bharat sees few releases.
Nakkash starring Sharib Hashmi and Inaamulhaq directed by Zaigham Imam is an earnest and plodding plea for communal harmony, says Scroll. There isn’t enough raw material for a 125-minute movie, and the idea that humans are largely tolerant of each other until they are provoked by outside forces is as naive as it is hopeful. While the performances are mostly workmanlike, Mishra exudes authority as the priest who tries hard to restore Varanasi’s reputation for tolerance before it all went under.
Naughty Gang starring Mukesh Tiwari and Rashmi Mishra directed by Pankaj Kr Virat is bizarre and all over the place, says The Times Of India. The film is supposed to be a comedy but the writer-director has completely skipped the humour part of it and introduced a lot of cringe-worthy scenes instead. Despite the movie being a two hour 34 minute combination of scenes and sequences put together, Naughty Party leads up to nothing substantial.
For the Hollywood fans, American monster film Godzilla: King of the Monsters directed by Michael Dougherty starring Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown and Bradley Whitford comes to India this week. The Guardian calls it a clunky sequel that has rare moments of visual splendour but they can’t disguise a laughable script with a ramshackle narrative. Within minutes of the film itself expectations start to dissipate, quickly replaced with crushing disappointment. For Godzilla: King of the Monsters is every bit as redundant as one would expect, a hollow piece of business masquerading as something necessary.
News.com.au calls it big, loud and not much else. The 2014 Godzilla managed to step beyond the creature feature with its suspenseful Spielberg-ian homage and (shock horror) character work, but there is little restraint or care here.
There is also biographical musical Rocketman on the life of musician Elton John directed by Dexter Fletcher starring Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, and Bryce Dallas Howard. Empire magazine calls it a sequin-encrusted delight. On paper it reads like a by-the-book biopic; on screen it explodes with the kind of colour and energy that only Elton John himself could invoke.
Screen Rant calls it a sharp and entertaining jukebox musical-style biopic. Rocketman expertly balances the drama and flashy entertainment of a movie about one of music's most well-known and ostentatious performers. Framing the movie as a flashback is a smart move for Rocketman, allowing the film to flirt with reality and honesty in an interesting way.
Tamil and Telugu action drama NGK starring Suriya Sivakumar, Sai Pallavi and Rakul Preet Singh directed by K.Selvaraghavan is below average fare, says mirchi9.com. The film fails to meet expectations with an okay-ish first half and even poorer second half. The latter especially is a mess with no head or tail many times.
Telugu romantic actioner Falaknuma Das starring Uttej and Vishwaksen Naidu directed by Naidu is superficial and dull fare, says mirchi9.com. A visible effort has been put in to relocate the remake (of critically acclaimed Malayalam movie Angamaly Diaries) and bring in the all-important milieu effect of the original. They have been readjusted point by point, but still, the end product ends up looking like a glossy version and lacks a sense of authenticity.
Kannada horror thriller Kamarottu Checkpost starring Sanath and Uthpal Gowda directed by A Parmesh might not be the most taut horror thriller made, but it does have enough chills for those looking for a scary outing to the cinema hall, says The Times Of India. It could make for a one-time watch for those who enjoy this genre.
Several releases this week haven’t inspired any reviews yet. These include Telugu drama December 31, Tamil horror film Devi 2, Kannada films Omme Nishyabda Omme Yudda and Amar, Marathi drama Koytaa Ek Sangharsh, Marathi comedy drama BaBo and Punjabi romantic comedy Me and Mr. Canadian.
