Latest Hollywood & Bollywood 2019 Hindi Movies

Back in 2011, we saw the release of the film THOR featuring Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder, later in 2013 we saw him return in THE DARK WORLD and save the earth with assistance from his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Since then we have seen the God of Thunder return as a part of the Avengers series where he fought alongside earth’s mightiest warriors to defend the planet again from Ultron. Well, now we see him return to the big screen with the film THOR: RAGNAROK. But will the film which is the third in the series work as a ‘Marvel’ at the box office or will it like some of the other sequels fail to match up to the previous films. Let’s analyse.

First off, THOR: RAGNAROK starts off with the God of Thunder imprisoned on the other side of the universe. Here he finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett). From here on the film follows Thor’s journey as he battles Hela with the assistance of his brother Loki and others. But will the Asgardian succeed in defeating the all-powerful Hela or will his world fall, is what makes up the rest of the film.

The film starts off with a monologue by Thor who is being held captive on an alien planet in chains. From here, the film introduces Surtur voiced by Clancy Brown who explains that he is the reckoning of Asgard. After learning this, Thor who has of late been plagued with visions of his home world being destroyed promptly goes ahead and vanquishes his foe. One done, Thor heads back to Asgard only to learn that Odin (Anthony Hopkins) isn’t really who he seems to be. Post learning this, he then sets out on a mission to find his father and restore Asgard back to its glory. Thor accompanied by Loki finds Odin only to be told that his time has come, and along with that Hela the goddess of death will be released from her prison. Hela, who was once Odin’s right hand grew too powerful and her thirst to acquire the throne of Asgard lead her to be imprisoned.

After Odin’s death, Thor and Loki come face to face with Hela, who proves to be too strong for them. In an attempt to flee back to Asgard via the bifrost, the two inadvertently offer Hela a ride back as well. While on the way back to Asgard, within the bifrost beam, a second skirmish breaks out which tosses Loki and Thor into the abyss. Fortunately, both of them land separately on the plant Sakaar. Here, Thor who lands much after Loki finds himself being held prisoner yet again, this time without the assistance of his hammer Molinor that was destroyed in the first fight with Hela. Sakaar, which is ruled by the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), is a planet of the rejects who live to witness the gladiatorial fights that are a regular feature. Thor who has shown potential as a warrior is pitted against the Grandmaster’s champion who happens to be the Hulk. Thrilled at seeing a familiar face, Thor tries his best to get the mindless brute to assist him in returning back to Asgard to defeat Hela. In the meantime back on Asgard, Hela reigns supreme as she lays waste to the entire Asgardian army while resurrecting her own army of the dead. What follows is a grand battle between Thor and Hela with Asgard as the prize.

Chris Hemsworth, who has reprised the role of Thor in the previous films as well, does a good job with the character. However, given the fact that unlike the previous films in the Thor series, RAGNAROK features a lot more colour combined with a fun comic elements that keep the proceedings peppy and fast. Tom Hiddleston as Loki is good in his part as the god of mischief; however it is Cate Blanchett as Hela who steals the show. Very rarely do you see a character developed with such power and menace that just the visual of her can make your hair stand. The last time a character like this was seen on screen, it was in The Dark Knight with Heath Ledger essaying the role of the Joker. Due credit goes to the writers of the film who have done a marvelous job of interweaving a back story for Hela into the film’s proceedings without diverging from the current track.

Another point to mention here is the background score that keeps up the tempo to match the on-screen visuals and the constant exchange of witty lines that makes the film a fun watch.

Coupled with the performances, the VFX team have done an equally brilliant job of bringing a fantasy world to life. From costumes to the massive explosions and the larger than life action sequences, the team has done a stellar and seamless job of merging live action with CGI.

On the whole, THOR: RAGNAROK that features witty one liners, sarcastic humour and plenty of action makes for a fun watch. Well timed comic sequences and well-choreographed action sequences aplenty make the film a perfect masala entertainer. At the Indian box office, THOR: RAGNAROK stands a good chance of posting impressive numbers given that it’s releasing on a big scale and in multiple languages.

The craze for DC comics and its characters is unparalleled. Ever since the DC Extended Universe films are out, it has created a lot of buzz despite not so favourable response for MAN OF STEEL and BATMAN VS SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE. However, SUICIDE SQUAD was loved while WONDER WOMAN that released earlier this year got loads of appreciation. Now, the fifth film, JUSTICE LEAGUE, is out and does it manage to meet the humongous expectations? Or does it emerge as a letdown like the first two DC films? Let’s analyse.

JUSTICE LEAGUE is the story of a group of superheroes coming together for a greater cause. After the death of Superman (Henry Cavill), Bruce Wayne aka Batman (Ben Affleck) and his new found ally Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) assemble a team of heroes and outcasts consisting of Barry Allen aka The Flash (Ezra Miller), Arthur Curry aka Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and Victor Stone aka Cyborg (Ray Fisher). Their mission is to defeat Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) and his army of Parademons. Steppenwolf is trying to search for the three ancient Mother Boxes scattered around the Earth and unite them for unlimited power. How the members of the Justice League put aside their differences and weaknesses and battle it out with Steppenwolf forms the rest of the film.

THE AVENGERS series of Marvel is extremely successful and has formed a benchmark of sorts in this genre. JUSTICE LEAGUE however fails to reach that level. The conflicts and conversations between the superheroes are not as exciting. Few of the jokes of Flash fall flat, shockingly. The villain’s entry is evil and scary but in the later part of the film, he doesn’t seem as powerful as one expects him to be. Also, one doesn’t feel connected to the guilt faced by Bruce over the demise of the Superman. On the positive side however, the action scenes and the VFX save the day. The film is just 120 minutes long and thankfully, the story moves quite swiftly. Wonder Woman’s entry is terrific. Also, Flash’s introductory scene makes for a nice watch. Post-interval, the entire bit related to Superman does raise interest level. Even though the pace drops in this sequence, it’s quite touching. The finale is explosive but the film leaves a lot to be desired. One has seen better superhero films than these and in this regard, JUSTICE LEAGUE will surely disappoint fans.

Chris Terrio and Zack Snyder’s story is nothing new. Chris Terrio and Joss Whedon’s screenplay however could have been more interesting and engaging. This was crucial because viewers have been exposed to a lot of superhero films in the last 5-6 years and in that regard, JUSTICE LEAGUE should have stood out. Also, the previous few films of DC haven’t done that well and JUSTICE LEAGUE was a chance to get back in the big league. But the routine screenplay ensures that JUSTICE LEAGUE turns to be an average fare. Zack Snyder’s direction still has its charm, but only in certain places. He’s a pro when it comes to slo-mo scenes and the scenes of Flash are very well helmed. Even the introductory scene is presented in classic Snyder style and is worth a watch. But he could have done better and taken JUSTICE LEAGUE to another level which he doesn’t.

Performance-wise, Ben Affleck delivers an apt performance. Viewers have now accepted him as Batman and he manages to put up a good show. Gal Godot is gorgeous as expected and enhances impact in several scenes. The super success of WONDER WOMAN has made viewers hope for more of Gal in this flick and thankfully in that regard, she doesn’t disappoint viewers. Ezra Miller is sincere but somewhere, it doesn’t have the desired impact. Jason Momoa looks dashing and delivers an effective performance although his screen time is limited. Ray Fisher gives a fine performance and shines even in the emotional scenes. Henry Cavill has a very important part to play and he rocks the show. Jeremy Irons (Alfred Pennyworth) is decent. Amy Adams (Lois Lane) does very well in a supporting part. Ciarán Hinds looks quite villainous and convincing and performance-wise, he is okay. Diane Lane (Martha Kent) leaves a mark in a cameo. Connie Nielsen (Hippolyta), Joe Morton (Silas Stone) and others do well.

Danny Elfman’s music is dramatic but also subtle and not in-your-face. Fabian Wagner’s cinematography is eye-catching. David Brenne, Richard Pearson and Martin Walsh’s editing is simple and neat. Patrick Tatopoulos’s production design is rich, just like you’d expect in any big superhero Hollywood film. VFX and action are two of the most important reasons why this film succeeds to a great extent.

On the whole, JUSTICE LEAGUE is an average superhero flick and nowhere near the rival Marvel’s THE AVENGERS series. The film’s story is nothing exciting while the characters are interesting but the bond between them is not electrifying as such. This one is only for the die-hard fans! At the box office, with the dubbed version not getting a timely release, its business in India would surely be limited.

There are a number of things that go into making a movie entertaining for the viewers and eventually a box office success. While some have cracked this formula, there are others who struggle with it. However in the case of an animated film, the rules are different, as apart from the usual list of factors that work in favour of a film, there is a whole list of other aspects that help bring to life what the viewers sees on screen. This week’s release COCO falls squarely in this bracket of animated films that try to bring to life a make belief world while at the same time, entertain the viewer.

COCO that comes from the very capable animation farm Disney Pixar, comes pre-attached with expectations of past Disney – Pixar successes that have not just entertained us but have become films that will live on for a long time. But the question of the hour is, will Disney-Pixar’s latest celluloid marvel COCO, prove to be one among the few that have managed to enthral the audience or will it become just another animated reel that gets forgotten, is what we analyse.

Starting off, COCO follows the life of Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez), a young boy who finds his happiness in music. Though Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, his family’s generations-old ban on music proves to be quite a hindrance. Desperate to prove his talent, while at the same time keeping his family from finding out his love for music and eventually being hurt, Miguel sets out on a quest to fulfil his dream. Along the way, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful ‘Land of the Dead’ following a mysterious chain of events, where he meets the charming trickster Hector. Together, Miguel and Hector set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.

Being a film whose story revolves around one particular day, specifically Mexico’s Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, the director of COCO Lee Unkrich faced an uphill task of telling an entire story that spans generations in just a 24 hour time span. If that wasn’t enough, given the fact that the Mexican festival plays an integral part of the film’s story, the makers would also have to incorporate the nuances and culture of the land and people within the fabric of the film. Fortunately, Unkrich and his team have excelled in this department giving us a film that boasts of flawless research work about culture and traditions that does full justice to the Mexican festival where the living remember the dead.

Being an animated film, COCO relies on voiceovers and impeccable animation. Here again Unkrich and his team of animators have given us a sight to behold. With seamless animation and spot on voice overs by the cast, COCO comes to life in all the vibrant colours you would expect a festival to feature. Coupled with the animation and flawless research is an impeccable script that well intersperses light and emotionally heavy moments to take viewers on a ride they won’t forget. A special mention here needs to go to Adrian Molina and Matthew Aldrich who have done a stellar job with the screenplay, giving each character a depth and relatability that promptly establishes an emotional connect with viewers easily. However, adding a much greater dimension to the film (apart from its 3D aspect) is the music of the film. Michael Giacchino Excel’s in developing the film’s score that lends COCO an extra facet that helps enthral the viewer.

On the whole, COCO is a beautiful coming of age film that tells the story of a young boy’s life in a small Mexican town, who follows his heart while coming to understand what family really means, the choices we make and the paths not taken. A well rounded Pixar offering that might just be its best till date, COCO is a well-crafted must watch for the young and old. At the Indian box office, the film will have to depend on word of mouth to grow.