Ethan Dynamite - Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation : The Bugle's Verdict

It is impossible for a genuine Hollywood buff to effectively ignore an MI instalment, especially so if they are Tom Cruise fans. Despite the repetitive story layout, and the beaten-to-a-pulp character descriptions, the American James Bond series manages to hold its own in the market, and for obvious reasons.

<GUILTY PLEASURE ALERT>

It’s the same old dynamite stick concept with Rogue Nation: a ticking clock of guns, technology, face masks and crashing BMWs, leading upto the destruction of the plans of a terrorist mastermind.

With Rogue Nation, the MI series takes on the same comic-book-meets-reality action, returning to its roots in the popular television series of the same name, with the introduction of the Syndicate, a nemesis entity for the IMF, which functions exactly opposite to the IMF’s ways.  

The story is familiarly predictable, and the stunts are getting redundant, if not less high-octane. Tom Cruise whips up his most popular persona as Ethan Hunt – a charismatic, sensitive, highly flexible (that came out wrong) super-spy.

At the beginning of the film, a US senator states that the success of Hunt’s missions has always been dependant on sheer luck. It’s funny. He had to wait for 5 films to arrive at this conclusion??

Rebecca Fergusson plays the female lead; a disawowed agent working undercover in the Syndicate. Quite the muscular girl, this one. Her favourite pastime is getting on top of guys. (No really, check out the picture below).

Sorry dude.. You're not my type. 

Fergusson quite ably stands tall next to Tom, often even exceeding him in the testosterone department.

Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Jeremy Renner reprise their roles from previous films, with Alec Baldwin joining the fray as the Director of the CIA.

Sean Harris, Pegg’s rugged, identical twin, plays the antagonist, as the leader of the Syndicate, giving a Bob Biswas kind of villain, who speaks in a raspy voice, and a volume lower than that of a buzzing bee. Half the time, the viewers have to stick their ears out in order to not miss out on the dialogues of the angry, blond mastermind.

Director Christopher McQuarrie, who has frequently collaborated with Cruise on previous projects like the Edge of Tomorrow, Jack Reacher as well as Valkyrie, provides a decent summer action flick (okay, a little off-season).

VERDICT – 3 out of 5 stars

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation picks up on the scabs left behind by the previous films, trying to put out some Cruise pastry, which while not as delicious as expected, lands somewhere close in the ballpark.  

Morbid Stuff- Masaan : The Bugle's Verdict

The latest output by Phantom films, Masaan, upholds the honour of the production house, as was anticipated. A painful, gritty, pulsating story, it drowns in the deepest colours of Hinduism and Varanasi, to blossom out like a lotus.

For those that are unaware, ‘masaan’ is a Banarasi slang for ‘shamshaan’ or cremation point. Masaan (known internationally as Fly Away Solo) is the tale of two completely unrelated individuals, Devi and Deepak, whose lives go through a twisted journey to come and converge at the common point i.e. a cremation ghat in Varanasi. Deepak, a civil engineering student, works at the funeral pyres near the Ganga, eventually falling in love with Shaalu, a girl from better circumstances. Devi is a working girl, who is embroiled in a case of the suicide of her student with whom she was caught having intercourse.

Unlike films like Raanjhanaa, Masaan isn’t a pleasant tale showcasing the beauty and culture of Banaras. Sure, it explores into Hinduism and its practices deeply, but to present an extremely sordid view into the lives, desperations and aspirations of the smaller people in the holiest city of India. It explores into the religious and social shackles, restricting people from evolving out of an outdated mindset.

A deeply touching story, coupled with a stellar star-cast and the added name-tag of Phantom films, ensure the arthouse appeal of Masaan, which, as many must be knowing, has been selected to be screened at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, in the Un Certain Regard category. Though the movie skips ahead at particular points, and is often unable to establish a firm linkage between the characters and the narrative, it eventually succeeds in what it initially set out to.

Richa Chaddha gives another splendid performance as Devi. Her work is a standing testament to her ever-blossoming talent.

 Shweta Tripathi and Vicky Kaushal

Newcomer Vicky Kaushal plays Deepak Chaudhary. His performance is extremely pleasing and he very effectively manages to pull off the Banarasi character.

Sanjay Mishra churns out one of the finest performances of his career, and not too late after his award-winning performance in Aankhon Dekhi. He plays Devi’s desperate father who is losing control over his daughter as well as the situations she has landed herself in.

Neeraj Ghaywan, who assisted Kashyap in the GOT duology, makes his mark in the film industry with this Indo-French collaboration, and brilliant is the one word to describe him.

The music department has been handled by Indian Ocean, who have given exquisite, soulful tracks like 'Tu kisi Rail si' and 'Bhor'. The music and background score ride parallel to the film's mood, and carve out a place for themselves in this beautiful work of art.   

VERDICT – 4 out of 5 stars

This movie isn’t your quintessential Bollywood film, but then you don’t expect one when you go in for a film that is remotely linked to Anurag Kashyap or Vikramaditya Motwane. Though a beautiful film, Masaan is an emotionally afflicting tale and is NOT for just anyone.

But then again... maybe it is. 

Cross Border Skirmish- Bajrangi Bhaijaan : The Bugle's Verdict

It’s that time of the year. There’s this festival that takes place every year, which all and everyone come out of their homes to celebrate, unifying an entire country of 1.2 billion individuals, of all religions, as a people, though for the worthless task of whistling and howling at a God-by-popular-demand. We know that festival as Salman Khan. Coincidentally, Eid always seems to happen alongwith it, gathering some attention too.

There’s no mention required on the general storyline of the movie. If you exist in India, and basically speak with fellow humans, you will have already heard in detail about Bajrangi Bhaijaan; from the neighbour, the colleague, the classmate, or in some cases, the girlfriend. Such is the phenomenon called Sallu bhai.

It’s a futile job reviewing a Salman Khan film. The people, who would actually kill to see the film, are the ones because of whom the multiplexes run out of tickets for an entire week, thereby causing problems for regular movie-goers, and leading to a late review (apologies).

This article is for those poor souls who will probably wait a week (maybe two) for the crowds of Bhaivotees to subside, and might rely on a good foreword before making up his mind. And it is at this juncture where I step in to say – go ahead.

The film features some of the signature cinematography and scenic locations expected from Kabir Khan. Compared to most other Salman Khan films, the story has a much more realistic tone to it (not too much though), seeking to bridge the turbulent gap between Hindu and Muslim, as well as Hindustan and Pakistan.

Nawazuddin shines in his role of the Pakistani reporter Chand Nawab, never staying in the sidelines, and manages to maintain footing beside the towering star such as Salman. Kareena is, well, ordinary, and extremely beautiful as Rasika.

Salman churns out one of his more effective performances by, surprisingly, being un-Salman, in the sense that for once, his character is not the testosterone flowing, He-Man that most people pay to watch. We see an affable, Hanuman-loving (and fearing) simpleton, who doesn’t promise anything exceptional, other than an unshakable sense of duty, and a belief in Bajrang Bali. There is minimal action, and the little that is there, is correctly timed and justifies the narrative.

The best feature of this movie though, has to be the little heroine, Harshaali Malhotra, who is probably the cutest thing to have ever happened to Bollywood. The film tries to find a possibility of peace among the various sects of today, through the eyes and innocence of a little girl.

Though the film makes up for much of Salman’s <previous> offerings, it is riddled with clichés that are definitive of a 90’s masala film. For instance, everything seems to be an easy task for Bajrangi Bhaijaan, with entire armies and border forces and governments yielding to his glorious mission. These are moments where the film tries to prove its soul, and it does; but in the process, a lot of spoon-feeding is being done. After a time, the audience was coughing cliches - at least the more wary members.

It’s not the film’s fault probably; the Bhaivotees wouldn’t have it any other way.  

Verdict – 3 ½ out of 5 stars

When you go to McDonald’s, you don’t expect a healthy salad. You expect a loaded hamburger with secret sauce, along with deep-fried, oily and unhealthy nuggets on the side. Likewise situation exists for a Salman Khan film, specially one such as this. Bajrangi Bhaijaan is exactly what Salmaniacs wait for, year after year, with the added heart and feel-good factor, and lesser oil for the more delicate palette. 

Terminator Mario - The Bugle's Verdict : Terminator Genisys

It’s the age of bad sequels, it seems. Genisys is the latest to join the fray, and is it successful! The more you watch, the more you lose track of what’s going on in this inter-time-loop roller coaster, eventually leading to a headache, and an urge to hurl stuff at the screen.  

The war is almost over. Skynet, on the verge of final defeat, is retreating to the cheap ploy of time travel that would go on to form the theme of the series. Everything is going smooth, with Kyle Reese being sent back and all, until it is revealed that the entire history of Sarah Connor has changed, with the arrival of a guardian Terminator – yes, that ex-governor of California – who is partially human tissue, and thus ages accordingly.

If audiences hadn’t been able to cope up with a twist of such a magnitude, the makers decided to make John Connor a Skynet drone. Yes, you got that right – JOHN CONNOR IS THE TERMINATOR IN THIS FILM!!!

*No spoilers there. All of the above has already been revealed in the trailers ... Actually, most of the movie has been revealed in the trailers. I’m just ranting here.*

This movie is like the rich spoilt kid, who sullies his daddy’s reputation via his frivolous indulgences. It completely lays waste to the foundation that was constructed by the earlier films, chewing at it like a termite.

The story keeps leaking through the countless holes in the script, which is unable to maintain a steady, crisp control over the narrative. Before one can grasp a situation fully, the movie jumps forward to a completely different setting and circumstance.

Most Terminator fanboys would swear by the fact that after Judgment Day (1992), no instalment in the series packed the same punch, especially after the departure of James Cameron, but still, there was continuity, and there was a sequence and explanation to things. Genisys seems far from being acquainted with the concept of inherent comprehensibility, leaving numerous important questions, unanswered – who sent the guardian Terminator back in time to save Sarah Connor and from whom? Considering the fact that John has become a Skynet stooge, immediately following Kyle’s departure to the past.

Emilia Clarke a.k.a. Khaleesi, puts on some tight hugging clothes, and a not-too-good American accent as young Sarah Connor. Jai Courtney plays Kyle Reese. Bad performances by both, coupled with a non-existent chemistry, add to the already delightful film (sic). Schwarzenegger plays the monotonous robot, AND he is our beloved old Terminator, so no problems there.

Jason Clarke assumed the role of John Connor. Though his performance is quite pleasing, it just doesn’t feel so John Connor-ey, owing to the hardened, military persona of John that has been established in previous films. Clarke seems way too charismatic. Other than that, we can’t blame the guy for messing up a character who had already been stripped of all importance by the filmmakers. 

Matt Smith (Doctor Who) and J.K. Simmons (Spiderman and Whiplash) make a short guest appearance too.

VERDICT – 1 ½ out of 5 stars

Sorry, Arnie. It's the ugly truth.

Some things are meant to be terminated, this series being one such subject. Going by the grapevines, and a post-credit sequence, this seems to be a distant goal. All throughout, Arnie continuously states that he is ‘old, not obsolete.’ I can’t say the same applies to this film.

Punjabi Titanic - The Bugle's Verdict : Dil Dhadakne Do

The Akhtar family comes up with another movie about rich people, tied up in social as well as psychological complexities and difficulties, and how they finally come out of it. We have seen it in Dil Chahta Hai. We have seen it in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, and yet again, we see it here, in Dil Dhadakne Do. 

The movie is a peep into the crazy, flamboyant world of the upper-class gentry, and proof that however rich one may get, it shouldn’t be presumed that they can rid themselves of their original (Read: crass, orthodox and extremely short-sighted) mentality and adopt serious class. We are talking about people who gave gender inequality its original definition.

Throughout the film, all the people are shown putting down females and using them as a means to make better their corporate or social standing. Boys are married off to businessmen’s single daughters to receive some sort of corporate dowry shares and whatnot. Let’s not delve way too deep into the details.

Stranded in this scenario are the lead pair, Ranveer Singh and reel sister, Priyanka Chopra, with Farhan Akhtar and Anushka Sharma acting as the winds of change. So no new territory for Anushka too. 

Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh and Anil – the 3 anchors of this extremely talented ship. Priyanka plays the hero and the victim at the same time. When all others, including Ranveer are cowering behind their designated comfort zones, Chopra acts as the pillar of reason and sense to drag people back to reality and sanity, whose absenteeism can be seen in both areas. But simultaneously, she is being crushed mentally by her authoritative husband, played by Rahul Bose, and her unconcerned parents. Ranveer plays the confused son who has been forced into the family business empire while his heart lies somewhere else entirely. He looks extremely smooth, and pulls off the role of the immature and bubbling man easily. In this Indian version of the Titanic, he’s Rose and Anushka is Jack.

By the way, are all free-spirited girls of the Akhtar-verse from London? (Anushka here, Katrina in ZNMD, etc.)

Anil Kapoor is the best and I just can’t say it enough! He is so good, that all his previous sins, MI:4 for instance, are forgiven. There is a scene where Priyanka declares her intentions for divorce, and Anil Kapoor shouts at her. Imagine the time when your father got the angriest at you in your extended memory. Multiply that by 2. Angry Anil was a step ahead of THAT! He had Priyanka as well as the entire audience shaking in their shoes in awe (and a touch of fear).

Somehow, watching the film, I was recalling Anil playing Majnu in Welcome. It is a testament to the diversity of roles the man has bagged in his kitty. He looks oh-so-good as the grey-haired, flamboyant businessman, Kamal Mehra.

A question though: Are Punjabis crazy or are Punjabis crazy? Because that is the idea that DDD seems to be promoting. Well, in their defence, the entire industry wishes to promote that idea, and the Akhtars might have just exaggerated it a bit (Not that I’d know. I’m not a Punjabi). In the previously mentioned divorce scene, Anil Kapoor asks Priyanka, “Dono young ho. Successful ho. Punjabi ho. Squash bhi khelte ho. To phir problem kya hai?” (You both are young, successful, Punjabi and play squash as well. So what is the problem). Yes.  According to him, as long as the bride and groom are Punjabis, there can be no marital problem. And the irony is that all of his extended family and friends are depicted in the same manner.

Rahul Bose is great, as usual, playing a character with grey shades. He, however, does not look even remotely Punjabi.

Despite the few clichés that this film contains, it was some of the most genuine fun I had this year. There may be times when this ship sinks under the weight of its overlarge star-cast, but eventually it is safely anchored, and knows its way about the story, never losing track of the narrative.  

Aamir Khan makes a surprise appearance too. Further, we shall not reveal.

VERDICT - 3 ½ out of 5 stars.

Good movie. Great actors. The film is quite comic, and not in the typical slapstick, Bollywood manner. Though it drags at points, it gains speed and keeps you glued to the tale of its almost eccentric characters. As usual, we see some really good, hummable songs, especially ‘Girls like to Swing’ and ‘Gallan Goodiyaan’.