November releases were binged on at home as well as in theatres with movies like Dhamaka, Red Notice, Sooryavanshi, Jai Bhim, and many more!
November was the month when theatres opened up their doors but the OTT platforms offered bingeing on from the comfort of the home. So people had immense options to choose from to continue bingeing on these November releases. And with movies like Dhamaka, Red Notice, Sooryavanshi, Jai Bhim, Meenakshi Sundareshwar, Hum Do Humare Do, and many more our previous month was packed with full-on entertainment. While we enjoyed watching these movies here is also a part of our take on them.
Red Notice starring Dwayne Johnson, Gal Godat, and Ryan Reynolds by the looks of the trailer might hint at a usually cop-thief chase film, but it’s more than that, it is a light-hearted entertaining comic movie which you should definitely watch for some enjoyable time off the regular serious dramas. Globally it is being said to be a mix of the films Indiana Jones and National Treasure but Indians could relate it more to Dhoom 2. Quite a similar plot with a lot of comic action-packed sequences and many twists and turns but doesn’t keep you at the edge of your seat. The movie is filled with glitz and glamour, and the cast ensemble in itself draws attention and is the pull for the movie.
After the Singham series, if there’s one thing you know you can expect from a Rohit Shetty film, it’s a decent plot without too many loopholes but Sooryavanshi fails to give you even that. The excitement was so high to watch a Bollywood blockbuster in the theatre after multiple lockdowns but this OTT stunts-packed film covered a very serious matter with multiple gaps in the plot and zero consistency. With an extremely catchy background score, Sooryavanshi reminds you of every cop-chasing-criminal movie with bad comedy. Or a hint of a typical Rohit Shetty film.
We’ve always known and said that family is something that you are born into and friends are the family you choose to make. But what if a family could also be something that you can choose to make? Hum Do Hamare Do makes a statement that people should have the right to choose their families especially the ones who don’t have one. But while make-believe parents and children are not a new concept in Bollywood, the film tries to take a different and emotional route. Even though their way is different yet they stick to being a cute and sweet comedy family entertainer and don’t really go beyond that.
Regional movies seem to capture that charm and beat that most commercial movies tend to miss because they target everybody. And when OTT platforms decide to give regional movies a platform, they become more than just movies for a specific audience. But if regional cinema is reaching out to a wider audience, should it comprise on its artistic value in order to be understood by all? Maybe that’s what happened with Chumbak on SonyLIV, a Marathi film that tries to tell a sweet coming-of-age tale but gets all messy because it can’t hold on to the right emotion that is needed for the film.
Jai Bhim - (Amazon Prime Video)
Biopics are the new favorite genre of the industry along with 'raising awareness on a social issue through art'. Combining these two genres of Biopic and a social message and adding in brilliance craft of filmmaking, Jai Bhim starring Suriya becomes such an informative, emotional yet creative watch! The story follows Advocate Chandru (Suriya) fighting the case of Sengani (Lijomol Jose), an Irular woman whose husband, Rajakannu (Manikandan), has been missing from police custody. This courtroom drama on police brutality will open up your eyes and will also put a lump in your throat.
We’re living in a time when the work culture and the constant hustle make it harder for couples to maintain a balance in their romantic endeavors. But what happens when you’re entering an arranged marriage and you need time to get to know each other and instead you go into a long-distance relationship? That’s the crux of Meenakshi Sundareshwar on Netflix and unfortunately, the film doesn’t go anywhere beyond the concept. It’s a sweet and cute film but it doesn’t really explore the depth of the concept it has picked up. While it stereotyped South Indians, it also featured breathtaking cinematography and beautifully created music.
These days whenever you switch on the TV, you’re accustomed to listening to loud dramatic voices with background music on news channels. A maximum number of news channels showcases the news in a dramatic style. So when in Dhamaka, an anchor and his boss have this exchange, “Anchor kya hota hai? Anchor actor hota hai. Actor ko kya chahiye? Actor ko audience chahiye. Audience ko kya chahiye? Audience ko drama chahiye” it seems like an appropriate description of the Broadcast Journalism of today. The film is eager to criticize the pathetic state of the Indian broadcast media that works at the cost of truth and trust and only runs behind ratings. But unfortunately, this movie falls prey to the same kind of problems it wishes to shine a light on irrespective of good cinematography, and editing.
A musical is usually considered to be one of those genres that are not for everybody. This genre is most of the time appreciated and recognized by just a few. But Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tick Tick Boom starring Andrew Garfield as Jonathan Larson is an adaptation of a musical play that could be enjoyed by everyone. It follows an artist's journey to success after years of struggle who could not even be there to witness that success as he dies too early. Though the film is an ode to the legendary short yet creative life of Jonathan Larson yet it speaks to artists of today about what it means and takes to be an artist. The film is set in AIDS-struck and the bohemian New York of the 1990s.
What movies did you binged on this November and what is your take on these? Do tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
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