Sex Lies And Stories #PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalCircuit #IndianShortFilmReview

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalCircuit #IndianShortFilmReview Film: #SexLiesAndStories Cast: #AbhishekBanerjee #MokshdaJailkhani #ShruthyMenon Writer/Director: #KeithGomes Rating: * * * Runtime: 12 mins #Everyone @everyone #EverymediaTechnologiesPvtLtd @nowitsabhi @shruthymenon #MokshdaJailkhani @keithgomes.w @resulp @talwar_bobby #DhruvJagasia @SandeepKamal @TapanBasu #HuzefaLokhandwala @suresh.selvarajan @GeeSees @ClintonCerejo #HemantSuthar @rshbaraina @karanfoley_mpse #PrabirSomeshwar #JagdishNachnekar @mandarvparelkar #GoldaSellam @shrisriram @tinu4444 #RebellionManagement #VineeshVijayan @apple @GautamBThakker @Every_Media

This short film Shot on iPhone, with Abhishek Banerjee as one of its leads is about being consumed by social media. Edgy, scary, and mimicking the times, this psychological thriller, a showdown between reel and reality, is bound to shock you out of your complacency. It begs the question: Are you the consumer or are you getting consumed? Social media obsession can be detrimental to your well-being as it puts you at risk both psychologically and physically. Economically conceptualized and directed by Keith Gomes (better known for the Oscar-eligible short #Shameless), this film shows you how… It’s a scary movie and only those who have the stomach for horror should watch it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8af-30D2wsk

Crackdown 2 #PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalCircuit #IndianOTTseriesReview

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalCircuit #IndianOTTseriesReview Title: #Crackdown #Season2 #viacom18 #JioCinema Cast: #SaquibSalim #IqbalKhan #WaluschaDesousa #ShriyaPilgaonkar #SonaliKulkarni #FreddyDaruwala #AnkurBhatia #RamMenon #RashmiAgdekar #HemantKher #EishaAChopra #RahulChaudhary #HarshMody Director: #ApoorvaLakhia Producer: #JessuGeorge Rating: * *1/2 Runtime: 8 Episodes / 30-45 mins each #PRPundit #everyone @everyone

Yet another Indian espionage series, this one highlights the Indo-Pak face-off between RAW and ISI which eventually leads to a joint operation that successfully manages to rescue 80 Indian passengers and the plane they were traveling in, from Afghanistan. There are more than one storylines meshing together here. The writing is a little loose, and the dialogues don’t sound natural but given the background of Indo-Pak hostilities and the jingoism that heralds any such depiction, this one manages to be interesting and intriguing enough even though the direction lacks tension and the performances take a little getting used to. The lead characters tend to go out of control every so often even though they are supposed to be highly trained RAW agents. The inter-relational complexities make this effort a fresher take even though much of the pair-ups and subsequent flare-ups feel implausible. The background score hypes up the mood in an obvious fashion. The heroics and villainy are very filmy in nature.

Citadel Season 1 Episode 6 #PicksAndPiques #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalCircuit #InternationalOTTseriesReview

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalCircuit #InternationalOTTseriesReview Title: #Citadel #Season1Episode6 Episode Title: “Secrets In Night Need Early Rains” #AmazonPrimeVideo #MoesArt @everyone #everyone Cast: #PriyankaChopraJonas #RichardMadden #StanleyTucci #LesleyManville #AshleighCummings #MoiraKelly #RolandMøller #OsyIkhile #CaoilinnSpringall Director: #AnthonyRusso, #JoeRusso Rating: * * * Runtime: 48 mins #MikeLarocca #AngelaRussoOtstot #ScottNemes #AGBO #DavidWeil #JoshAppelbaum #AndréNemec #JeffPinkner #ScottRosenberg #MidnightRadio #NewtonThomasSigel #PatrickMoran @CitadelOnPrime

The finale of the season picks up speed as Kyle, Nadia and Carter risk everything to save one of their own and later, thwart Manticore’s plans to acquire nuclear weapons. There are quite a few revelations unearthed too. Kyle regains his memories, finds out he is the Father of Nadia’s daughter and we also get to know the real connection between Manticore and Citadel. The series continues to throw up curve balls at the audience, reverse-spinning some new truth every time you begin to think you’ve figured out the reality behind what is happening. It’s both an advantage and a disadvantage because by the 6th episode, instead of surprising us, we’ve begun to expect it. This episode goes back and forth in time( 8 years) so many times that you get confused about what's happening and when. Nevertheless, there’s far more tension and engagement here than in the earlier episodes because Leslie Manville gets center stage and she shows her formidable talents to spine-chilling effect. Tucci is forgotten but Priyanka and Madden continue to show off their espionage action skills. Madden’s woodenness continues to be the weak link in this series. Hopefully, Season 2 will have something better on offer.

Aazam #PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalCircuit

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalCircuit Film: #Aazam Cast: #JimmySherigill #AbhimanyuSingh #IndraneilSengupta #VivekGhamande #RazaMurad #SayajiRaoShinde #AliKhan #AnangDesai #MustaqKhan #GovindNamdeo Director: #ShravanTiwari #AshwaniShukla #AltairMedia #BMXMotionPictures #everyone @everyone Rating: * * * Runtime: 128 mins Producer: #TBPatel Music: #DurgaNatraj

A deadly game of one-upmanship ensues within the Mumbai underworld when its unquestioned leader, Don Nawab Khan is diagnosed with cancer and has been given just a few months to live. Every prominent member of the gang wants to fill the void and even cops and ministers are involved in deciding who should be the next king. But no one reckoned for the dying Don’s illegitimate son Javed, to mastermind his claim with great stealth and precise logistical planning. While there’s not much action or firepower in the narrative, it still is deadly. The narrative is tense, thrilling, and engaging even though much of it is dialogue, contrivance, and all too conveniently achieved. The actors do well to lend seriousness to this effort. Jimmy Shergill’s cold and steely determination shines the brightest though!

NRI Wives Grey Stories of Love Vs Desires #PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalCircuit

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalCircuit Film: #NRIWivesGreyStoriesofLoveVsDesires Cast: #SamirSoni #JugalHansraj #RaimaSen #HitenTejwani #Bhagyashree #KikuSharda #GauravGera #SadiyaSiddiqui #GunjanKuthiala #SamikshaOswal #JavedPathan #AditiGovitrikar #OliviaMalhotra #KapilArora #VidhiDalla Actor, Writer & Producer: #GunjanKuthiala Directors: #VibhuKashyap #RayKhan #GunjanKuthiala #QaeedKuwajerwala Rating: * * 1/2 Runtime: 145 mins #PictureNKraft #ParulChawla #NRILifeProductions #everyone @everyone

The narrative contains 4 taboo, void, old secrets, and bold stories about unfulfilled desires involving NRI’s but in terms of visuals, there’s nothing risque, carnal, or sexual here. It’s all about emotions and the former journalist turned actor-writer-filmmaker Gunjan Kuthiala has handled them with sensitivity and confidence. The treatment of each story is rather sterile and asexual even though each story is about unfulfilled sexual desires. It’s quite a naive and unconventionally old- (today, when everything is so graphic) way to film such taboo subjects but the actors do a fairly good job and the camerawork and production values look spiffy enough. The first story is well told, the other three though, needed some more work in terms of script and dialogue. Nevertheless, this film does have its engaging moments and a couple of really melodious songs giving it the necessary boost!

Jogira Sara Ra Ra #PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalCircuit

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalCircuit Film: #JogiraSaraRaRa Cast: #NawazuddinSiddiqui #MahaakshayChakraborty #NehaSharma #SanjayMishra #ZarinaWahab #VishalAnand Director: #KushanNandy Writer: #GhalibAsadBhopali Rating: * * 1/2 Runtime: 121 mins #1HMedia #PritishNandyCommunications #Everyone @everyone

A dehati wedding planner is enticed into helping break up a potential marriage and in the process gets forced into marrying the girl. For a wedding planner to be breaking up a marriage is a stupid idea - much like ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar’ did. This is a typical Kushan(#BaabumoshayBandookbaaz ) Nandy film with his bankable star (Nawazuddin) taking on the herculean task of making this loud, annoying, and ridiculous match-up look favorable. It's like mixing chalk and cheese and a more unlikely pairing you may never find. In the small-town setting, Sanjay Mishra as the impoverished leader of a famous kidnapping gang, Mimoh as the dull, boring bridegroom, literally and figuratively a Lallu, and Vishal Anand as the friend, prove gritty enough. Unfortunately, this film was labeled as a romcom but there’s really not much to be amused about. The performances are largely over-the-top, exaggerated to the umpteenth level, the music is boring and the dialogues just grate on your nerves. This could mean entertainment for a narrow-minded audience though.

Nacho #PicksAndPiques #InternationalOTTSeriesReview #InternationalFilmFestivalCircuit #JohnsonThomas

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #InternationalOTTSeriesReview #InternationalFilmFestivalCircuit #JohnsonThomas Title : #Nacho (Strictly Adult Series) Spanish /dubbed in English Runtime: Season 1: 8 Episodes 35-45 mins each #BambuProductions #LionsgatePlay Cast: #MartinoRivas #MariaDeNati #AndresVelencoso #PepaCharro #EduSoto #MarinaGatell #PenélopeGuerrero #JuanCarlosVellido #RubénJiménez #NanchoNovo #MontseGuallar #PaolaBotempi #MiriamGiovanelli Directors: #DavidPinillos (4 episodes) #EduardoCasanova (2 episodes) #BeatrizSanchís (2 Episodes) Creators: #TeresaFernándezValdés #GemaRNeira #DiegoSotelo Rating: * * 1/2

The story of Nacho Vidal the Spanish porn superstar who rose to unprecedented heights in the Spanish porn industry is one of ‘S’excess and more. A fictionalized account based on true events, this bio-pic of sorts, highlights Nacho Vidal, the legendary Spanish star's rise to international adult film stardom in the 1990s. The narrative basically amounts to a sex-fueled romp through the life and times of the Spanish porn star and could therefore be attractive to many. This series is semi-porn in nature with its graphic displays of sexual content combined with fairly intense and intriguing drama. It exposes the underbelly of the porn industry including rivalries, sabotage, drugs, sex, sex, and more sex, and a bevy of nude women in its efforts to explore Spain’s adult industry and the masterminds behind it. The production values are fairly good and Nacho’s rise and fall and rise again through the years makes for engaging entertainment. It's certain you wouldn’t be paying attention to the acting (even though it's pretty good) when there’s so much sexplicit action happening all through the series runtime!

Citadel Episode 5 Review #PicksAndPiques #InternationalOTTSeriesReview #AmazonPrime

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #InternationalOTTSeriesReview #AmazonPrime #InternationalFilmFestivalCircuit #JohnsonThomas Title : #Citadel #Eps5 #MissionFiles #TimeRendersUsEnemies #AmazonPrimeVideo #MoesArt @everyone #everyone Cast: #PriyankaChopraJonas #RichardMadden #StanleyTucci #LesleyManville #AshleighCummings #MoiraKelly #RolandMøller #OsyIkhile #CaoilinnSpringall Director: #AnthonyRusso, #JoeRusso Rating: * * 1/2 Runtime: Season 1: Episode 5/ 38 mins #MikeLarocca #AngelaRussoOtstot #ScottNemes #AGBO #DavidWeil #JoshAppelbaum #AndréNemec #JeffPinkner #ScottRosenberg #MidnightRadio #NewtonThomasSigel #PatrickMoran

This globe-trotting spy series continues to showcase middling fare with its twisty storyline and peculiar attempts to make every one of its Tier 1 spies to look suspect. Then there’s the relationship tangle that gets exposed in subsequent episodes. Elite agents Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), who had their memories wiped out as they narrowly escaped with their lives are now in recollection mode and things are coming to them at a slow pace but the risks to their lives and the future of Citadel has increased tremendously. The topsy-turvy signature camerawork, the deja vu thrills, the hi-tech gadgetry, and the explosive stunt work have their moments of thrill but it's not steady or continuous. The repetitive attempts to dig back into the past is getting tiresome. Priyanka continues to hold sway while Madden seems to be in auto-play mode. Lesley Manville and Stanley Tucci appear to be coming into their own in this episode. There’s still no intensity to be had, the suspense is rather thin and the storyline is way too contradictory to hold you in its sway!

Charles Enterprises #PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #InternationalFilmFestivalCircuit #JohnsonThomas

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #InternationalFilmFestivalCircuit #JohnsonThomas Film: #CharlesEnterprises #Malayalam Cast: #Urvashi #BaluVarghese #KalaiyarasanHarikrishnan #GuruSomasundaram #SujithShanker #ManikandarR #ShebinBenson Script & Direction: #SubhashLalithaSubrahmanian Rating: * * 1/2 Runtime: 129 mins #ReliancePictures #JoyMovieProductions #JoyMusic @everyone #FatemaNagree #everyone

A Social Satire & Drama (with English Subtitles) This film headlines a character suffering from Retinitis Pigmentosa (night blindness) and expands on his efforts to cope with his disability during distressing economic stress. He hopes that stealing his family’s antique heirloom Ganesha idol might get him out of the hole he is in… This film could have been another #Andhadhun but there’s no real thrill here and all the drama and distress about disability caused by in-breeding is lost in the pointless melee of stealing and hiding the idol and finding a buyer for it. There’s not much humor or high-intensity drama to be had here and the thrill element is missing. The world-building and performances are solid but the tone and tempo begin to get sluggish and confused after the first 45 mins. The narrative here is more intent on focusing on cultural, familial, and religious issues rather than telling the story of a disabled person’s efforts to stay afloat, within the framework of an intense and thrilling caveat.

Chaar Lugaai #PicksAndPiques #JohnsonThomas #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit

#PicksAndPiques #JohnsonThomas #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit @everyone #everyone Film: #ChaarLugaai Cast: #BrijendraKala #SaanandVerma #NidhiUttam #DeeptiGautam #ManasiJain #KamalSharma Producer: #GeetaSharma #AshokKumarSharma Director: #PrakashSaini Rating: * * 1/2 Runtime: 143 mins #HimanshuJhunjhunwala #DwaparPromoters

While seeking sexual freedom for it’s repressed female characters, this film also appropriates a thriller comedy format. The narrative dovetails a story of four women from Paniwala goan UP whose husbands are in Mumbai to earn a living. They seek to fulfill their repressed desires with the local hero and end up with an accident on their hands - and a possible jail term looming large. A fairly interesting revisit to ‘Rihaee’ with a passing nod to the body disposing antics of ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron,’ This film has intrigue and interest because the four lugaai’s play their roles delectably and with full gusto and the director keeps the narrative momentum going at a brisk pace. Some parts of it may seem contrived but the entertainment value is high enough to overcome such intellectual disruptions.

8 AM Metro #PicksAndPiques #JohnsonThomas #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit

#PicksAndPiques #JohnsonThomas #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit #everyone #everyone Film: #8AMMetro Cast: #SaiyamiKher #GulshanDevaiah #NimishaNair #RajivKumarAneja #UmeshKamat #KalpikaGanesh #MoinJaan #JayJha Co-writer/Director: #RajRachakonda Co-writer: #ShrutiBhatnagar #PlatoonOneFilms #Studio99 #1HMedia Rating: * * Runtime: 116 mins

A chance encounter on the 8 am Metro train leads to a tentative, rather unlikely friendship between strangers, a married man, and a married woman. Ira (Saiyami) suffers from panic attacks at the mere mention of a train. So it was providential that Preetam( Devaiah) happened to be there to lend a compassionate hand to help her at that crucial moment. The narrative is on slow burn and does not reveal much detail about the two main characters. As their friendship develops based on their suddenly rekindled interest in poetry and literature we see them bonding together and developing a certain affection. The writers/Director then makes the contrived ‘kafkaesque’ reveal which goes totally against what was shown in the first half. Long-winding, extremely stilted, awkward conversations with discussions of literature and poetry recitations are thrown in to make this entanglement of emotions seem high-brow. Though there’s some poetry in the dialogue, there’s not enough of it in the visuals ( most of them close-ups of the couple) to stimulate the audience's interest. The set-up feels fake and the development is manufactured. There’s nothing organic about this relationship. Even Gulzar’s poetry is lost in the superficial and vacuous depiction of an unusual love story

Rosh #PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #InternationalFilmFestivalCircuit #JohnsonThomas

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #InternationalFilmFestivalCircuit #JohnsonThomas Film: #Rosh #AltairMedia #AshwaniShukla Cast: #MimohChokroborthy #AlinaRai #NikitaSoni #JillKilroy #RuchiTiwari #YashRaj Director: #JaiveerPanghaal #ShivanStudios #MatesEntertainment @everyone #everyone #JioCinema Producers: #SachinGarg #AmrutLalSoni. Rating: * 1/2 Runtime: 120 mins

A muddled, senseless, attempt at thriller, this film about the aftermath of a hit-and-run by a trio of boozed out, drugged out party-hoppers who also happen to operate a big ATM racket through hacking, has little to recommend it. You have a poor man’s Katrina Kaif in Alina Rai and a debutant in Yash Raj who makes much more of an impression in the film than the more senior Mimoh. The cybercrime is depicted so badly that you’d laugh out loud at the lack of finesse and tech knowledge on display here. Songs are a pain. There’s no tension or suspense either to keep you glued.

A Winter Tale At Shimla #PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #InternationalFilmFestivalCircuit #JohnsonThomas

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #InternationalFilmFestivalCircuit #JohnsonThomas Film: #AWinterTaleAtShimla Cast: #GauriPradhan #IndraneilSengupta #RiturajKSingh #NikithaChopra #DeeprajRana #NiharicaChouksey #AngadOhri #EshitaShah #KaramveerChoudhary #ManuMalik #RamAwana #DrSKTyagi #DhruvChugh #DeepakAdhar Director: #YogeshVerma Rating: * * Runtime: 144 mins #AgastayaCineDreamsLLP @Everyone #ParulChawlaPR #PictureNKraft Director of Photography: #SumitSuryavanshi Editor: #AlokeDhara Music Director #AvikDutta Sound Designer : #GulabSoni Production Designer #ArpitDawani.

Yogesh Verma's directorial debut "A Winter Tale at Shimla" is a story about enduring feelings captured over time. Young lovers who were forced to abandon their ‘Ishque’ suddenly meet up 20 years later in Shimla and the complications that follow take up most of the narrative. The narrative is rather sluggish, the dialogues are stilted (sounds alien because much of it is in English) and the drama feels rather forced. The film, though shot in Shimla, has no great scenery to show for it. The music is pedestrian and the editing is rather uninterested. This definitely ain’t an endearing 'mature' love story!

IB 71 #PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #InternationalFilmFestivalCircuit #JohnsonThomas

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #InternationalFilmFestivalCircuit #JohnsonThomas Film: #IB71 #Ibrahim #PearlMedia @everyone Cast: #VidyutJammwal #AnupamKher #DannySura #VishalJethwa #DalipThahil Director: #SankalpReddy Rating: * * Runtime: 119 mins #GulshanKumar #TSeriesFilms #ActionHeroFilms #RelianceEntertainment

The trailer of this film had remarkable allure. Slickly cut, it alluded to some intriguing moments in the film. Unfortunately, the film does not work the same magic. A sedentary pace with no surprise elements and a distinct lack of tension puts paid to any interest. The narrative was also imminently predictable. Also, the story of the hijack was not presented with as much mystery and thrills as it deserved. The action is also not elaborate enough and the background score is just terrible. The attempt to show Pakistan in a poor light and going with a comic villain as the chief antagonist also kills the tone and temper while hampering the overall engagement!

Citadel International OTT Series Review #PicksAndPiques #filmmoviedocumentaryreview #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit

#PicksAndPiques #filmmoviedocumentaryreview #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit International OTT Series Review #JohnsonThomas @everyone #everyone Title : #Citadel #AmazonPrimeVideo #MoesArt @everyone Cast: #PriyankaChopraJonas #RichardMadden #StanleyTucci #LesleyManville #AshleighCummings #MoiraKelly #RolandMøller #OsyIkhile #CaoilinnSpringall Director: #AnthonyRusso, #JoeRusso Rating: * * 1/2 Runtime: 4 Episodes/ 36-45 mins each #MikeLarocca #AngelaRussoOtstot #ScottNemes #AGBO #DavidWeil #JoshAppelbaum #AndréNemec #JeffPinkner #ScottRosenberg #MidnightRadio #NewtonThomasSigel #PatrickMoran

The first two episodes of this globe-trotting spy thriller series head-lining desi girl Priyanka Chopra Jonas have been pretty much run of the mill. Launched as a big, multi-series spy franchise Citadel is just one of many planned shows set in the same fictional universe, with Italian and Indian spinoffs already in the works. At $300 million it’s second only to Amazon’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power in terms of costliest series ever produced. The series has a lot of flash and dash but little in terms of ‘involving content’ to show for it. The idea of an amnesiac man discovering that he’s really a secret agent is not new ( remember Jason Bourne?). The intrigue is hokey and vacuous. Even the representations of good and evil lack weightiness. The makers seem to have some kind-of-a #BulletTrain (the Brad Pitt starrer) fetish. Most of the action in the first two episodes happens in a fast-track train with both the leads showing off their stunt skills to good effect. The action is brutal but there’s really nothing new to it. ‘Citadel’ Executive-produced by the Russo brothers, is colorful, has the latest techno displays to awe you, and twists and turns in every episode that makes you feel disoriented - yet it fails to strike a chord. It’s pretty looking no doubt. The camera work is flashy, the dialogues don’t really cut ice and the editing heaps showiness instead of highlighting real content. The expensive reshoots and heavy edits tell us a sliced-and-diced story that never really gets into a groove. It’s generic, lead stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden look glamorous together, and the supporting players Stanley Tucci and Lesley Manville lend respectability to a rather lackluster project. Chopra Jonas gets to show off her ass-kicking avatar to great effect but Madden fails to strike a chord with his conflicted screen persona. Citadel lacks tension, there’s no adrenaline rush to be had here and the edginess you expect from a spy thriller is sorely missing. Even the 3rd and 4th episodes fail to rise to the occasion. Bad writing and heavy spending don’t make a series great or engaging!

Bad Boy #PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReview #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit

#PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReview #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit Film: #BadBoy Cast: #NamashiChakraborty #Amrin #RajeshSharma #SaswataChatterjee #JohnnyLever Director: #RajKumarSantoshi Rating: * * Runtime: 123 mins #UniversalCommunications @everyone

Actor’s son Namashi and Producer’s daughter Amrin make their debut in Raj Kumar Santoshi’s antiquated romantic comedy riddled with passe comedic moments and Johnny Lever’s insufferable facial and bodily contortions. Namashi is a chop-of-the-old block, mirroring his father Mithun in his act. He has his father’s charm, screen presence, and acting style. Here he plays a sadak-chap Romeo while Amrin assumes the role of the fairly well-off brilliant girl student he romances. Though pretty looking, Amrin fails to make her presence felt. The script is rather woebegone and the film feels terribly out-of-date!

Corona Papers #PicksAndPiques #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit #JohnsonThomas #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews

#PicksAndPiques #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit #JohnsonThomas #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews Film: #CoronaPapers #Malayalam ( English Subtitles) Cast: #ShineTomChacko #FrancoFrancis #ShaneNigam #SandhyaShetty #Gayathrie #ManiyanpillaRaju #VijileshKarayad #HannahRejiKoshy #VineethSreenivasan #GeethiSangeetha #Siddique Director: #Priyadarshan #FourFramesSoundCompany Producer: #NMBadusha Cinematographer: #DivakarMani Editor: #MSAiyyappanNair Writer: #SriGanesh #DisneyHotstar @everyone #PictureNKraft #ParulChawla Rating: * * * Runtime: 155 mins

This cop-crime thriller with a totally misleading title ( the film has nothing to do with the pandemic other than the fact that it is set sometime after the first and second waves were done), a very loose remake of the 2017 Tamil film #8Thottakal, has director Priyadarshan in his element. He appears to have regained his mojo once again. A fast-paced, twisty, breathtaking, taut, suspenseful, and totally gripping cop-criminal chase around, this one has all the makings of a thrill-a-minute entertainer with good performances, spiffy editing, and shifty camerawork lending the narrative an edgy tension. The film is not without its flaws but the racy pace keeps you gripped enough to overlook them.

UnWoman #PicksAndPiques #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews #JohnsonThomas #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit

#PicksAndPiques #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit #JohnsonThomas #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews Film: #Unwoman Cast: #KanakGarg #SarthakNarula #BhagwanTiwari #GirishPal #KaranMaan #PramodDeswal Director: #PallaviRoySharma Rating: * * * 1/2 Runtime: 115mins #AltairMedia @everyone #GunjanGoel #SusheelSharman #ShalmaliPrakash

An unconventional tragic love story involving a transperson and a heterosexual male, this film is not only unique in its storyline, its also a harbinger of what could be - given the skewed gender ratio that exists in some regions in the north of India where the girl child is killed off at birth. Debutant Director Pallavi Roy Sharma makes sensitivity and emotional vulnerability her mainstay in depicting the plight of the transperson caught in a malevolent male world of ego and patriarchy. All the actors deserve kudos for wonderful heartfelt performances - more so Kanak Garg as Sanwari (who is trapped in a spiral of exclusion and marginalisation) and Sarthak Narula as Bhanwar, (the conventional male as an unconventional lover) - both of whom are caught in the cross hairs of convention, conditioning, conservative beliefs and stigma relating to gender diversity. The film hits you hard with its expose of how Gender-diverse and trans people are subjected to levels of violence and discrimination that offend the human conscience. This is powerful stuff!!!

The Kerala Story #PicksAndPiques #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit #JohnsonThomas #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews

#PicksAndPiques #internationalfilmfestivalcircuit #JohnsonThomas #FilmMovieDocumentaryReviews Film: #TheKeralaStory #Hindi #Telugu #Tamil #Malayalam #SunshinePictures #StudioUnneesEntertainment @everyone Cast: #AdahSharma #YogitaBihani #SoniaBalani #SiddhiIdnani #VijayKrishna #PranayPachauri Director: #SudiptoSen Producer: #VipulAmrutlalShah Writers: #SuryapalSingh #SudiptoSen #VipulAmrutlalShah Rating: * * Runtime: 138 mins

After peddling blatant lies and half-truths in an effort to stoke rabid hindutva passions all through its pre-release publicity campaign the filmmakers suddenly cut down on their fake whatsapp university driven rhetoric and whittle down the narrative to a mere 3 women reciting their ordeal of radicalisation by ISIS (from the 32 thousand the makers were initially tom-tomming about). From the antecedents of the filmmakers its quite clear that they are taking forward the political narrative put forward by their political fathers. The attempt to malign a state(Kerala) whose growth index has been exemplary in comparison with the rest of India and has never allowed religious polarisation to take root despite extreme provocation from the saffron terrorists, is quite glaring. The assumption that this story is true is also quite questionable. But that’s not to say that this film isn’t passionate about its fake storyline. It also has Adah Sharma’s blatant gallery rousing performance and Director Sudipto Sen’s hackle-raising treatment to aid it in further stoking the embers of Islamophobia. It is clear from the strident narrative that this film, like #KashmirFiles, is made-to-order propaganda meant to aid one political dispensation in their divisive politics.

I am Unused #PicksAndPiques #JohnsonThomas #Internationalfilmfestivalcircuit #OTTseriesreviews

#PicksAndPiques #JohnsonThomas #Internationalfilmfestivalcircuit #OTTseriesreviews Title: #IAmUnused Cast: #RamitThakur #DeepikaCharak #AasmaSayed #Hiten #MushtaqKhan #RajkumarKanojia Director : #DushyantPratapSingh Platform : #MXPlayer #AltairPR #DushyantCorporation #AnujGupta #PiyushRajan #VinaySinghBaghel #SanjuV @everyone Rating: * Runtime: 4 Episode/ 20- 26 Min each

The story here is opportunistic, unsubstantiated, and ill-informed. It gives the makers the opportunity to exploit the female body to some extent. Though a pivotal character is supposedly infected by HIV the makers keep parroting it as AIDS instead and when she infects someone else through sexual intercourse even that person is said to have AIDS …and all this even without the necessary tests being initiated? Even the cops are ill-informed and talk stupidly. Bad acting, terrible writing, and clueless helming round out this disastrous 4 part series. It’s a pity the makers did not bother to educate themselves before embarking on such sacrilege