Movie Review: News

18 Mar 2024

Netflix

NewsBytes Recommends: 'To Kill a Tiger'—searing, unsettling, and heart-rending 

I have lost count of the times I paused Nisha Pahuja's Academy-Award-nominated documentary To Kill a Tiger, streaming on Netflix.

15 Mar 2024

Adah Sharma

'Bastar' review: A hard-hitting reality bogged down by poor acting

After the humongous success of The Kerala Story (TKS), the trio of director Sudipto Sen, actor Adah Sharma, and producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah, collaborated on another project titled Bastar: The Naxal Story.

08 Mar 2024

Netflix

'Damsel' review: Scattershot film has spectacular visuals but dull writing

Millie Bobby Brown's Damsel, fittingly released on International Women's Day on Friday on Netflix, is directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.

08 Mar 2024

R Madhavan

'Shaitaan' review: Thrilling, creepy but bogged down by its writing

Director Vikas Bahl's supernatural thriller Shaitaan hit cinema halls on Friday. Featuring a stellar cast comprising Ajay Devgn, R Madhavan, Jyotika, Janki Bodiwala, and child actor Anngad Raaj, Shaitaan will give you the chills.

01 Mar 2024

Kiran Rao

'Laapataa Ladies' review: Kiran Rao's sharp satire takes down patriarchy 

Kiran Rao's sophomore directorial outing Laapataa Ladies is a sharp, scathing satire on the deeply-rooted, pervasive, and unescapable patriarchy in our society, and how education and awareness are its only antidotes.

01 Mar 2024

Timothee Chalamet

'Dune 2' review: Visual mammoth is backed by enchanting music

All those who've been skeptical of a sequel's success must watch Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two. A worthy successor, this film has every element in place required for a cult blockbuster movie-cum-franchise.

23 Feb 2024

Nora Fatehi

'Crakk' review: Headache-inducing, excruciating long film gets almost everything wrong 

Aditya Datt's Crakk (made my head explode, so it justifies that title) stars actors with chiseled, shredded bodies (Vidyut Jammwal, Arjun Rampal) and is shot in multiple picturesque locations.

23 Feb 2024

Yami Gautam Dhar

'Article 370' review: Amalgamation of action and political thriller

The abrogation of Article 370 is a significant event in India's modern-day history.

22 Feb 2024

Amazon Prime Video

Tamil film 'Naadu' review: Ambitionless film is a tiresome watch

The Tamil drama film Naadu—directed by M Saravanan—and starring Tharshan, Mahima Nambiar, and RS Shivaji—dropped on Amazon Prime Video on Thursday after completing its theatrical run.

16 Feb 2024

Hollywood

'The Holdovers' review: Endearing; moving portrait of love, life, grief

Alexander Payne's The Holdovers—released in Indian cinemas on Friday—is the rare film that gets almost everything right.

16 Feb 2024

Dakota Johnson

'Madame Web' review: Dakota Johnson's superhero film ain't no marvel

Marvel Studios's latest offering is Dakota Johnson starrer Madame Web, based on Marvel Comics by the same name. Unlike other superhero films, this movie runs low on action but high on predictability.

14 Feb 2024

Amazon Prime Video

'Love Storiyaan' review: A heart-warming collection of real-life tales

Love knows no boundaries, for it transcends cast, religion, region, and even gender. Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta's anthology series Love Storiyaan brings you such six tales.

09 Feb 2024

ZEE5

'Lantrani' review: ZEE5 film can't balance its ambition with execution

Anthology film Lantrani, starring Johnny Lever, Jitendra Kumar, and Nimisha Sajayan, is streaming on ZEE5.

09 Feb 2024

Shahid Kapoor

'TBMAUJ' review: Shahid-Kriti's AI love story is nice but average

Artificial Intelligence is on the verge of taking center stage in our lives. While many continue to debate whether AI will completely take over human jobs or not, there comes a film that shows it might also take over our romantic needs.

09 Feb 2024

Bhumi Pednekar

'Bhakshak' review: Well-made film hits you in the gut

Rarely do films show you the ugly reality of society in its raw essence. Bhakshak, starring Bhumi Pednekar, is one such film that hits you in the gut by showing the harsh reality, while also leaving you with many questions.

04 Feb 2024

Netflix

NewsBytes Recommends: 'Leave The World Behind'—thrilling, gripping, thought-provoking 

Sam Esmail's Leave The World Behind (2023)—based on Rumaan Alam's namesake 2020 novel—is a worthy addition to apocalyptic thriller movies.

02 Feb 2024

Hollywood

'Anatomy of a Fall' review: Meticulous exploration of human behavior

Justine Triet's Anatomy of a Fall—recipient of multiple Academy Award nominations at the upcoming Oscars—was released in Indian theaters on Friday.

02 Feb 2024

Henry Cavill

'Argylle' review: Don't expect much from Henry Cavill-starrer

Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn's latest release is the multi-starrer spy action comedy Argylle. Released in cinema halls on Friday, it's his eighth film as a director which he has also produced. The film promises a stellar cast but Vaughn has failed to utilize them to the full extent.

27 Jan 2024

Tamil Cinema

'Fight Club' review: Substanceless film is neither intriguing nor engaging 

Tamil action film Fight Club, released theatrically in December 2023, made its OTT debut on Disney+ Hotstar on Saturday.

25 Jan 2024

Hrithik Roshan

'Fighter' review: Siddarth Anand impresses with visual spectacle

Siddharth Anand has been treating movie buffs on Republic Day back-to-back. After his 2023 blockbuster hit Pathaan, the director is back with another actioner Fighter, which was released on Thursday.

19 Jan 2024

Hollywood

'Anyone But You' review: Charming and enjoyable, but also cliché

Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell starrer Hollywood film Anyone But You was released in Indian theaters on Friday.

19 Jan 2024

Pankaj Tripathi

'Main Atal Hoon' review: Pankaj Tripathi's acting only workable factor

Biopics are one of the favorite genres of filmmakers. The latest addition to this genre is Pankaj Tripathi-led Main Atal Hoon, which was released on Friday. It brings back former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to life but fails to do justice to the politician.

14 Jan 2024

Iran

NewsBytes Recommends: 'The Song of Sparrows'—finding life amid despondency

Over the decades, Iranian films have built a staggering reputation for capturing the world as it really is, sans any gloss, glitter, or starry glimmers.

12 Jan 2024

Telugu Films

'Hanu-Man' review: Delightful beginning to 'desi' superhero universe

In 2021, we were treated to Minnal Murali, a hit Malayalam superhero film. Cut to 2024, it's time to welcome Prashanth Varma's Hanu-Man, the first of his superhero franchise in the Prashanth Varma Cinematic Universe.

12 Jan 2024

Sriram Raghavan

'Merry Christmas' (Hindi) review: Slow-burn thriller is engaging, not flawless

Sriram Raghavan's Merry Christmas—based on Frédéric Dard's Bird in a Cage—is about dual identities, scheming, plotting, cold-blooded revenge, and the extent to which one goes to protect their loved ones.

11 Jan 2024

Netflix

'Killer Soup' review: Abhishek Chaubey serves a slow-cooked, flavorful recipe

When three critically acclaimed actors like Manoj Bajpayee, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Nassar collaborate on a project, you expect it to be nothing short of brilliant. And that is how Netflix's latest release, Killer Soup is.

05 Jan 2024

Mammootty

'Kaathal—The Core' review: Audacious LGBTQ+ drama bolstered by astounding performances 

Jeo Baby's Kaathal—The Core—now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, is the kind of drama that you could spend hours dissecting; a film you want to continue rolling even after the end credits.

05 Jan 2024

Sony LIV

'Cubicles' S03 review: A crisp ode to work friendships

When it is about churning out feel-good and realistic stories, you know you can count on The Viral Fever (TVF) to provide you with such content.

26 Dec 2023

Siddhant Chaturvedi

'Kho Gaye Hum Kahan' review: Relatable tale of modern-day relationships

Netflix has dropped its latest Hindi film, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, a modern take on friendship, relationships, the digital world's adversities, and more.

22 Dec 2023

Netflix

'Curry & Cyanide' review: Gripping tale of Koodathai cyanide killings

For those who love watching true crime documentaries, Netflix released its latest title, Curry & Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case, on Friday.

22 Dec 2023

Amazon Prime Video

'Dry Day' review: Confused film doesn't know where to go

With names like Jitendra Kumar, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Annu Kapoor, and Saurabh Shukla (director) attached to it, I pinned my hopes on Dry Day, which was released on Friday.

22 Dec 2023

Salaar

'Salaar' review: Prabhas starrer has perfect recipe for actioner

Announced back in 2020, Prabhas's Salaar finally hit theaters on Friday after several delays.

21 Dec 2023

Rajkumar Hirani

'Dunki' review: SRK, Rajkumar Hirani deliver overlong, predictable film

When you watch a Rajkumar Hirani film, you expect a bite of everything: romance, comedy, drama, and strong emotional overtones.

18 Dec 2023

Malayalam Movies

'Falimy' review: Basil Joseph starrer is funny, sentimental, and heartening 

Basil Joseph starrer Falimy (originally in Malayalam with selected segments in Hindi) was released in the theaters in November and made its OTT debut on Disney+ Hotstar on Monday.

15 Dec 2023

Mohit Raina

'The Freelancer- The Conclusion' review: A complete Mohit Raina show 

Neeraj Pandey is known for delivering some of the best thrillers. His latest offering, The Freelancer, is another addition to his praise-worthy creations alongside Baby, Special 26, and A Wednesday.

15 Dec 2023

Hollywood

'Priscilla' review: Tender, sentimental portrait of fame, fortune, failed relationship

Sofia Coppola's Priscilla—which earned Cailee Spaeny a Golden Globe nomination in the Best Actress category—was released in India on Friday.

14 Dec 2023

ZEE5

'Koose Munisamy Veerappan' review: ZEE5 documentary's E01 is partly thrilling

Koose Munisamy Veerappan, a documentary based on the life and crimes of the notorious murderer and poacher Veerappan (the title is his full name), landed on ZEE5 on Thursday.

08 Dec 2023

Pankaj Tripathi

'Kadak Singh' review: Pankaj Tripathi's whodunnit isn't 'kadak' enough

The expectations are set high when a film stars Pankaj Tripathi in the titular role, is touted to be a thriller, and is helmed by National Film Award-winning director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury.

08 Dec 2023

Manoj Bajpayee

'Joram' review: A brilliant Manoj Bajpayee headlines socio-political survival thriller

Devashish Makhija's Joram is one of those films that demand you to sit back for a few moments to completely absorb the high intensity of what you have just watched unfold onscreen.

07 Dec 2023

The Archies

'The Archies' review: Come, relive your childhood with Archie's gang

The much-awaited movie The Archies is now available for streaming! An Indian adaptation of Archie Comics, the film marks the debut of not one but at least six newcomers in the industry.

06 Dec 2023

Manoj Pahwa

'Chamak' review: Performances and music elevate this revenge saga

Twisted and thrilling- that's how Rohit Jugraj's musical web series Chamak is.

01 Dec 2023

Sam Bahadur

'Sam Bahadur' review: Vicky Kaushal rightfully honors beloved war general

Biopics are a tricky genre, especially when you want to show the glorious life of a legendary army veteran like Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.

01 Dec 2023

Animal

'Animal' review: Gore, surprises abound in Ranbir Kapoor's one-man-show

There are a lot of ways to describe Sandeep Reddy Vanga's always on steroids, never short of adrenaline, Animal.

26 Nov 2023

Netflix

NewsBytes Recommends: 'Oregon' on Netflix; dive into friendship, fun, nostalgia

Kerem Ayan's Oregon (2023), streaming on Netflix, is the kind of film that invites you into its world merely by its synopsis.

24 Nov 2023

Joaquin Phoenix

'Napoleon' review: Grand visual spectacle comes with unignorable flaws

Ridley Scott's epic war drama (and not a biopic) Napoleon feels like the first paragraph of someone's Wikipedia entry—it packs too much information and yet provides only a cursory glance without stretching its legs toward the details.

24 Nov 2023

Ronit Roy

'Farrey' review: Alizeh Agnihotri passes her debut test

Farrey means "cheating chits" in Hindi. But the recently released Soumendra Padhi film didn't need any farreys to pass its test.

19 Nov 2023

Amazon Prime Video

#NewsBytesRecommends: 'Smile' on Amazon Prime Video—frightening, eerily creepy, hauntingly unnerving

Parker Finn's psychological supernatural horror thriller Hollywood film Smile (2022) is inspired by his short film Laura Hasn't Slept.

18 Nov 2023

Netflix

'The Railway Men' review: Hard-hitting series captures horrors of 1984

The horrific memories of the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy have returned with the release of The Railway Men. The series is surely to leave a lasting impact on the viewers.

17 Nov 2023

Mammootty

Mammootty's 'Kannur Squad' review: Feels satisfying despite some screenplay problems

Mammootty's Kannur Squad, which focuses on a group of police officers assigned to special, intricate, complex cases with a deadlock, is inspired by real events.

17 Nov 2023

Bollywood

'Khichdi 2' review: This comedy has errors

Comedy? Check. Punchlines and one-liners? Check. Storyline? Nope!

12 Nov 2023

Salman Khan

'Tiger 3' review: Salman-Emraan-Katrina's panache undercut by drudged screenplay

Maneesh Sharma's Tiger 3 is like one of those fireworks on Diwali that light up briefly, giving you moments of exhilaration, but then disappear into nothingness, failing to reach their full potential.

10 Nov 2023

Netflix

'The Killer' review: David Fincher's thriller feels distant, unstimulating

David Fincher, the man behind Zodiac, Se7en, Gone Girl, and Mindhunter, among several other landmark projects in the thriller genre, is back with The Killer, which dropped on Netflix on Friday.

10 Nov 2023

Brie Larson

'The Marvels' review: Enjoyable but not the best Marvel movie

The latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the women-led flick The Marvels, starring Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris.

05 Nov 2023

YouTube

#NewsBytesRecommends: '1500 Words' on YouTube—ode to love, longing, loss

Andrew Chaplin's 1500 Words is architected on an extremely intriguing and experimental premise; it is the kind of story you think you would have read in a book in your school library.

03 Nov 2023

Paresh Rawal

'Shastry Viruddh Shastry' review: Strong performances but predictable and overlong

Directed by Nandita Roy and Shiboprasad Mukherjee, the Hindi drama Shastry Viruddh Shastry is an adaptation of the Bengali film Posto.

03 Nov 2023

OTT releases

'Scam 2003' review: Gagan Dev Riar owns Volume II, too

The second volume of Scam 2003: The Telgi Story is now available on Sony LIV. Starring Gagan Dev Riar as Abdul Karim Telgi, the series is about the Rs. 30,000cr stamp paper scam that rocked the nation.

28 Oct 2023

Emily Blunt

Reasons why Netflix's Hollywood drama 'Pain Hustlers' is mixed bag

When Hollywood's two globally popular, acclaimed artists join forces, we naturally expect something spectacular from start to finish.

27 Oct 2023

Vikrant Massey

'12th Fail' review: Earnest, honest, bolstered by first-rate performances

Vikrant Massey's 12th Fail draws its story from the life of IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma and is based on Anurag Pathak's namesake book.

27 Oct 2023

Kangana Ranaut

'Tejas' review: Kangana Ranaut's defense drama fails to take off

There's a dialogue in Tejas where Ashish Vidyarthi's character says, "Are we making a film's sequel?" when another character quotes a Uri: The Surgical Strike dialogue. The answer is a clear no!

22 Oct 2023

Netflix

#NewsBytesRecommends: 'Once Upon a Star'—gorgeous moment frozen in time

The Thai film Once Upon a Star (2023), directed by Nonzee Nimibutr, is streaming on Netflix.

20 Oct 2023

T-Series

'Yaariyan 2' review: Not great but sweet, simple, engaging enough

Director duo Radhika Rao and Vinay Sapru's Yaariyan 2 is a Hindi remake of 2014's Bangalore Days.

20 Oct 2023

Tiger Shroff

'Ganapath' review: Tiger Shroff starrer is atrocious, headache-inducing, utterly meaningless

While watching Tiger Shroff-Kriti Sanon's Ganapath: A Hero is Born, I felt an array of emotions: anger, confusion, exhaustion, but most of all, surprise at how a film like this could not just be made, but also released theatrically!

19 Oct 2023

Vijay

Vijay's 'Leo' review: An out-and-about 'masala' mass entertainer

Vijay has made his grand entry into the Lokesh Cinematic Universe with Leo: Bloody Sweet, and it's no ordinary entry. The opening scene itself paves the way for a high-octane actioner.

18 Oct 2023

OTT releases

'Permanent Roommates 3' review: New installment retains original feel-good flavor

Not often do you come across shows that are as good as their prequels, if not better. When Permanent Roommates 3 was announced, many feared that it may not live up to the expectations that the show had already created among the masses.

14 Oct 2023

JioCinema

'Murakh The Idiot' on JioCinema: Reasons to watch Virendra Saxena-starrer

Murakh The Idiot, starring veteran actor Virendra Saxena and Arfi Laamba, is now streaming on JioCinema as part of its digital film festival.