The Spectacle that is Spectre

James Bond (Daniel Craig) kicks off his search for the elusive secret organization Spectre in the midst of the Day of the Dead festival in Mexico City. The search takes him across to Rome, where Ernst Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) engages him in a cat and mouse game that finally culminates back in London. Bond affictionados are in familiar territory (or are they?) - the title song (by Sam Smith, male), the Bond girls - Lucia Sciarra (Monica Belucci), and Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux), the latter highly accomplished in medicine and hardly a wilting violet by any stretch of the imagination, the gadgetry from Q - and Bond inevitably taking some liberties with them. In the balance of things, Spectre is an understated good watch, with Daniel Craig showing clear signs of ageing though. That for me was the only point of disappointment with what was otherwise a fine movie.

15/20

Being yourself

Damian Hale (Ben Kingsley), real estate mogul, does not have long left to live. He finds his way to one Professor Albright (Matthew Goode) where through a process called "shedding", Damian is reborn as Edward (Ryan Reynolds). Things get complicated as Damian finds that the body that he now occupies actually belongs to one deceased Mark, and Mark's wife Madeline (Natalie Martinez), has been struggling to bring up their six year old daughter, since Mark's demise. Self/ less is at the heart a simple story of heart over mind, man over machine, well constructed

14/20

The horror!

It appears that the heir to the Dracula bloodline is not a vampire and cannot fly! The horror! While Mavis (Selena Gomez) and Johnny (Andy Samberg) go off to California to connect with the latter’s family, the well-meaning Dracula (Adam Sandler) takes the young Dennis (Asher Blinkoff) through a series of experiences to test for the inner vampire. Definitely not a letdown!

14/20

Aptly named

It is not easy to be Malala Yousafzai in real life. Far from her home in the SWAT valley (now overrun by the Taliban) and a stranger in a strange land even as she runs a mission in faraway Syria Nigeria et al, the exceptional Malala shows her true grit a-la the Afghan warrior after whom she was named. He Named Me Malala is a must-watch

15/20

Furious(a)!!

Furiosa (Charlize Theron) and not Mad Max (Tom Hardy) is the real protagonist of the unmissable franchise-resurrecting Mad Max Fury Road. A relentless action sequence as Max and Furiosa outrun Imperator Joe along Fury Road, in their quest to save Joe’s wives, and a search for the elusive Green Palace from memory.

14/20

Well Rendered

The unlikely combination of Australia (ANZAC) and Turkey – the battle of Gallipoli is the stage where Connor (Russell Crowe) loses his three sons to battle. Or does he? The Water Diviner sees his wife Eliza (Jacqueline Mckenzie) take her own life, and, left with nothing in the world to live for, makes his way to Gallipoli to find his sons. Connor finds his way to the home of Ayshe (Olga Kurylenko), wherein love blossoms between erstwhile enemies. Connor makes a dangerous journey into the heartland, making unlikely friends and allies along the way, in the quest to find his three missing sons. With a depiction of the Outback that is as well-rendered as the nuances of Turkey in 1919, The Water Diviner is a low-profile hit and one that is definitely worth a watch

14/20

Slick, Poignant

Conspicuously African-American to a fault, with poorly placed beer product placements, and with a poignant send-off to the cornerstone Paul Walker, (Fast and) Furious 7 keeps the franchise alive and well through the level of SFX and make-believe that is only possible of Hollywood. A sliver of a storyline, that is totally overshadowed by science-defying stunts, the highlights of which appear to be driving off buildings and cliffs without terminal impacts to man or machine. This one holds it together – suspend all pretension to belief, and just enjoy

14/20

Bengal Shining

I was not quite captivated initially by Detective Byomkesh Bakshi – it seemed a good collection of movie sets and a somewhat faux art storyline. At some indeterminate point, I began to get captivated by its sheer relentlessness. Sushant Singh Rajput does well, but he is supported by a solid ensemble of characters. However, all said and done, credit for the movie goes to Diwakar Banerjee, who simply shines through with screenplay that is near-psychedelic in parts. Will rank this alongside the likes of Dev D, Page 3 and Rock On as hindi movies that surprised me hugely on the upside

15.5/20

I Spy

Unbeknownst to his family, lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks) is tasked with negotiating the release of Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell), a CIA spy behind Russian enemy lines, for Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), a KGB spy captured in the US. While negotiations go well, Donovan also looks to get stranded American student Frederic Pryor (Will Rogers) released, in what would become a 2-for-1 exchange if it comes through successfully. Based on true events, and with all the genius of Spielberg and the Coen brothers, Bridge of Spies is a must-watch

15/20

Walk of Life

Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a wire-walker par excellence, looking for his next big challenge all the while, and inspired by Papa Rudy (Ben Kinsley) in the craft as he is supported by Annie (Charlotte Le Bon) in life. A chance sighting of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre coming up in New York introduces Philippe to his life's purpose. Well executed if predictable. The Walk is quite thrilling, not for just the physical act of the walk, but also for the sheer intensity of following one's passion

14/20