2019 Movies Roundup

Some theater movies, but largely streaming movies this year.
Its going to get crazy soon, what with so many streaming services. There is only so much anyone with life can watch. And pay for multiple of them ! Uff what a dilemma.

KANNADA 

I am bugged by the new age cinema makers thinking that film ending with death is the only way to go. Everything is good, unique, engaging in the movies, till the very end where they include a twist (usually unanswered death) and leave the audience (or only me) with a sword in the heart or a bitter taste in the mouth. Ex: Gantumoote, Kahi. Makes me regret spending my past 2-3 hours glued to the screen. That is not realist or brilliant cinema. If that's the definition, then somebody please reeducate. If that is kind what you want to make, then look & learn from Tithi & Kirik Party.

Kavaludaari - was notable. It had an interesting start and needed patience to finish the second. That patience was rewarded with a satisfying ending to the villain and a give-a-way of connections of sort.

MALAYALAM

Soubin Shahir & Fahad Fasil turn out to be the flavor of 2019 Malayali movies.

There is one thing to be said about Malayalam movies. You cant except or predict how it will turn out. If you linger the first half, you might easily to brush them away as art movies or going nowhere. But noooo, you have to stay on & then you would be rewarded. 

Bangalore Days - Its rightly called the entry movie for Malayalam movie. Though this is not my first M movie, I enjoyed it as an overall experience. It's same genre as DCH with 3 cousins being the protagonists. But it weaved each one's story with many others and made it a worthwhile watching experience. Multiple cities and multiple languages - Kannada, Tamil, Hindi.

Njan Prakashan - The film has disparate sub-sections with only connections being the hero. That kind of switch is not something we are familiar with in Hindi or English movies. There it would feel like under-budget improperly planned movie. But it was tied well, thanks to the charisma of Fahad Fasil.

Ambili - fairly simple road-movie and good on visuals. First half features a green-Kerala and next half is road trip to Kashmir, with adventures along the way.

Sudani from Nigeria - Introduction to the world of local football in Kerala where players are from Africa. Film-maker had given unique stories to each of the lead characters & the sidekick gangs.

Kumbalangi nights - Very leisurely pacing for a movie that deals with viciously painful family dynamics. Everything was going well till the pyscho-horror turnaround in the climax. I had to forward that part.

BENGALI

No new store of Bengali movies on Amazon Prime as they are on HotStar or HoiKoi &  I haven't subscribed to them.

Shonar Pahar - pretty decent movie where the actors are the key reason to watch - Tanuja, the boy, Parambrata & Jishu. Every interaction is interesting.

Kadambari - Kongana & Parambratta are familiar faces. Great window into a large joint family of olden times. How it's like entering a corporate setup, with its cliques and forming your own place. Showed how the affluent with multiple real-estate lived. And how a familiar figure of India Independence movement had a private family life.

TELUGU

Dear Comrade - Watched it for dear ole Vijay Devarakonda. Rashmika was a surprise realist looking. I didn't know she was so much shorter & real beauty looking. Its amazing if the filmmakers gaze changes, so many taken-for-granted things look different. Her cricket scenes were good. Vijay D angry fight sequences mattered & were absorbing.

Gang Leader - Very interesting premise, not something found usually. Being suspenseful & about bank robbery, it keeps us engaged while it unfolds. Some bits in the end would be considered illogical or illegal, but it can be discounted.

HINDI

Bharat - We went to theater as a family outing for Bharat & later watched repeat on Prime. Met my expectations. Scenes were involving. The grand scale of story kept everyone engaged. Lovely songs. Great ensemble cast & child actors. Wish there was more of Chiang and was not edited out. Poigant moments - Md Ali constantly saying Mere ladke udhar hai; and no one caring cause hurry to move out.  Impulsive halting unsure speeches and esp the one ending with National Anthem Jana Gana Mana. Storyline was interesting. Sutradhar storytelling was tons better done than Jagga Jasoos (it’s only weak point). Handkerchief crying followed by jokes. 

Zero - Fantastic movie. Every single act or sequence of events, every character decisions were interesting, different from expected movies. Dialogues were un-imaginable. Then the songs were lavish. Setting went from small-town to Mumbai to America and then space.
I don't know what to say for it failing at BO. Even I watched it on Netflix.
All the fan-club driven internet chatter ne barbaad kiya filmon ko. Or can only blame SRK-KK-AS trinity with "Jab Tak" line has some kind of jinx. Always khilli udane-wale are the noisiest. Then awesone bolen wale chup ko jate hai. Effect shows in ticket sales. Very bad trend.

Uri - It had the war video-game vibe about it in the trailer itself and the movie delivered.

Total Dhamaal - truely fantastic mad-cap comedy after a long time. My fav bits were Madhuri-Anil ones.

Notebook - such beautiful locations and plot moves just as serenely. Adorable debutantes both. They included many known stories of Kashmir in small snippets, with elaborate explanations.

Gully Boy - really catchy & original music with equally engaging characters and their complex stories. About music, it was an education on rap music in Indian setting.

Other notables:
Super 30
Manikarnika
Luka Chuppi
Badla
Photograph
SOTY2
Dream Girl

My Yearly Movies List here.