Girlfriend

Wifey chose a regional movie this time! A rom-com. Great acting by the lead actor & in fact all others too. Catchy songs and dance sequences. Nice pastime. Not much in the tale and yet it doesn't bore. Few rib-tickling scenes too. Weirdness of mankind is shown very well plus the reality of what is happening around us. Well worth a watch.
Rating: Good
Language: Marathi

Jolly LLB

Wasn't sure if we really wanted to see this movie - for a long time, almost 3 years but finally we forged ahead. It was just as much as we expected: mediocre. Not much of humor. In fact, just the tale itself is about 45-60 minutes and rest of the movie is stuffed with romance and so-called humor which doesn't tick or tickle. Boman Irani and Arshad Warsi have given their very best, of course. It is actually inspired by true events - and that's one good reason why this is watchable. Dialog is bearable, songs are not though.
Rating: Average

Birbal (Trilogy Part 1)

A good watch. The last 5 minutes kind of solves all the jigsaw puzzles in such a quick fashion that one has to watch from the beginning to understand the full sequence of events. There are spies and double-agents and the tale gets thicker and thicker but the method of solving is appreciable. The lead roles have done their part and to be frank, Mr MG Srinivas is one heck of a talented person to have directed, written and contributed to screenplay too. Sound was kind of muffled all through, as if echo-ed. Only one song, so that's great editing for a thriller. For a Kannada movie, this one's great a big stride forward! The background score is superb, just as it should be for an edge-of-seat movie, like the Bourne series.
Rating: Good

Love Aaj Kal (2008)

After having watched the 2020, I was interested to see the prequel. Very interestingly, the prequel storyline is also the same! In the sense, a restaurant owner recalls his own love story of the yester-decade to the current couple who are unsure of their relationship! Unlike the 2020 movie, the 2008 movie has very little of the yester-decade tale although that is the one which has more depth. Watchable. A romantic drama of confused 'love' relationships. Saif's acting is awesome. The song in which Saif goes from all gaga to all sadness within 5 minutes is taken very brilliantly.
Rating: Good

PS: Interesting observation is that in 2008 movie, the restaurant owner talks to Saif Ali Khan about his past. In 2020 movie, the restaurant owner talks to Sara Ali Khan who is Saif's real-life daughter!

Mundina Nildhana

Dialog is mediocre. Casting is good. Cinematography is nice. Although set in Bangalore and Sakleshpura, one gets the feeling it is abroad - such is the location setting, so full credits! Tale weaves in and out between love and relationships. Pretty common amongst current generation, I guess. The interesting part is where some of the tales get interwoven. Ending is definitely different compared to the many 'triangle' tales - but not much juice in the movie, I felt.
Rating: Average

Gone Kesh

Having watched Bala recently, didn't feel much like watching another movie of the same genre but finally thought it was sufficient gap and hence forged ahead! This happened to be a very nice movie indeed. Set in Siliguri, the pace of the movie was slow but just enough to not make it boring. Easily it could have been edited further down by 15-20 minutes shorter but pardonable. Acting by one and all is great and freshly innocent. The average middle class life & the bonding of the husband and wife has been portrayed very well and so is the innocent college crush by the young guy. Very much worth a watch.
Rating: Good

Aruvi

Deep, very deep. Excellently made, great narration. The father-daughter part really touches the heart. Superb acting by one and all. Total time-pass at certain parts but it is ok. Almost like as if it is needed. Very sad, though. But it is what it is. Totally worth the watch. In fact, highly recommended.
Rating: Good
Language: Tamil

Gulabo Sitabo

Have to confess - had extremely high hopes of this movie. Maybe because of AK and AB. But nothing great about it. In fact, they should have named it as 'Fathima Mahal' because the entire movie is about that Haveli and everyone trying to get it. The dilapidated condition of the Haveli (which we are forced to see) for two full hours is itself a tough thing to do. A big eye-sore. But there is a point in the story - on how attached one gets to one's place of stay. Natural, local-style acting & location is worth the watch. And the background score is pleasant to hear. But other than that, nothing much in this tale to see.
Rating: Average

Julayi

Well, well, well. I was misinformed that this one's comedy. In fact, even Google says 'Comedy/Action'. But there is definitely a lot less of comedy and heck lot of action. Sadly even action that doesn't even seem real. Strange thing about this movie is that it is too logical at times and at the same time, it is to illogical at several times - illogical like how movies were made in the 1990s. Its almost like there were two directors - one super intelligent and one super dumbo - and they each got different scenes done at different times and editor added it all up without checking! Anyways. What makes this movie tick is dialog and the 'Hero' element. Almost like Jason Bourne. Very much a masala movie made for the masses. The mediocre laps up these kind of movies which has songs, dances, romance right in the middle of what should supposedly have been a simple-yet-intense revenge story. Not my kind.
Rating: Average
Language: Telugu

Khandaani Shafakhana

This one's wee bit different. Full marks for the story, direction and acting. And dialog especially because of the nature of the theme. Yet, everything done pretty clean and neat without unnecessary gory details. Badshah's first movie as an actor and he has done a good job at it. Pity that the movie didn't well in Box office. Seemed like pretty nice movie to me. Watchable for all that is considered as 'taboo'.
Rating: Good

Jawaani Jaaneman

Movie reminded me of Oldboy first, and then since it had more of light-hearted humor than violence - Maama Mia. But it eventually turned out to be an original movie with its own narration. Although the main theme can easily be Googled, the parallel realty tale is the 'supporting story' which was needed to tie everything together. Some highly embarrassing-and-hence-comical scenes which are well directed and acted. But the one thing that stood out in the movie is the cinematography. Although nothing much on the location and scenery - the way the camera moves fluidly from one location to the other, even inside the hospital, is superb. Hats off to 'Manoj'!
Rating: Good

Neighbors 2

Well, I thought I hadn't seen this movie but there were many scenes in the movie which brought back memories. Anyways. What makes this movie tick is the dialog. Very witty and whacky. Just like the prequel, it is entertaining from the get-go. Typical collegiate movie with pretty much the same theme.
Rating: Good

Egg

The title seemed captivating but the tale wasn't so much. The whole story happens inside 4 walls and the breadth of the movie is conversations between two couples - and how the narration takes the tale from 'inseparable' to 'divorce' to 'extra-marital'. Hints of 12 Angry Men. Some of the conversations are boring, some are nice and some are like 'do folks even talk like this' type! Not worth the time on this...
Rating: Average