The Book Thief

A beautiful, poignant movie about a young girl from Communist kin caught up in Hitler's world war era in the middle of Germany. The story is akin to Anne Frank but runs slightly on a tangent. The movie makes one thoughtful with complex emotions - thankful, because the war stopped; sad, because of what people endured. Some very good direction, casting, acting, cinematography almost makes this movie an edge-of-a-seat and gets the audience hooked till the very end. The best part of the movie was the background narration from Death. And punchline dialog. 
Rating: Good

Inside Out

After 5+ years, finally went to a movie in a theatre! Since our daughter was born in 2010, we had never been to a theatre. Never felt like going to a movie leaving our daughter behind, nor felt compelled to watch any movie in a theatre with her in tow. But now that she is 5, and almost takes in any 'villainous' roles in equanimity, we finally decided to go to a theatre. And we wanted to start off with an animation movie so that she gets used to the theatre atmosphere and yet is comfortable with the big screen. So, decided on Inside Out, since it seemed as good as it can get. Sure enough, it was an awesome movie - great concept, great direction, good animation. Totally joyous. And yet, looking at the movie, at times I felt sad that so many good memories are lost forever, even of my own daughter who is still just 5. Definitely a movie not to be missed!
Rating: Good

Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries)

A very realistic movie. Acting from everyone is excellent. The best scene is when the maid and her daughter are on camera. That's as natural as it can every get. A story in which there is a mix of rich and poor, richest and poorest. Mumbai is seen in all its true forms. The rat-killing profession is as worse as it can get. The Muslim woman's story on camera is touching. It starts out with such bubbling excitement and looking-forward-to-life. Since it is more like a diary, there is no real ending or real beginning for the movie. It is just a chapter of life in a number of lives - which can be as realistic as it can get.
Rating: Good

The Imitation Game

Wanted to read the novel before I saw the movie but the novel was over 700 pages with small font. So saw the movie directly since I couldn't wait! And what a movie! Superb story, awesome acting, good editing, great casting and excellent direction. Added to this, it's the true story of Alan Turing. What a man! Thank God, for sending this man to Earth in such a time as World War! Its as if God Himself was here to stop the war...
Rating: Must-see

Birdman

It started off well enough. Seemed very gripping. But then, there were these scenes of the hero flying and it seemed unrealistic. Still, good enough movie to see once. The movie is taken as if it is one long and that's something novel.
Rating: Good

Neighbors

Pretty comically intense movie about neighbors trying to outdo one another. Extremely adult-ish movie in relation to typical American college grads partying excessively. Simple story yet very thick in keeping audience captivated till the end. Nice, catchy dialog too.
Rating: Good

Entertainment

Total time-pass movie for a lazy weekend. So had very little expectations. But the dialog in the movie was truly amazing. Very innovative and comical with real humor. Had some real good laughs.
Rating: Good

Escape From Alcatraz

A simple movie about a powerful true story of Frank Morris' escape from Alcatraz prison half a decade ago. Minimal dialog, tight story line, yet edge-of-seat thriller. Feels good to see a movie based on same setting which I had once visited (Alcatraz). 
Rating: Good

Mangal Pandey : The Rising

When I was watching The Story of India, I came to know about Mangal Pandey. Hence saw this movie, and it was an astonishing story. There were parts in the movie that could have been well-made (such as reducing the number of songs) but otherwise the legendary story or the folklore itself carries the movie on its back to make it a worthwhile watch. Aamir is superb, as always. I feel for William Gordon though I am not sure if he was a real person. And of course, I feel for Mangal Pandey himself, the real person and what he went through...
Rating: Good

Unbroken

Based on the autobiography, the movie gives justice to the book in many aspects - at least, as much as possible, and finishes some 50-70 pages before the book actually ends. And some pretty good acting, casting (except Watanabe whose features seemed very girly) and cinematography. A good, compact watch for those who don't want to read through 400 odd pages. But again, the book gives a more holistic picture than the picture itself but there are scenes which the viewer can easily understand by just seeing than comprehend the description from the words by reading.
Rating: Good

Home

First movie night organized in my daughter's school. Had total fun, under the stars, with popcorn and other snacks. Daughter too had a jolly time before the movie started, playing with her pals and on the park play structures. The movie itself was good, not superbish, but good enough to keep us in jovial spirits. Story theme seemed too far-fetched but that didn't matter much because of the pace of the movie. 
Rating: Good

The Story of India

An in-depth documentary on India, starting from the very first immigrants to the country thousands of years ago until freedom and Independent India. It is a marathon 6-part 6-hour documentary where the host Michael Wood takes us through this life of India with an ever-smiling face and churns up facts and places (such as the one where Akbar was enthroned, where Mahabharata was fought, where freedom fighters fought against British, Jallianwala Bagh, Taj Mahal, place where Gautam Buddha got enlightenment, etc.) at such quick pace that the audience is hooked all through. There is not a moment of ennui. It is almost a must-see for all Indians - to know our own roots. 

The Hundred-Foot Journey

Not sure why the title. Relatively easy-going movie. Not much humor or suspense or action or drama or anything to keep audience occupied. After 1 hour I thought the movie was over. 15 minutes later again I thought it was over. And it kept on happening until an hour later the movie finally ended! Editing could have been better, dialog too. Acting was good and so was casting and cinematography.
Rating: Average.

The Interview

A nice captivating story with underlying comedy involving international countries and nuclear bombs and what-not! Total time-pass yet hilarious, at times.
Rating: Good

Finding Nemo

A beautiful tale of 'dad' fish losing 'son' fish and how he does all it takes to 'find' him. Very touching yet comical, not to mention beautifully scripted & animated. Has a moral for the father as well as for the son.
Rating: Good

Sixteen Candles

A movie for the wifey. She likes this type - A typical American sixteen-year-old girl madly in love with a guy in her school who doesn't even know her and it's her birthday - and whatnot. Not much of comedy to call a rom-com but comes pretty close to it. Time-pass, watchable.
Rating: Average

Airplane!

Absolutely hilarious! Been a very long time since I saw such kind of a movie where the theme is only comedy and pays no respect to logic! Totally enjoyed!
Rating: Good

Clueless

Time pass movie about teenagers. But surprisingly, a very "clean" and "moralistic" movie. Light romance, light humor and faintly interesting. 
Rating: Average

PK

Nice movie, nice story, nice direction, nice concept, etc. But something lacked to not make it a "Must-see". Maybe the alien concept - literally speaking, and perhaps casting. Otherwise, a classy movie, almost on similar lines as the director Rajkumar Hirani's other movies (Munna Bhai MBBS, etc.). Every scene, every dialog, seemed to be well thought out. Even the humor is rich. Anushka seemed out-of-sort (for casting in this movie, not her acting) at times, maybe because she looked taller than Aamir. Aamir was awesome, as usual.
Rating: Good

The Lion King

I was 14 when this movie hit the screens and I had heard rave comments about it. But being a teenager I wasn't so keen on an animated movie then. Now, after 21 years, for the sake of my daughter, I got this movie from library! It wasn't all that great as I thought it would be although at times the comic and the animation are excellent. The story itself is very thin and predictable. Far too much violence and scary stuff for Kindergarteners. My daughter didn't like it that much. 
Rating: Average