1917 – Flawless.

Who would have thought that Sam Mendes‘s 1917 would come out to be the winner after him directing two hugely scaled James Bond films. I am not categorizing as Skyfall (2012) and Spectre (2015) as bad, but they weren’t as splendid as the film we speak about today.

Out of the blue, Mendes arrives with a homegrown story told to him by his paternal grandfather about an actual happening in the World War 1. It was the most sensible decision by him to convert it into a film. And WHAT A MAKE. I was blown away with the magnetic screenplay (Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilsom-Cairns) and an extremely detailed direction. The cinematography (Roger Deakins is gorgeously rigorous. It helped so much in maintaining the intensity of the film.

What also aided the film to be the most worthwhile was the music/background score by Thomas Newman. Furthermore, I would like to exhibit my deepest appreciation for the star cast. Taking charge were George MacKay (as Lance Corporal William Schofield) and Dean-Charles Chapman (as Lance Corporal Thomas Blake), for both of whom, it’s their career best. Plus, we had the best of the best veterans from United Kingdom with their tiny roles, Benedict Cumberbatch (as Colonel Mackenzie), Mark Strong (as Captain Smith), Colin Firth (as General Erinmore), Richard Madden (as Lieutenant Joseph Blake) and Andrew Scott [(as Lieutenant Leslie) – who’s the only Irish one] who added a peculiar kind of charm to the motion picture.

I was tempted to pick out any kind of mistake from the film, post watching it, so that I could lower it’s rating and be strict about it. Well, it is one of my responsibilities as a critic. Need to be fair and just. But honestly, I couldn’t think of any.

1917 is most deserving of all the Academy Award, Golden Globe and the plenty other award nominations it has got. In fact, it has won quite a few awards from around the globe in various categories.

5/5

Avengers: End Game – No spoilers inside.

Over the decades, we were made to believe that superheroes always save the day and it always ends on the note of happily ever after. Post Avengers: Infinity War, the directors (Anthony & Joe) took the Avengers series to the next level. It had grown older. It had bigger wings. It had a more realistic and a mature approach. It has reached beyond the point where the graphical representation, the actors’ performances or even the photographic work are being praised. We are way past that. Hence, it is the plot or script where it must actually flourish.

Admitting, that this one had a mediocre start. A little laid back. Possibly more practical. More human-like. The most longed-for film is huge, yet, it is not what I wanted it to be, or as per my assumption and what many of the moviegoers [especially Marvel fans] might have wanted it to be. However, it makes you run through a lot of emotions. It is inclusive of a few applause-worthy and whistle-worthy scenes. Avengers: End Game has explained the term C’est La Vie, very conspicuously. Two factors which were supported and displayed in a crystal manner, were feminism and racism. In my opinion, these factors are supposed to be conveyed very indirectly. Furthermore, this motion picture is running for twenty four hours in a few parts of the world. It has already made double of it’s investment, in the matter of two days. Fans have watched it five to six times already. That is something!

It is beautiful how Anthony and Joe Russo stitched the ten years of films of the MCU along with the End Game, combining the past, the present and the future and gave it a sense of completion. The appreciable factor is that the audience were kind and lived up to Russo brothers’ expectations and made sure to follow their appeal. Moreover, it is also important that you know that if you are expecting any after credit scenes [which Marvel fans usually do; even I did], there aren’t any. And a more pressing matter is that if you haven’t been following all the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe flicks, you WILL not understand the details of the characters and the film.

If I talk any more about the flick, the chances of a disclosure is very high.

3.5/5

Avengers: Infinity War – Extravagant and class apart.

We all waited for this film for long enough. The expectation level rose to a hundred percent, too. But when a film has the mighty power to exceed the expectations so effortlessly, then it’s a win. It’s a sixer on the last ball when five runs are needed. It’s a goal in the nintieth minute when you’re on a draw.

Even though the story demanded for the film to be quite pessimistic, perhaps even dark too, the experienced director duo, Anthony and Joseph Russo, took it as a challenge to make that whole of the film so exciting and applause worthy, that the melancholiness of the plot looks tiny in front of it. How Marvel Studios, the producer (Kevin Feige) and directors (Russo brothers) of this film have bound most of the Marvel characters and stitched them together for this film which so much ease, is fantastic. Avengers: Infinity War is comedic when it’s required, it is filled with a lot of action which it craves all the time, it is emotional on a few occasions, for a change, and it is SO technologically advanced, giving you the best of graphical effects in the utmost detail.

I wouldn’t want to name all the characters’ and actors’ names to praise them, as it would definitely turn my single page review into a thousand word essay. Nonetheless, it was sad to see that a couple of the characters, inclusive of Bruce Banner / Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Peter Quill / Star Lord (Chris Pratt) having the least of contribution in this first part of Infinity War. On the other hand, how Thanos (Josh Brolin) has changed the course of the film by being the perilous foe, is something you should look forward to. Last but not the least, Peter Dinklage is a major surprise playing Eitri / The Dwarf King.

Marvel movie fan or no, you MUST WATCH THIS FILM. But the non-marvel ones would want to watch all eighteen films before this of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I am not saying this because I am fan myself, but because this film will ignite the fire inside you [in a good way], it will elate you with it’s extraordinary action-technology combo and not for minute you’ll get diverted to use your smartphone during the film. Lastly, I wish that you get to watch this one in a theater full of excited Marvel fans, the cheering and clapping at all the characters’ prime scenes [especially Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Captain America (Chris Evans)] and the major action scenes would keep your mood elevated.

4.5/5