Dangal

The story of how Mahavir Singh Phogat who defied the society, the beauracracy of the system and broke age old perceptions to make his daughters Geeta and Babita wrestling champions. When a man who can change his physical appearance from Dangal to Pongal and back produces a movie, you don't think too much. You book tickets and go enjoy it. Aamir Khan does it again with this movie, with the perfect casting and execution. You do not want to miss this one! 

Rogue One : A Star Wars Story

A young Jyn Erso is rescued from an imperial labour camp by the rebellion only to be told that her father Galen Erso is helping the Emperor’s army build a planet-killing weapon, the deadly Death Star. She joins forces with a rag tag squad from the rebellion to steal the plans of the weapon to take it down. This movie is a throwback to all those episodes of the 80s and the 90s and is a treat to Star Wars lovers. For those with a dark side, the scenes where the Director of the Imperial forces cringes merely being in the presence of Lord Vader and the one where the Dark Lord cuts down rebels with his famed red light sabre are enough to buy tickets for this one

Kahaani 2

Vidya Sinha, a single mother and a private company employee has a semi-paralyzed daughter who is her only family. Their happy life is put in disarray when the daughter gets kidnapped by a ghost from Vidya Sinha's past, or is it Durga Rani's past? Find out in this thriller from Sujoy Ghosh. Vidya Balan is at her acting best again assisted by Arjun Rampal, who though being part of a legendary group of non-actors does justice to his role. Though the unraveling of the twist goes a bit flat towards the end unlike in the first Kahaani where the story-telling was par excellence, this is a good watch. 

Arrival

The skills of linguistics professor Louise Banks are sought for when mysterious UFOs appear at various locations across the world. She teams up with physicist Donnelly to crack the communication impasse with the aliens and finds herself in a race against time with other world powers getting impatient as to the intention of the alien landings. Though the story gives you a sense of dejavu with the story running in two time dimensions and the space element therein just like Interstellar, the execution by Adams, Renner and Whitaker as well as the subtle message the movie intends to impart makes it a good watch. So go book your tix if you haven't already watched it.

Doctor Strange

If you have read the Marvel comic of the same name, you wouldn’t require an introduction to the very intellectual yet arrogant master surgeon Dr.Stephen Strange, who loses the use of his hands in a car accident. When modern medicine doesn’t heal them he turns to the mystical world and finally ends up becoming a warrior fighting evil forces beyond the realm of physics and time. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the master sorcerer with elan and his poker faced humour only adds to the theatre. Marvel never disappoints, but with this one they took it a level higher with the absolutely mind-blowing visual effects! Whether you are a Cumberbitch or not, this is one movie which you do not want to miss! So go book the tix. 

The Accountant

Christian Wolff is a mathematical genius who services dangerous criminals and organisations across the globe fronting as a regular CPA. He catches the eye of a Treasury Department agent who takes it upon himself to unravel the mystery around him. When Wolff takes up an assignment to investigate an accounting fraud in a robotics corporate, the count of dead bodies starts rising and the "Accountant" needs to pick up more than his pen and calculator to survive. A high octane and fast paced movie with Ben Affleck doing absolute justice to the intense, ruthless mathematical savant with good support from Anna Kendrick, this movie is a must watch.

P.S - A subtle message in the movie about how people suffering from autism have their own strengths and gifts is in real good taste!

Jack Reacher : Never Go Back

The solitary Reacher heads back to his 110th mountain MP headquarters to meet the major in charge, only to find her arrested on espionage charges. Convinced that there is something amiss about the whole picture he delves deeper into a quagmire of corruption and pilferage of Army weapons. Though stepping into the shoes of Lee Child's Jack Reacher has a height requirement, Tom Cruise fits well into the role just as he did in the first movie of the franchise. Though the second half sees the plot dragged a bit, this is a good popcorn watch.

Inferno

The veteran symbologist Robert Langdon finds himself in a hospital in Florence with short term memory loss. He tries to piece together why and how he landed up in the situation with the help of his doctor which only leads him into a spiral of dangerous situations featuring Dante's visualization of hell and a dead billionaire with a wild dream to cull over-population with the release of a virus among the public. Hanks is back as Langdon with a bang only to be slightly overtaken in panache by Irfan Khan as an antihero in this sequel. Is this as explosive as Angels and Demons? No, as the Inferno loses its fire in the second half. Is it worth a watch like the Da Vinci Code. Definitely yes. So book your tix.

M.S.Dhoni : The untold story

The story of a kid hailing from a humble background who fancied football over cricket and who later went on to captain the Indian team in all formats of the game at the number one position in the ICC rankings, the story of M.S. Well, the movie was a tad too long at 3 hours with avoidable songs and the graphics were below average. That said and done, Rajput did a very good job of slipping into the role of Dhoni, picking up nuances of his character and mannerisms. You need to watch this movie as a tribute to the man who rightfully earned the title of 'finisher' in Indian cricket and is a picture of reassurance to 1.2 billion Indians everytime they see him do his signature saunter onto the pitch adjusting his gloves, with the cricket bat under one armpit  - Mahendra Singh Dhoni! 

The Magnificent Seven

When a small town in the wild west is terrorized by a greedy gold digger, the desperate residents turn to a bounty hunter and his group of disjointed mercenaries to come to their rescue. Though the whole cast does justice to their respective characters, performances by Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Vincent D'onofrio and Peter Sarsgaard stand out. With a slight difference in the plot from the 1960 original, this one is a good watch.

Sully

Adaption of the true life event of 2009, when Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger called upon all his 40 years and 20000 hours of flying experience to successfully land a commercial airliner that had lost thrust on both engines onto the Hudson, saving all 155 souls on board. The movie gives us an insight into how Sully was hailed a hero and also beleaguered by the authorities for his decisions in those fateful 208 seconds. Titled "The Miracle on the Hudson", the event displays how a miracle is the result of tough decisions at the right time rather than a play of luck. Tom Hanks's and Aaron Eckhart's impeccable performances on screen and Clint Eastwood's off it make this a brilliant watch. So Cactus 1549, you are cleared for takeoff to buy tickets, because you do not want to miss this one.

Mechanic Resurrection

Arthur Bishop is forced to return to the life of a 'mechanic' (read:assassin) due to a fateful turn of events and is forced to commit high profile assassinations. Well this is a Jason Statham movie with lots of action packed into an hour and a half so you neither get to delve into the nuances of the plot nor critique the movie. So grab a coffee, watch the movie, go home - shakalaka boom boom!

War Dogs

The story of two guys from Florida who try and exploit the government procurement program for arms. They start off with small contracts until they land up with a 300 mil $ deal to supply ammo to Afghan rebels which lands them in all sorts of trouble. Recreation of a true life event, this is a must watch with Jonah Hill at his hilarious best with good support acting from Miles Teller. 

Suicide Squad

A group of metahumans are corralled together by an intelligence officer to protect the world from destruction by an evil force that has awaken. The plot reminds us of an Avenger movie, but on steroids. That being a dampener, I would still recommend you watch this movie once, just for Margot Robbie's performance as Harley Quinn. It is near to impossible to surpass Jared Leto's performance in a psychotic role, but she did it and she did it sharing screen space with him! 

Rustom

The story of a naval officer who comes back from a sortie and finds that his wife is having an affair with his friend and influential businessman and then proceeds to shoot the businessman dead. Is the plot limited to the adultery or is there something murkier going on behind the scenes. Go find out by booking tickets for this movie. Adapted from the Nanavati case which shocked the nation with the verdict as also resulting in discontinuation of the jury system in India, this one is a good watch. Though the court room proceedings border on the comical, Akki seems to extend his string of successes from Special 26 and Baby with this movie. 

Jason Bourne

Bourne is forced to come out of his self imposed exile and on the radar of the CIA after his acquaintance Nicky Parson stumbles upon something revelatory in his past in the Agency archives. Though Matt Damon is at his best as the ruthless Bourne and Tommy Lee plays the Agency Director who tries to rope in the agent for fear of him exposing their black ops as he did earlier, the plot actually fails to surprise as it reminds us of the storyline of Bourne Ultimatum. So if you want a piece of the Bourne action go buy the tickets, else catch it on Netflix or so. 

Madaari

The story of an ordinary citizen who was wronged by the system decides to take it head-on. Well, the story and theme are a rip-off of the thriller 'A Wednesday' starring Naseeruddin Shah. The theme is so predictive that even the twist at the end fails to surprise. Though Irffan Khan does full justice to his role, the movie doesn't do justice to him. So don't bother buying the tickets. You may as well catch it on TV or Netflix at your leisure.

Kabali

1) A taste of the superstar for all Rajini fans. You need to have watched at least some of his old movies to truly appreciate this. 2) Watch it in Tamil (they have English subtitles. Even Rajini's laughter has subtitles! Mind it). If you watch it in any other language and crib that the old man can't deliver his dialogues, it is your problem, not his. 3) The storyline is clichéd, but we are not watching this movie for it. Are we? If you feel the storyline didn't come close to Pa Ranjith's earlier movies, this is not Ranjith's movie. It is Rajini's 4) If you know Rajini only through his jokes and you watched the movie because of the hype and crib that it was not upto expectation, remember that nobody forced you to buy the tickets. 5) I paid to watch the Kabali swagger and I got it! Magizchi (Cheers!)
P.S - The above is not my review on the movie because you can't review a Rajini movie. The movie reviews you! 

Star Trek : Beyond

The USS Enterprise is pulled out of a break into a rescue mission only to be attacked and forced to crash on a faraway planet. They confront an unknown enemy who can be a potential threat to the entire Federation. It is a pleasure to be back in the company of Pine, Quinto and Zoe or Kirk, Spock and Uhura as we know them in the movie. Simon Pegg (Scott) and Karl Urban (Doc) add the humour and they get a woman-in-arms companion in Jaylah played by the beautiful Sofia Boutella. With a twist in the tale at the end, this one is a good watch.

Sultan

Story of a man from Haryana who makes wrestling his life to win over his lady love and finally finds himself in the upper echelons of the wrestling world. Then tragedy strikes and shatters his life as he knows it and he has to rediscover the fighter in him to build it all back up. Well, the story doesn't really matter from the moment Salman appears on screen in all his starry glory! A time pass movie as all Bhai movies are with even some nonsensical scenes so brilliant in their nonsense that you are left cheering. They could have left the songs out though as they made the movie a tad bit longer than required. As for brilliant acting, well Randeep Hooda's 20 minutes of screen presence ticks that category with Anushka providing good support as Sultan's lady love. All in all a good watch...

The Legend of Tarzan

A slightly different take on the old Tarzan story which many of us have grown up to, Tarzan is pulled back to his roots in the jungles of Africa from the Lordship in England to fight an old enemy and new. The visuals are captivating and when you have actors like Christoph Waltz, Samuel Jackson and Djimon Honsou the film can't go that wrong, can it? With Skarsgard and Robbie contributing with their roles well, this is a good watch. 

Independance Day Resurgence

After the first contact which was hostile, humans gear up for any such eventuality by cannibalizing on the technology that the aliens left behind. But they are not prepared for the next onslaught which is bigger and nastier. Well, this sequel goes good until the second hour when it drags a bit and actually should have been a half hour shorter. A good time pass only if you have a coupla hours of time to kill. Else wait for it to come on TV. 

Udta Punjab

A candid take on the drug abuse problem in the state of Punjab. This movie also brings to light how the said problem is so deeply entrenched in society, entertainment and politics that it is a quagmire that is difficult to escape from once somebody falls prey to it. Very well shot as the screenplay is raw and unpolished with commendable performances from Shahid and Alia well supported by Kareena and Diljit.

Central Intelligence

A high school stud turned accountant who feels his life has become boring gets more than the dose of excitement he asked for when he reconnects with an old schoolmate who happens to be a CIA agent. The comedy is predictable and way too slapstick in this one. So watch it if you have a coupla lazy hours at your disposal and you are in the mood to watch utter nonsense. 

X Men : Apocalypse

The visual effects and the characters definitely over shadow the theme in this one. Terror strikes when a group of people awaken the all powerful first mutant En Sabah Nur (which sounds like an Egyptian shampoo brand name actually). Professor Xavier has to stop him from destroying the world as we know it with the help of his X Men and win back the confidence of his old metal-bender friend. Well Quicksilver's wit, the cameo by Wolverine and the climax with The Class 5 mutant makes it a must watch for all the Marvel-lous fans out there.

Money Monster

TV show host Lee Gates who recommends hot stocks on the market suddenly finds himself staring down the barrell of a gun toted by a disgruntled investor who lost his life's savings having listened to Lee and has decided to take hostage the studio. George clooney dons the hat of Lee assisted by Julia Roberts as his woman at arms and Jack O'Connell plays the role of the investor who has lost everything with flair.  Reflecting on current events where news channels create news rather than report it, this satirical drama infused with light-hearted humour is a good watch.

Captain America : Civil War

Just as it would be incredulous to give a review on how good a Sunday sermon is by the Pope, it would be equally ridiculous to give a review on a Marvel movie. They all pack a punch with adequate action, humour and that quintessential ingredient called awesomeness. This movie does too with the addition of dynamic cinematography during the action scenes and of course the cameo by Spiderman and Antman. So go book your tickets.

The Man who knew Infinity

There are people who are born a genius and do extremely well for themselves and then there are people like Srinivasa Ramanujan who are born a genius and make a contribution to mankind. This film is a fitting tribute to the Indian mathematical wizard whose equations and theory were so profound that they are used to explain the behaviour of blackholes almost 100 years after his death. Dev Patel plays the role of the autodidact genius well while Jeremy Irons impeccably delivers the role of G.H.Hardy, Ramanujan's English mentor and friend. A good watch.

Jungle Book

The story of the human kid  Mowgli, who is raised by a pack of wolves and is hunted by the tiger Sher Khan is not new as some of us grew up to it. With all characters portrayed very well, this movie is a throwback to those memories and a fabulous visual treat. However, Sher Khan voiced by Idris Elba and Baloo voiced by Bill Murray steal the show. Go book your tickets. 

Batman Vs Superman : Dawn of Justice

Still reeling from the aftermath of the destruction brought down by the fight between Superman and General Zod, the citizens of Metropolis are still debating whether the red caped alien is a superhero or a villain. That's when self declared vigilante Batman decides to show Superman his place. However, when the psychotic Lex Luthor hatches an evil plan that can become a threat to mankind, the heroes decide to join forces....Cavill continues his performance as the red caped hero and Ben Affleck shows us that he needs to be behind either a camera or a mask to give a decent performance. Further, blame me if your jaw doesn't drop in wonder when Gal Gadot makes her entrance as Wonder Woman! All in all a good popcorn watch.
P.S : For all those who are in two minds after having read the negative reviews, don't panic. Those were written by people who watched Deadpool thinking it was a cartoon movie fit for 4 year olds ;) for God's sake, it is a comic adaption, treat it as such! 

Eye in the Sky

A strategy team in London who are planning a drone strike on a group of terrorists who are about to wreak havoc in Nairobi through suicide bombings goes awry as a little civilian girl enters the kill zone. This leads to a debate of military necessity versus morality and puts on display the irony of how everything is fair in war and at the same time not! Acted out by a weathered cast of Helen Mirren and Alan Rickman supported by Aaron Paul and Barkhad Abdi, this one is a riveting watch

Race

Coach Larry Snyder of Ohio State university discovers a potential protege in Jesse Owens and prepares him for the athletics events in the Olympic games. The 1936 games are hosted by Nazi Germany and it takes a lot of hand wringing for the US Olympic committee to participate therein. Braving the colour discrimination and personal hurdles Jesse goes on to win 4 gold medals for his country. Based in the 1930s, this biopic is very well shot with Stephan James and Jason Sudeikis sliding effortlessly into the roles of Owens and Snyder. This is a must watch! 

Revenant

Adapted from the true life story of Hugh Glass, a frontiersman who gets fatally mauled by a Grizzly while on a hunting expedition and then gets abandoned by his team;  who then fights all odds and the rough terrain to get back to his camp fueled only by his will to survive and the need for vengeance against his confidante who turns against him. Alejandro Inarritu weaves his magic again and Leo gives a brilliant performance. With the cinematography which must not be missed, courtesy Emmanuel Lubezki, this is one movie which is a must watch. 

Neerja

A recreation of the tragic hijack of a Pan Am flight 73 from Mumbai to NY in 1986. It is a well made ode to the brave cabin crew of the flight who put their duties above their personal safety, especially Neerja Bhanot who paid the price with her life, helping the passengers escape to safety. Sonam fits right into the role with Ram Madhvani reigning in her acting prowess or lack of the same and Shabana Azmi wrapping it up with a powerful last ten minutes...a good watch

Spotlight

A team of journalists are tasked with investigating allegations of sexual abuse within the machinery of a religious body. They persevere to get the truth out but when the cocktail has religion and sexual abuse within it their task only leads them uphill. At a loss to cherry pick performances, as the entire cast has done a commendable job, this tribute to investigative journalism is a real good watch...

Deadpool

The story of a retired special forces soldier Wade Wilson whose dreams for a happy new life with his beautiful girlfriend are shattered when he is diagnosed with cancer and then spiralled even worse by a villain who converts him into a mutant with healing capabilities in the pretext of treating his cancer. He goes on a hunt for this villain Francis and all hell breaks loose. Ryan Reynolds does a good job as Deadpool the extremely unpredictable, in-your-face, rib-tickling hero with his garish sense of humour! So go book your tickets right now or be ready to get your ass kicked by Deadpool! 

Saala Khadoos

The loathsome behaviour exhibited by the sports regulatory authorities in the country is famous to the point of it being adapted into various Bollywood movies. The talent and grit of the athlete finally wins. This is one such storyline where a wronged Boxing champion turned coach finds talent in a fisher-woman and moulds her into a world champion. Though the storyline is clichéd and Ritika Singh goes ballistic spewing fire and anger to the extent of combusting spontaneously, good old Maddy is the reason you should watch this movie for. Plus, there are no dhin-chak item numbers, so you can finish the movie and go home in good time. 

Joy

Joy, who is born into a disjointed family pursues her dream of patenting one of her inventions and realises that the journey of an entrepreneur is not so joyful after all. Braving the ruthless business world and family hurdles, she manages to establish herself as a businesswoman. The plot is clichéd and the screenplay wanting of momentum, but J Law's performance just about manages to pull it thru'. Catch a DVD or download it. 

Airlift

Airlifting of 170,000 Indian refugees from Kuwait when Saddam's forces invaded it was no small effort pulled off by businessman Mathunny Mathews and Vedi in coordination with Air India. One of the largest evacuations in human history is captured well in this movie with Akshay fitting right into the role of the suave, hard-negotiating businessman Ranjit Katyal  of Indian origin whose humanitarian streak is awakened seeing the plight of the stranded Indians well supported by the beautiful Nimrat Kaur who dons the role of his wife. A good watch. 

Our Brand is Crisis

The services of a political strategist who went into retirement is solicited to salvage the sagging election campaign of a Bolivian presidential candidate. Sandra Bullock plays 'Calamity' Jane the strategist who finds her arch nemesis Pat Candy, played by Billy Bob Thornton in the opposing camp and it becomes an all out fight where only winning matters. Joaquim Almeida lends the arrogant but naive touch to Senator Castillo the candidate. If you like political drama / satire, this is a must watch. 

Wazir

A tale of two men who share a similar fate end up building a friendship to uproot the very cause of their troubles. Though the movie starts off action packed, the storyline becomes a little too predictable in the second half. However, Big Bachchan delivers yet another powerful performance with hard hitting dialogues ably supported by Farhan Akhtar and Ms.Hydari lending the glam quotient. John and Neil Nitin do what they are best suited for - guest appearances. Watch it for Big B.