1. Animal (2023) made me click away repeatedly, but completed watching it! Filled with misogyny and violence, the plot is unappealing and cliched. It glorifies outdated patriarchal themes with the only excuse of a strange attachement the protagonist has towards his father which doesn’t justify its offensive content. While Ranbir Kapoor gives a strong performance, embodying the vile protagonist convincingly, the film is poorly structured, the sequencing of events feels disjointed, and the excessive runtime does nothing to enhance the movie. A focus on the father-son relationship, rather than misogyny, might have made it bearable.
2. Tarot (2024) attempts to weave a supernatural narrative around the mystical world of tarot cards through its promising trailer but didn’t hold interest. The movie struggles with its own identity, awkwardly mixing horror, thriller, and drama without ever committing fully to any of the nuances of the genre. The backstory feels rushed and forced without properly developing the actual plot. The protagonist’s journey feels forced, and the horror elements feeling gimmicky rather than it being vital to the plot. The movie is mostly monotonous which is sometimes interrupted by sudden jumspcares which are mostly predictable. The dialogue, meant to be mysterious, often comes off as clichéd.
3. Miller’s girl (2024) is interesting to analyse from a psychological perspective, yet the story is creepy, to say the very least. “Miller’s Girl” attempts to be a coming-of-age drama but ends up recycling outdated tropes with an exaggerated age. At times, it leaves you wondering whether the movie is meant to be cringe for a reason, like a parody, or if it really is painfully cringy with no plausible explanation. The lead character’s journey, meant to be inspiring, instead comes across as predictable and uninspired. The movie’s weak script and poor pacing, makes it difficult to invest or relate with the protagonists. The supporting characters are one-dimensional, and their interactions with the lead feel forced and unnatural. The film’s attempt at emotional depth falls flat, making it forgettable.
4. Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey ( 2023), takes a beloved childhood classic and turns it into a gruesome horror experience, which sounds promising but isn’t. Instead of exploring and respecting the original characters and their hidden depths, it relies on the shock value of putting them in a violent setting, without giving room for character development. It is poorly written and is a cheap take on Milne’s classic characters, focusing more on shock factor from an unstoppable killer machine. A movie that’s best avoided. What’s even more ironic is that the movie has a sequel, where the story was indeed better, even with the characters however they still feel short from a horror movie fanatic’s POV. i.e. none of them are good.
5. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (2024) proves that big stars and good acting can’t salvage a weak plot. The movie and its plot are shrouded with cringe dialogues, that have become a point of reference for second hand embarrassment. The jokes are recycled, to the point that you’re no longer laughing at the jokes but are tired by it. The story doesn’t bring anything new to the table either. The movie’s start promises an amazing movie that will get your heart rushing through its action scenes, only for them to be packed with boring CGI, misrepresentative of the army. The film’s attempt to be entertaining ends up being a source of second-hand embarrassment.
