Sachin Chatte

Produced by J.J. Abrams and directed by David Robert Mitchell (of It Follows, one of the better horror films of the century), The End of Oak Street is an old-fashioned survival thriller with a clear tribute to Steven Spielberg and his groundbreaking dinosaurs. Producer Abrams himself did a Spielberg pastiche with Super 8 (2011), a cross between E.T. (1982) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

Based on Asghar Wajahat’s play Jis Lahore Nai Vekhya, O Jamya E Nai, like most films on Partition, Batwara 1947, has its heart in the right place. But, much like Main Vaapas Aaunga a couple of months ago, when it comes to cinematic storytelling, the film gets a bit muddled. The obligatory songs and romance unnecessarily dilute its essence, leaving you desperately wanting the story to move on. At its core, though, there is a strong message about values and respecting humanity. And Sunny Deol proves yet again that there is much more to him as an actor than being the man who can uproot a hand pump. This is one of his finest performances, one that goes beyond the dhai kilo ka haath and bashing up half a dozen people in an action sequence.

It may be a brand-new day in Spider-Man’s life, but he is still doing more or less what he has always done—swinging off buildings, fighting crime, nursing a broken heart and grappling with an identity crisis. The last two may be relatively new, but the core remains unchanged. Marvel Studios entrusted Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of the remarkable indie Short Term 12 (2013), with bringing a more human touch to the web-slinger, and that is perhaps the film’s only real novelty.

Jan Neta (originally Jan Nayagan in Tamil) is actor-turned-Chief Minister Vijay’s swan song. It’s journey to the screen has been almost as dramatic as the film itself, with controversies involving piracy, the censor board and even the courts. After prolonged delays, what is billed as Vijay’s farewell to cinema now that he has taken a full-time plunge into politics, has finally reached theatres. Leaving fandom aside, however, Jan Neta is an endurance test. Like many Indian mainstream entertainers, it desperately wants to be socially responsible while simultaneously allowing its hero to flatten several dozen villains—preferably in slow motion. Directed by H. Vinoth, the film demands unwavering devotion from Vijay fans. Everyone else may find themselves frequently checking their watches.

A Christopher Nolan film is always a reason for that extra excitement for any cinema buff. If Billy Wilder famously wondered, “How would Lubitsch do it?”, film lovers today often find themselves asking, “How would Nolan do it?” Whether it is space travel or a biopic about the scientist who created the most destructive weapon known to mankind, Nolan brings his own unique vision to storytelling. What makes his films special is the way he crafts them, using every cinematic tool at his disposal. In fact, he constantly pushes the boundaries of the medium.

The Dhamaal franchise is now almost twenty years old — which is quite an achievement for a series built on a storyline thinner than a Bollywood hero’s patience before the interval. The makers managed to squeeze out two films in the early years (2007 and 2011), but when fresh ideas became as rare as logic in a slapstick comedy, the obvious solution was simple: recycle the old ones.

The benchmark for the YRF Spy Universe isn’t particularly high, especially after the War films. So it comes as a pleasant surprise to find a taut, breezy action thriller that doesn’t waste time dwelling on unnecessary detours. For starters, this is a completely romance-free enterprise, and that itself is a rarity in mainstream Hindi cinema. There are no mandatory love songs shot in exotic locations or forced romantic subplots. In fact, there are only a couple of songs, and for the most part, the film moves at a brisk pace.

The third instalment in the Welcome franchise is called Welcome to the Jungle—but it is so mangled that it will make you yearn for some semblance of sanity. There is nothing wrong with lightweight, silly comedies, but there is a thin line between being delightfully goofy and descending into complete absurdity. Forget crossing that line—director Ahmed Khan’s film starts there, ends there, and keeps you trapped there for nearly three hours.