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Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022)
Rocketry (2022) is the directorial debut of actor R Madhavan. I saw the Tamil version of the multilingual film, which was also simultaneously made in Hindi & English. I found the movie based on the real-life of ISRO scientist Mr S Nambi Narayanan to be well-made and enjoyable. It had a good dose of patriotism, which is the flavour of the times, it was central to the story and I liked the way Madhavan used the combination of national pride and guilt to narrate a powerful story that is sure to move the audience. I am happy to give the film a Ripe rating. In recent decades, two scientists from…
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The Swimmer (1968)
Can a movie create a story in the minds of the audience without describing it directly or showing visuals of the happenings? If you had watched The Swimmer (1968) starring Burt Lancaster you will emphatically answer yes. The film may not be interesting all the way, but it will certainly leave you thinking about it for a long and even the characters who appear briefly will impact you. That’s how well it has been made by Director Frank Perry and gets a Ripe. On a random summer day, we see Ned, a well-built man nearing his fifties swimming in a private pool in a suburb of Connecticut. In the next…
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Top Gun: Maverick (2022) – An authentic sequel
When it comes to making a worthy sequel for a popular movie, most often the makers fail. As a pleasant surprise, Top Gun Maverick succeeds in the near-impossible task. The movie had been in the making for over a decade, thankfully Director Joseph Kosinski, the late Tony Scott and the crew have spent the time well and got it right. The film is an authentic sequel to the original, Top Gun (1986) and gets my rating of “Ripe”. Top Gun: Maverick (TGM), is set 36 years from the predecessor and follows the life of Tom Cruise in the character of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell who is still serving as a captain,…
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Late Night (2019)
Starring Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson, Late Night (2019) is about a celebrated TV talk show host struggling to adapt to the times or retire gracefully. The plot was familiar, we had seen portions of this in Anchorman (2014), in Tina Fey‘s 30 Rock (2006-2013) and recently in the Great News (2017-2018). Yet, the fine performance by the lead actors and a sharp and witty screenplay make it enjoyable. Available on Netflix, it gets a Ripe. The host of a late-night talk show, Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson) is a self-absorbed, rude TV anchor who has won numerous Emmy awards. Unfortunately, over the decades, she is saddled with a complacent team…
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Trippin’ with the Kandasamys (2021)
I am hooked on the South African family comedy franchise, The Kandasamys. The films follow the drama within the two Indian families, Kandasamys and the Naidoos. They are neighbours who live in Chatsworth, a suburb of Durban. The latest one is Trippin’ with the Kandasamys (2021), a feel-good film which is available on Netflix and gets a Ripe rating. The first of the two films, Keeping Up with the Kandasamys (2017) was about the falling in love of the children of the two families, and the next one Kandasamys: The Wedding (2019), as the name suggests, was about the wedding event of the young couple. The third one, Trippin, was…
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Top Gun (1986)
With the release of Top Gun Maverick (2022), it was time for me to (re)watch the super hit original, Top Gun (1986). This film catapulted Tom Cruise to stardom and paved the way for his future successes including the Mission Impossible series. The plot was a simple one. A talented Navy Pilot, Maverick behaves impulsively and often runs rogue, which affects the safety of his overall team. How the relationship with a civilian instructor, Charlotte (played by Kelly McGillis) and an unfortunate incident, mellows down Maverick and turns him into a hero was the film about. It gets a Ripe rating for its brilliant cinematography and forthright screenplay. The movie…
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Lost in Space (TV series)
Lost in Space (2018-2021) is a science fiction, remake of a series of the same name from the 1960s. The story was about the Robinson family, who are part of a group of colonists (the 24th group) who are on their way to the Alpha Centauri star system to settle down. After a sudden alien robot attacks their spacecraft (Resolute), their escape spaceship (Jupiter) crashes and lands on an unknown planet and things fall apart quickly. The Robinson couple has two daughters and a son who are all interested in science and space exploration. The youngest, Will Robinson, encounters an alien robot and the two become friends. The robot keeps…
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Bridgerton (TV series)
Bridgerton (2020-) is a historic fiction that happens during the regency era (early 19th century) of Great Britain. Recently season two of the show got released, so I was curious and watched the first season, I was impressed. The show transports us to a long bygone era with its warm romance, the unashamed display of wealth & power, and pleasing visuals, providing good entertainment to those who like period dramas. Available on Netflix it was one of the most-watched shows and gets a mangoidiots rating of Ripe. Bridgerton’s are a noble & rich family of eight siblings living in London, the two main characters in Season 1 were the eldest…
