Film Reviews

  As he was driving home through the muddy backstreets of the woodland, the old man was stopped in his tracks by three teenage ninjas audaciously dressed in black, their faces covered. The elderly man, a veteran ninja himself, ferociously jumped out of his car to confront them alone. Soon, the trio struck him with their tiny fists and legs, taking turns, while the old master defended himself calmly and eventually grabbed the youngest one, pulling off his mask. "Grandpa, stop it!" the boy yelled, unable to contain his laughter. That’s when the audience realizes they are the grandsons of the grumpy old man, revealing the heart of the story. 3 Ninjas , directed by Jon Turteltaub and released in 1992, was one of my childhood favorites, bringing back joyous memories I shared with friends when we were about ten years old. This fun-filled film, aimed at children, tells the story of three kids—Rocky, Colt, and Tumtum—who are proud holders of green, blue, and orange karate belts. Toge

In a letter to a Chinese Premier, Ashok, a Bangalore-based entrepreneur, describes his escape from a rural village to the city of his dreams. Unlike most young and vibrant businessmen who are born with a silver spoon in their mouths and are fortunate to run their family-owned enterprises, Ashok's story is different. His is a tale of struggle and sacrifice, of master and slave, of loyalty and treason, and how they are inevitably intertwined. "White Tiger," directed by Ramin Bahrani, is a gripping crime drama that unveils the stark disparities between the two extreme classes in India. Balram, a young and ambitious teenager from a rural village, lives with his family in a kutcha house. He dreams of escaping the "rooster cage" he was born into and moves to Delhi to work as a driver for an affluent family. Within days, he becomes the personal driver for Ashok, a kind-hearted man in his early thirties who has just returned to India from the U.S. with his wife, Pinky.

  A mob of Southerners and Northerners is on the verge of a fistfight over the ownership of the very first toilet ever built in their village. As adversaries from two distinct castes shout at each other, the veteran politician brought in to cut the ribbon becomes confused by the outrage surrounding him. Suddenly, a stray dog, having just relieved itself in the brand-new toilet, emerges and stares at the crowd, leaving them bewildered. Soon, the local barber, an untouchable known as "Elichavayan," is forced to clean the mess for the elderly to obnoxiously inaugurate the latrine. However, the fate of the urinal is short-lived, as the agitated throngs end up brawling and quickly demolish the lavatory, leaving it shattered and dysfunctional. Will it be rebuilt? What triggered this futile combat? "Mandela," directed by Madonne Ashwin, is a comedy-drama that portrays the political atmosphere during elections in an ordinary village on the outskirts of Tamil Nadu. The story

How far can one go if greed outweighs wisdom in him? The crave for wealth and power could drive a man to indulge in killings of his loved ones. Joji, directed by Dileesh Pothan, is a crime drama that portrays the tragic end one could have if in pursuit of supremacy over sanity. The story revolves around a wealthy family which is eagerly awaiting their father's death for inheriting all his possessions. Joji, the younger most son, played by Fahadh Fasil is already in debt to his father and Jaison, the elder one to Joji, is also in need of money to run his business. However Jomon, the elder most son who is an alcoholic, is more emotionally attached to his father among the three and is least interested in inheriting their father's wealth. In the beginning, Kuttapan(father) unexpectedly gets a stroke while working along with his workers in his farm and is rushed to a nearby hospital. After a week's treatment though he gets partially paralyzed, he recovers from his illness and re