Out with a bang
Direction: Adrian Grunberg Actors: Sylvester Stallone, Yvette Monreal rior uses an array of weapons — knives, shotguns, arrows and his fists of fury — to obliterate the blustering baddies.
A gratuitous amount of gore, guts and blood are spilled, particularly during the climactic confrontation inside a booby-trapped tunnel at the family’s Arizona ranch.
Unevenly paced, the narrative is further bogged down by wayward editing rhythms. As an action icon, the 73-yearold Stallone is still a force to be reckoned with.
The rest of the ensemble, including Paz Vega as the journalist-ally, fails to make an impression.
Viewers expecting nuance should look elsewhere. The direction by Adrian Grunberg is strictly workmanlike.
The end-credits montage of scenes from all the five Rambo films indicates, hopefully, that this might finally be finis for the original action hero.
Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Donna Tartt, The Goldfinch is a rather unwieldy coming-of-age drama. The film is sumptuously produced and visually dazzling, courtesy Oscar-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins, but fails to fully capture the emotional core of the source fiction.
The sprawling non-linear narrative revolves around a troubled young man (Ansel Elgort) whose life turns topsyturvy after the death of his mother in a bombing at a New York art museum.
A multitude of characters weave in and out of the overplotted narrative, which flits between locations ranging from Las Vegas to Amsterdam.
In supporting roles, Nicole Kidman (a sympathetic socialite), Jeffrey Wright (an antiques dealer) and Ashleigh Cummings (the mandatory object of desire) are convincing.
A Russian refugee (Aneurin Barnard) named Boris livens up the proceedings somewhat, in the latter half. Clichéd, contrived and far too lengthy, The Goldfinch is, on the whole, a missed opportunity.
Remember the formulaic, uncomplicated love stories we used to have in the ’90s? Sunny Deol transports us back to that era with his directorial venture — and launchpad for his son, Karan, and fellow debutante Sahher Bammba.
Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas is sweetly refreshing, with no convoluted twists or subplots. It’s predictable, but believable. Karan Sehgal (Karan Deol) is a mountaineer who runs a trekking camp in Himachal Pradesh. Based in Delhi, Seher Sethi (Sahher Bambba), a famous vblogger, goes on a solo trek with him and a love-hate relationship ensues. Over the course of a week, they face odds together, squabble, and forge a connection.
Their performances elevate the film. Deol comes across as sweet, charming, a genuine good guy. But he’s in practically every frame, yet his dialogue delivery is stilted and they really should have rethought that odd chuckle after every line.
Bambba is urban, glamorous and confident, with great screen presence, if a bit high-pitched in dramatic parts. The pre-interval section is a visual delight. The second half is high on family drama and action. As with his father, Karan can apparently vanquish 10 men singlehandedly. He does the Sunny Deol roar, quite convincingly.
The film’s music is a sureshot winner. Sachet-parampara and Tanishk Bagchi ensured that there are songs for everyone — a party number, a road trip gaana, a soothing track and Punjabi lyrics. Expect a run-of-themill love story, but one that will make you smile.