1. Road House
Road House is a 2024 American action film directed by Doug Liman. It is a remake of the 1989 classic of the same name and stars Jake Gyllenhaal. This film, streaming on Prime Video, took me straight back to my school days, when I would come back from school and pop a VHS or tune into Star Movies to watch an old-school actioner in the afternoon. Road House is an unpretentious, no-nonsense, and straightforward entertainer. It is not a high-concept film and has a one-liner of a plot.
Troubled former UFC middleweight fighter Elwood Dalton (Jake Gyllenhaal) is hired by Frankie, the owner of an unruly roadhouse in the beach town of Glass Key, to work as the head bouncer. Initially hesitant, Dalton takes up the offer after narrowly averting a suicide attempt. As he joins his new job, he realises that the roadhouse is being targeted by the local crime boss Ben Brandt, who wants to buy it to build a huge resort.
As Frankie has been resisting the buyout offers, Brandt’s legion of goons is unleashed upon the roadhouse to harass the owner into submission. How Dalton fights off the endless onslaught of attacks and saves the roadhouse, forms the rest of the story. Road House does not have a social message or a deep subtext. It just focuses on one thing — fun. The fights are stylised and brutal, the humour is sharp and the one-liners are cool.
Jake Gyllenhaal is an unlikely action hero, but thanks to the superb action choreography and the obviously rigorous training he has gone through, he pulls the iconic character off. Stepping into a role immortalised by Patrick Swayze in the 1989 original was a difficult thing. But Gyllenhaal plays the reluctant, well-mannered hero with a warm, laid-back swagger, which makes you want to root for him. The villain is superb too. Connor McGregor plays Knox, a psychotic enforcer, who is tasked by Brandt’s incarcerated father to hunt down Dalton. The face-offs between Dalton and Knox are kick-ass, with a really dope climax. Road House will give you the feel of a full-blown Indian Masala film. It is a tribute to the high-octane action films of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and like me, if you are a ‘90s kid, do not miss this.
2. Kung Fu Panda 4
Kung Fu Panda 4 is a 2024 American animated martial arts comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. It is the fourth instalment in the Kung Fu Panda franchise. I have been a huge fan of this franchise, particularly because I could relate extensively to the overweight protagonist, Po, voiced by the amazing Jack Black.
Kung Fu Panda 4 marks the return of the franchise after a long gap of eight years. The film does not do anything new and does not really explore the world of the franchise to new dimensions. Rather, it plays off like a best-of-hits album, where, the best moments of the previous films, and the most loved character beats of the iconic characters are compiled to create a comfortable, familiar return to a beloved film.
The story focuses on Po’s quest to find a successor, who can take his place as the new Dragon Warrior. In his quest, Po finds a potential successor, a thief called Zhen (played by Awkwafina), who seems as unworthy to hold the prestigious title of Dragon Warrior as Po himself was in the first film. What follows is a clichéd journey of self-discovery, full of twists and turns, betrayals, redemptions, a lot of comedy, and of course, a whole lot of imaginative Kung Fu. Though the journey of the characters is clichéd, there is a lot of fun to be had, thanks to the terrific 3-D animation and the superb comic timing of the cast. Jack Black and Awkwafina use each other as bouncing boards to create super fun moments.
Even when things go philosophical, the life lessons are warm and the film never gets preachy. Like all great animation films, though this film is primarily targeted at children, it offers a lot of fun to grown-ups too. A lot of people have obviously grown up on this franchise, spanning its 16-year journey. This is evident in the ceetees and taalis with which the houseful crowd welcomed Po in his entry sequence in the film. So, if you have a child, or are a child at heart, do not miss this theatrical experience.
3. Anyone But You
Currently streaming on Netflix, Anyone But You is a 2023 American romantic comedy film directed by Will Gluck. It is adapted from Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare and stars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. I am not a big fan of rom-coms, but heard a lot about this film.
While rom-coms are chock-a-block these days, what really made this film work was the terrific comedy. The situations are weird and borderline slapstick; yet, the cast, particularly the leads, pull off the gags effortlessly. What helps is the fact that Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell have tremendous chemistry and comic timing.
The emotional beats are dated and the tropes are typical of the genre. Yet, the feel-good factor makes the moments work. Anyone But You does not really offer anything new; but, it gives you a warm and familiar experience. It’s like comfort food.
The plot focuses on law student Bea and Goldman Sachs employee Ben, who absolutely hate each other after having a misunderstanding. However, the two are stuck together at a destination wedding where both of them are invited. They are like a ticking time bomb due to their hatred for each other. Hence, their friends and relatives try to make them fall for each other in order to avoid any conflicts that can damage the wedding. For the sake of their loved ones, Bea and Ben start pretending to date. This leads to a series of hilarious and wild situations, which make them question their hatred for each other. The banter between Bea and Ben is smart and on point, with both actors displaying tremendous comic timing.
The film rides heavily on the performances of the leads, who pull off one crazy gag after another passionately. The steamy scenes are electrifying too and really highlight the chemistry. Though adapted from such a classical text, the writing is breezy and very today. The issues the characters face and the internal journeys they go through are extremely relatable. Anyone But You is a vibrant, fast-paced rom-com that has a high-energy feel to it. If you are tired of the heat and want to have an indoor date night, this is the perfect film for you.
4. Blue Eye Samurai
Blue Eye Samurai is an animated action series created and written by wife-and-husband team Amber Noizumi and Michael Green. It has been streaming on Netflix. This one is the ultimate revenge saga. Set during Japan’s Edo period (17th century), the series follows the half-white half-Japanese female Samurai, Mizu’s quests for vengeance against four antagonists, who did her and her mother wrong. If you liked Tarantino’s Kill Bill movies, or even Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs of Wasseypur, Blue Eye Samurai is the perfect binge-watch option for you.
Being a perfect genre mash-up, it is a dream come true for film buffs like me. It uses trappings of a Kung Fu actioner with the tropes of a gonzo Western, while throwing in generous doses of adventure. The icing on the cake is the historically accurate period setting. The series shows the protagonist, Mizu’s journey through different real historical events. It uses the rich Japanese cultural heritage without alienating audiences originating from other cultural backgrounds.
While one may think that being an animated show, Blue Eye Samurai must be targeted mainly at children, the truth could not be further from this. This is strongly NSFW stuff and not at all recommended for children. From hyper-violent action scenes to explicit nudity, the series pushes envelopes in every department. This is one hell of a memorable and emotional rollercoaster ride of a series, as the audiences are bound to root for Mizu and go along with her on a journey for revenge in feudal Japan. And Mizu is surely one of the most badass and coolest heroines/heroes I have witnessed on screen in recent times. Do not underestimate and ignore this show just because it’s animated. DO NOT MISS.
5. Civil War
Civil War is an epic dystopian war film written and directed by Alex Garland. Set in the near future, it follows a team of journalists travelling across the United States during a civil war which has engulfed the nation. The all-star cast features big names like Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Jesse Plemons, and others.
Civil War is gut-wrenching, haunting and probably the most intense cinematic experience in recent times! It puts you right at the centre of war and shocks you with a crescendo of very relevant, hyper-realistic and horrifying violence. Though it’s set in a dystopian USA, you can’t help but draw parallels to the current political climate in other parts of the world, including our own country. This in turn makes the film highly political, making one wonder whether it would ever be possible to make such a film in our country.
The story focuses on a group of journalists, led by Lee (a brilliant Kirsten Dunst), who travel through a civil war-torn USA, on a quest to interview the president. On this journey, they witness numerous difficult situations that make them question their dedication towards their profession and the very nature of life itself. Though it’s not a horror film, Civil War has enough jumpscares to shock you. Also, the tension is palpable throughout. Watch out for a nail-biting sequence towards the third act, where the group is held at gunpoint by a militia (cameo by a scene-stealing Jesse Plemons). The sheer nerve-wracking and edge-of-seat experience this one scene provides is itself worth the ticket price. Experience Civil War on the biggest screen possible, with the best possible quality of sound.