The Mistry blog

Disney's animated classics gave us some truly amazing villains. You think of characters like Maleficent, Scar, Captain Hook, and more who have transcended pop culture, becoming as famous and revered by audiences as their hero counterparts.  So what happens when you make a film based purely on the bad guy? Well it runs the risk making them feel too "good" like Maleficent (2014) which received mixed reviews. Villains are great because they're evil, so I was always nervous when Disney announced they were developing a Cruella film (based on 101 Dalmatians). But t his week we got a poster and a full trailer and it's and understatement to say I've done a complete 180 on my opinions. With Emma Stone cast as Cruella, we always knew this film would be worth watching just for the sheer class of what we know she can bring to a role. But the poster (above) was just WOW. I immediately got St Trinian's vibes - gothic, psychotic and a whole lot of sass. Emma Stone was Cr...

Frozen was (and still is) a phenomenon that Disney weren't expecting to be as successful as it was. The film captured the imagination of a whole generation of kids and parents alike, yet we've had to wait a whole 6 years for a sequel. It's a long time to wait, but for someone who has seen the film, it was 100% worth it! Frozen 2 surpassed all of my expectations, full of charm, humour, love and most importantly a fantastic story (with characters of equal measure). I liked the first film, but was in the camp that it was overhyped (the songs were banging though), so I wasn't expecting a sequel with so much depth and finesse. The story is the highlight, darker and more mature, building a better picture of the Erenadale's place in the world, answering questions we never knew we wanted answering...all whilst doing some immense character building in the process. One of the films first songs is about "change", something Olaf isn't keen on, but it r...

In the wake of Avengers: Endgame ’s success, we were reminded yesterday of the other Marvel film opening this summer, Spider-Man: Far From Home . As Endgame has been in cinemas for two weeks, the marketing for Far From Home will start to ramp in time for its July release. Just like the first one, this trailer was full of awesome, heart, and fun – all the things a Spider-Man film should be. Like any second trailer, we got to know more about the film’s plot, showing off some cool character interactions and action set-pieces, whilst giving us an idea of the themes in the film. As Spider-Man: Far From Home will be the final film in phase 3, it makes sense to set-up plot devices for phase 4 through this film. There were a few interesting points of note, so here are my key takeaways from the trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home … ***WARNING: ENDGAME SPOILERS AHEAD*** Aftermath of Endgame This trailer really gives you a sense of how the world has changed since the ev...

Every time a film based on a video game is announced, my outlook is always one of hesitance. We’ve never really had a good video game film, and the one I thought would break the trend - Assassins Creed – turned out to be one of the worst. So when they announced Sonic The Hedgehog , I wasn’t the least bit excited. Then Paramount released their first trailer for the film, and even though I was expecting little, I was still underwhelmed. To describe the trailer in one word…goofy! I’m not a screen writer, so credit to them for attempting to adapt the character to film, but the trailer reminded me of the cheesy films of the early 2000’s (think Spy Kids ), with goofy villains and one dimensional heroes. Jim Carrey plays the villain and it’s hard to take him seriously. The film feels out of time, and does not look like it’s learnt from past failures. Although the CGI is fine, and the actual character of Sonic looks pretty good, he just doesn’t feel like he fits into the “real world...

As the entire world (yes the world) prepares to go watch Avengers: Endgame (I’m seeing it on Friday), this week saw a trailers drop for some other high-profile films coming out in 2019. Trailers for Godzilla: King of the Monsters , Men in Black: International , and Gemini Man  all dropped this week, with all being unique and impressive in their own ways. There are great moments in each trailer ( Godzilla is of course my favourite), and part of me feels bad that they will go unnoticed with all the hype surrounding Endgame …then again the marketing teams knew that would be the case (dammit). Anyway, let’s get to these trailers one by one... Godzilla: King of the Monsters So there are just the 17 monsters (or “Titans”) in this film…HOLY SH*T! The trailers for this film have all been outstanding (the comic-con trailer they released last year is still my favourite). Just like the previous trailers, this one gave us just that little extra in terms of plot and action sequen...

Hesitant is the best way to describe how I feel about Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin. The trailers have been below par for me, and the magic of its predecessor has been lacking. Not to mention the monumental task of bringing new life to the Genie (which the late Robin Williams so wonderfully played). Now the official trailer has been released, and thankfully my hesitation has turned to excitement…the magic has arrived with this new trailer and the film looks spectacular. The first thing you notice is just how beautiful the production design looks! The fictional city of Agrabah is brought to life with a flare and tenacity I only ever see in Bollywood…with such vibrant colours and audacious sets (but with 100 times better CGI which is what really makes each scene so beautiful to look at). The blend of practical and visual effects could be better, and I’m wary it will end up resembling more of a theatre production than a cinematic spectacle (the former isn’t bad but if you’...

The first official full-length trailer for  Beauty and the Beast (2017) has finally arrived and wow oh wow was it something. Never have I watched a trailer and been so much in awe of how beautiful it looks, never! Why am I surprised though? It’s Disney after all… From the opening shot of the castle to the ballroom we so fondly remember from its animated predecessor, and the subtle score from the classic title song, this trailer was undeniably beautiful and pure Disney magic. I have personally been eagerly waiting for this, especially as I was underwhelmed by the teaser trailer, and boy did this not disappoint!   Beauty and the Beast This trailer gave us our first real look at how the Beast would appear in live action and I was not expecting him to look as good as he did. He was fierce, powerful, intimidating and yet I still felt the innocence in his character. When I saw the poster last week, the CGI looked out of place, but seeing this today has definitely relie...

Having just watched Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice , the film overall was a really enjoyable experience.  Going into it, there was so much expectation for this film to be DC's challenger to Marvel's Avengers , and for me anyway it did not live up to this, but that's not a bad thing. The film sets up the DC cinematic universe in a way that left me wanting more from ALL the characters which is partly mission accomplished in my book.  And the film has many other great aspects. Ben Affleck is a great Bruce Wayne/Batman, period! His take on an older/wiser Batman is brutal, which is clearly visible in both the characters tone, facial expressions and action sequences. The film does a good job of establishing his motives and feelings towards Superman. As for  Henry Cavil , he is clearly more comfortable in the Superman role and has an outstanding outing. The eventual fight between the " Son of Krypton " and " Bat of Gotham " is immen...

I'll say from the off, this film is not for everyone but it is definitely worth the watch. A very, VERY CREEPY tale, with constant suspense throughout.   The film was a continuous build up of suspense coupled with lots of chills, while you constantly question what/who exactly is "The Witch". A thought-provoking horror is great, and with this, questioning the line between reality and supernatural adds a layer of tension that serves greatly to the viewing experience. There are very few jump scares, but there is an eeriness throughout that will make you feel uneasy and at times even uncomfortable. The trick is to not go into the film expecting the type of horror film you see nowadays with lots of thrills and jump scares, because this film is not that. It is terrifying in a whole other way, one that gets underneath your skin quickly, with the set design and score adding another element that just propels the film. It is relentless in the way it build ...

An epic love story in truly epic settings, Bajirao Mastani is a tale of true love and it's fight for acceptance. With production costs totalling $18m, the film definitely delivers visually, beautifully portraying an 18th Century India full of colour, finesse and elegance. Based on the Marathi Novel Raau , the film tells the story of Bajirao ( Ranveer Singh ) and Mastani ( Deepika Padukone ) , and the everlasting struggle for acceptance of their love, which conflicts with political and personal interests. The performances given by the lead cast are powerful, and most importantly, enticing. Deepika is sensational throughout the film, encapsulating her character superbly from her first appearance, fiercely fronting up to Bajirao. Her wit, smooth talk and elegance shine throughout the film. Ranveer also has a strong outing, his body language being powerful with help of good dialogue. He and Deepika bring the back their wonderful chemistry from Ram Leela , but jus...

Heart warming, visually amazing and an inspiring story, The Good Dinosaur definitely lives up to the Pixar name. An intriguing premise with a Dinosaur having human characteristics whilst the Neanderthal boy being animalistic, the film is delivered with a perfect blend of humour, adventure and emotion. The film was already faced with a huge challenge in trying to live up to Pixar's critically acclaimed Inside Out , released earlier this year. While it was certainly not as good, it was a VERY different, and entertaining film. With many humorous scenes throughout the film, giggles and laughter was a feature right throughout the viewing, both for kids and adults. Arlo's character takes us on a journey addressing themes such as bravery, perseverance, and the desire to make your parents proud, oddly making this a light hearted, yet certainly deep at times, coming of age comedy/drama. One sequence in particular made my he...