Best Asian Horror Films (10+1list)

Best Asian Horror Films

written by Souranath Banerjee

Best Asian Horror Films: One time a good friend of mine who claimed (probably still claims) to be a horror junky casually told me that she didn’t feel a bit scared while watching the much anticipated ‘the no. 1 film’ of today’s list!

I was surprised and curious but then she confessed, that actually she was watching the film on her Ipad without headphones, while traveling on a bus on her way to office, and that too in the early morning!

Now to really enjoy a good horror film and to get the desired kick out of it, one must follow the three simple rules while watching 1. preferably watch it alone in a dark/semi-dark room 2. with headphones or make sure there is no external sound disturbance and 3. absolute concentration.

I hope you will watch all the horror flicks following the above rules as these are indeed the Best Asian Horror Films till date.

Boo!

10. Memento Mori (1999)

Original title Yeogo goedam II

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYDOS73D-aU

Best-Asian-Horror-FilmsA South Korean horror film directed by Tae-yong Kim and Kyu-dong Min.

A girl reads a mysterious dairy of her two senior fellow-students who seem to have an unusually close bond.

Supposed to be the second installment of the Whispering Corridors (1998) but it’s definitely a much better version. 

9. Rigor Mortis (2013)

original title Geung si

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd-GUUREFB8

Best-Asian-Horror-FilmsThe dead are not allowed to die in a public housing tower!

A disturbing horror flick from Hong Kong that takes the vampire/zombie concept to a totally different realm.

Directed by Juno Mak, this is one film that stands out specially for it’s amazing visual effects among all other Asian horror movies released in the recent years.

8. Feng shui (2004)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWVd8rA1OMs

Best-Asian-Horror-FilmsA Filipino horror film that revolves around a cursed Bagua mirror and whenever a person stares at it dies!

This is the story of how a wife desperately tries to save her family from the curse of this “bagwa” bound to them.

Directed by Chito S. Roño, this is one creepy film that really deserves to be in the list.

7. 4bia (2008)

Original title See prang

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sy5YsWGYRoA

Best-Asian-Horror-FilmsA of four short films directed by Banjong PisanthanakunPaween PurikitpanyaYongyoot Thongkongtoon and Parkpoom Wongpoom.

Each film has their own unique ability to scare you out of your wits and if you seem to be not getting enough, then make sure to watch Phobia 2, the second horror anthology following this one!

6. The Eye (2002)

Original title Gin gwai

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoA6dxLeWFo

Best-Asian-Horror-FilmsThe story of a blind girl who after a successful cornea transplant can finally see, but then she realizes that she has the power to see the unseen as well!

Directed by Danny Pang and Oxide Chun Pang (as Pang Brothers), a terrifying Hong Kong-Singaporean horror film that boasts of superb editing and a chilling background score.  A must watch for the horror fans.

5. Three… Extremes (2004)

Original Title Saam gaang yi

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-lnf01j7kw

Best-Asian-Horror-FilmsDumplings“, “Cut” and “Box“, three individual South Korean horror films clubbed together and rightly named as the ‘Three… Extremes’

Not only they are horrifying and disturbing, they also have this amazing creep factor that makes them score ahead of any other films in this genre.

My personal favorite is Dumplings though it makes me sick each time i watch it.

4. Ring (1998)

Original title Ringu

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9Z-MOqAvtY

Best-Asian-Horror-FilmsDon’t you dare watch it because if you cannot solve the mystery of this scary video – you have probably enlisted in the future dead list!

Directed by Hideo Nakata this film has bunch of sequels and remakes but none of them scares you as much as the original Japanese version.  

A terrifying film – I guess the poster says it all!

3. A Tale of Two Sisters (2003)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anF5XiN8QY8

Best-Asian-Horror-FilmsAs the title suggests, it’s the story of two sisters who returns home from the mental institution and desperately struggles to cope up with their lives.

A superbly intense film by Kim Jee-woon – suspense, horror or simply a nail-biting thriller, this one serves all your cravings.

This South Korean horror film will creep you out for sure.

2. The Grudge (2002)

Original title Ju-on

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVbWpwkCJRg

Best-Asian-Horror-FilmsDirected by Takashi Shimizu who also directed the american version of the same The Grudge (2004), this unique film tells the story of a haunted house and a spirit with vengeance! 

Endless number of sequels and remakes made, this film is probably the most successful and scary Japanese Horror Film and it ended up scaring people from all around the world!

  1. Shutter (2004)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwy8QSQliGk

Best-Asian-Horror-FilmsDirected by Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom – a Thai horror film takes the first spot!

A photographer notices peculiar shadows in his snapshots, and while trying to solve the mystery along with his girlfriend, he gets haunted by something/someone related to his past.

And no one can escape their past – can they?

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most disturbing one. A must watch)

+1. Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010)

Original title Loong Boonmee raleuk chat

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlPRe9peigI

Best-Asian-Horror-FilmsA Thai horror film directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul who won the Palme d’Or at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival!

 

Instead of being high on the fear-quificient, the film has more of a slow, creepy and philosophical touch that stays on with you much longer than expected.

A unique horror film that is more of a dream, a complete contrast to all those films with their quick snappy edit moments and music jumps to make you feel scared.

Similar Interest: Best Japanese Horror Films

Similar Interest: Horror Anthology films

Similar Interest: Best Horror Comedies

Similar Interest: Best Horror Films of recent times

Similar Interest: Best Japanese weird films

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.comwww.fanpop.comwww.best-horror-movies.com

Natsamrat (2016)

Natsamrat review

written by Souranath Banerjee

Marathi Cinema and Nana Patekar both at their best form.

My Ratings: 4.2/5.

Maharashtra is one of the very few states which has managed to enrich the tradition of theatre in India through all these decades of Natsamrat-poster2our ever-increasing love for Cinema.

Then again, the accessibility, the flow of money, the immense popularity/fame and the ability to create the impossible – all being in favor of Cinema, could theatre ever compete with the popularity of a film?

Probably not, but keeping aside the Theatre Vs Cinema debate for another time, let’s acknowledge the fact that screenplays which are essentially based on significant dramas have always given birth to films of great quality and popularity!

The play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams was later Natsamrat-poster5made into a popular movie by Elia Kazan by the same name, then the drama Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee was successfully adopted for the screen by director Mike Nichols, the legendary film Throne of Blood by Akira Kurosawa is a direct adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and George Bernard Shaw‘s ‘Pygmalion’ transformed into My Fair Lady by acclaimed director George Cukor.

All exceptional films built upon extraordinary plays from all across the world!

And recently, reputed Indian film maker Mahesh Manjrekar made a film Natsamrat (language Marathi), adopted from an iconic Marathi play Natsamrat-poster1of the 70s by the same name, written by famous Marathi play-writer Kusumagraj.

Interestingly, this remarkable film is not only special for it’s theatre adaptation but then, Natsamrat itself is a tribute to the grand tradition of Marathi theatre!

An aging theatre artist Ganpat Ramchandra Belwalkar (Nana Patekar), versatile and renowned, takes his leave from the stage and expects to lead a peaceful retired life with his devoted wife and caring children (and their extended family) but soon finds out that with growing age and fading popularity nothing remains the same as expected.

In between the articulate poems and the priceless extracts from many famous plays, the film masterfully brings out the emotional Natsamrat-poster3story of an aged couple who has become a nuisance to their own children, a mere botheration and a reason of embarrassment   in their modern lifestyle.

Then again, the film is also a celebration of friendship, of human relations, bondings, emotions and pure empathy.

But of course, the prime reason to watch Natsamrat is none other than Nana Patekar and his exceptional performance.

Like everybody else, I have been admiring Nana Patekar as a class Natsamrat-poster4actor in many of his earlier films like Ab Tak ChhappanParinda, his recent Hemalkasa and even his over enthusiastic character in Krantiveer but with this role as the ‘Natsamrat’ he has given his lifetime best.

And very well supported by Medha ManjrekarVikram GokhaleMrinmayee Deshpande, Sunil Barve and others, the overall acting standard is superbly maintained.

Great music by Ajit Parab (who also acted in the film) and cinematographers Ajith V. Reddy and V. Ajith Reddy needs a special mention for their camera work.

Natsamrat is a film that not only makes Marathi Cinema proud but it is undoubtedly one of the best Indian films of recent times.

Go watch it, it’s totally worth it.    

Poster courtesy: marathistars.com

Best of Women-centric films (10+1list)

Best of Women-centric films

written by Souranath Banerjee

What exactly is the definition of a  ‘WCF’ aka ‘Women-centric Film’

color-purple-posterIs it just another name for feminist films, or some upcoming trend/genre or may be it’s simply another way of film publicity?

Well, from Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (woman in action) to Bridesmaids (women having fun), from Kahaani (woman taking revenge) to Blue Is the Warmest Color (woman in love with woman); any film steered by one or more central female characters is automatically tagged as a WCF.

And why not?

In these male-dominated movie industries (Hollywood, Bollywood or thelma-and-louise-posterany wood for that matter), any damn story told while keeping the female-protagonist(s) in mind is sufficient enough to qualify!

But then again, some so called ‘Women-centric Films’ are special in their own ways.

These movies not only have female actors playing the lead but they also highlight certain feminist issues that are often too sensitive to mother-india-posterofficially protest and yet so very important to be addressed and recognized in our society.

And thus, here is a list of a few hard-hitting female oriented dramas from across the world (no biographies and documentaries are considered though).

Let’s not just wish and celebrate one particular day of every year as ‘Woman’s Day’ but respect and cherish the women in our lives each day of every single year!

10. Far from Heaven (2002)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qje4IEAQpQ

far-from-heaven-posterAn emotional tale of an apparently content housewife with her husband and two kids but then, woman often endure a lot to portray themselves ‘happy’ within the norms of our community!   

Brilliantly directed by Todd Haynes, this film is not only showcases a gender biased society but also about the way people treated the colored and the homosexuals of the time. 

9. Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women (2003)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AI9r0pnAhs

matribhumi-posterA powerful cinema that delves with the issue of female infanticide.

Directed by Manish Jha, this one is a raw and brutal portrayal of the mindset of certain men and the tolerance level of the vulnerable women in certain parts of rural India.

A cinema that deserves more recognition as it doesn’t flinch to portray the scars of our society.  

8. Vagabond (1985)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIqgGc_3n1I

vagabond-posterDirected by Agnès Varda, this one is based on a young traveling woman, a maverick vagabond, who has no aim, no money, no place to stay, and yet she roams around the freezing country side of France, independence being her only true company.

Made up of short interviews and flashbacks, a film like no other, celebrating the free spirit of a woman!

7. Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2W0TeuHbJ0

fried-green-tomatoes-posters1A film that says a lot about women, the way they are often treated and then, the way they demand to be treated!

Directed by Jon Avnet, this film is of course a take on the injustice that women are forced to withstand, but more importantly it is a film that celebrates the love and friendship between two women, and the profound impact of it in our male dominating culture.

6. Moolaadé (2004)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUWSwJfz8gI

Moolaadé-posterWe in the big cities, secured within our comfort zones often indulge into debates on feminism and the rights of women. But somewhere in Africa, little girls are still subjected to female circumcision and those who rebelled against this painful tradition are whipped to silence!

Directed by Ousmane Sembene, this daring film deals with the issue of female genital mutilation in a way that demands attention and respect.

5. Children of Men (2006)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VT2apoX90o

children-of-men-posterA SiFi thriller by definition, but the entire film revolves around the protection of a pregnant woman who is the key for the future of mankind. 

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, a classic in many ways but the best thing about the film is the profound manner in which it pays tribute to woman as the mother figure.

A true celebration of womanhood indeed.

4. Dahan (1998)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHBRHdMJajs

dahan-posterAn Indian film (regional language Bengali) that deals with the aftermath of the tragic incident of molestation of a woman by five unknown men.

From the acclaimed director Rituparno Ghosh, the brilliance of the film is that it doesn’t directly emphasize on the aspect of molestation of women, but gives more prominence to the people’s reaction towards the victim.   

3. Lilya 4-Ever (2002)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqrQBJNDMgo

lilya-four-ever-poster1A Swedish film of a sixteen year old girl and a little boy (her only friend), and how they struggle and dream for a better life.

Directed by Lukas Moodysson, this is the story of all those poor young girls across the world who, without proper parental guidance and education gets sucked into the whirlpool of darkness, sexually exploited and abused, their innocence lost forever.

2. Water (2005)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7uM-CbzIAI

water-posterThis one from highly acclaimed director Deepa Mehta is a stunning portrayal of the widows in India who are forced into a life of extreme sacrifice and poverty. 

In the holy city of Varanasi, the film concentrates on a group of widows of varied ages but with the same doomed fate, sheltered in a temple without much resources. But then some of their lives begin to change for the better!

  1. Persona (1966)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amxvetvKfho

persona-posterA thrilling drama, and the most psychologically twisted cinema on the persona of women.

Nobody knew the intricate complexities in the mind of a woman better than Ingmar Bergman – their needs, their secrets, their love, their dreams and their power to hate!

And this one is a classic in every aspect, and indeed the best WCF of all times!

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most unique one. A must watch)

+1. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Brussels (1975)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih3nBxjkBH8

Jeanne Dielman-posterA widowed housewife taking care of her teenage son and her household as best as she can; an exceptional film that meticulously follows the life of this woman to its minuscule details.

Directed by Chantal Akerman, with minimal dialogues and long takes of certain daily chores, like having dinner, reading books, bathing, cooking e.t.c, this film has succeeded in portraying a women who is very much a known part of our society and yet somehow remains invisible, empty and alone.   

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.comwww.nordicposters.comwww.newyorkerfilms.comnoinpart.wordpress.com

The Hateful Eight (2015)

The Hateful Eight review

written by Souranath Banerjee

A western in Tarantino style – enough said already!

My Ratings: 4/5.

The Wyoming winter at its peak, surrounded by knee-deep snow and tormented by blinding blizzards, literally at the middle of hateful-eight-posternowhere there is a place called Minnie’s Haberdashery!

And that is where a bounty hunter and his prisoner (among others) goes to take refuge from the treacherous weather, but little did they know that the dramatic events of that single day will change their lives forever.

Narrated by Quentin Tarantino the director himself, the film The Hateful Eight (also Tarantino’s eighth film, hence the name) is a story that revolves around the core dilemma of whom to trust and whom to kill?

The bounty hunters Samuel L. Jackson and Kurt Russell, the prisoner hateful-eight-poster2Jennifer Jason Leigh and then the rest of the dubious characters Walton GogginsTim RothMichael MadsenDemián BichirBruce Dern and James Parks all under the same roof and under the same cloud of disbelief and conspiracy.

Acting level is again top class, the brutality and the raw ferocity of the characters is what drives this film till the end.

Shot entirely in the Ultra Panavision 70 process, in an aspect ratio of 2.76:1, using the very same 65mm film that shot the chariot race in Ben-Hur (1959), The Hateful Eight is undoubtedly a cinematic triumph and cinematographer Robert Richardson certainly made sure of it.

hateful-eight-poster3Original soundtrack, written and composed by Ennio Morricone, now that’s a first!

If you adore the so called ‘Tarantino way of film making‘ – extreme violence with contrast background scores, the blood-thirsty diabolical characters with their own backstories, cheesy yet stylized dialogues and innumerable graphic deaths at regular intervals – then there is hardly any chance that his eighth film will disappoint you!

Then again, just to make sure, why don’t you take a look at it yourself? And if you look closely enough Channing Tatum will reveal himself, I promise!

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.com

Carol (2015)

Carol review

written by Souranath Banerjee

An unexpected love affair that blossoms against all the odds.

My Ratings: 4/5.

Reportedly the film Carol had a 10-minute standing ovation at its 2015 Cannes Film Festival premiere!

carol-poster1And why not? Based on the romance novel “The Price of Salt” by Patricia Highsmith, Carol is one of the most visually pleasing love story of recent times.

Rooney Mara (though looking unbelievably different, she was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), who plays an aspiring photographer in this film named Therese Belivet, and when she meets Cate Blanchett, the unhappily married Carol Aird – they instantly fall for each other.

A young girl attracted to a married older woman who openly seduces her, an impulsive spark of romance that makes their lives both volatile and euphoric.

carol-poster4A lesbian love affair, a liaison between two people most unexpected of falling in love!

The story seems pretty straightforward though but the execution is what that makes the film a stunner.

Masterfully directed by Todd Haynes (I was already a fan of his Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There.), and shot fantastically by Edward Lachman mostly using reflections and images through glasses and window panes.

But the real charisma of this film is nothing else than the magnetic chemistry between Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. They have successfully portrayed the true bliss of two people falling in love, the purity of their feelings, the infatuation, the physical bonding, the carol-poster5
despair in separation, and the longing for each other’s company.  

Then, Kyle ChandlerSarah PaulsonJohn Magaro and Jake Lacy all synced into their roles just perfectly. 

The realistic and appealing period-look of the film is said to be taken from numerous photographs and paintings, periodicals and film stills, all collected by Director Todd Haynes as reference for the entire team, specially for Judy Becker (Production Designer) and Jesse Rosenthal (Art Director).

Carol is one of those rare colorful films that makes you believe in simplicity, and the immense power of filmmaking as well.

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.com

Best of Bollywood 2015 (10+1list)

Best of Bollywood 2015.

written by Souranath Banerjee

Bollywood cinema essentially means films made in Hindi language, generally produced and distributed in and around the Bombay Film Industry.

Last year 2015, according to me, was a good year for Bollywood.

Films, some of them of finest quality have been made or released, which successfully maintained the thin line between aesthetics and entertainment, and kept both the critics and the audience content.

And so, here is the list of Best of Bollywood 2015. Hope you agree with me on this. (If not, then let’s at least disagree on it)

10. Drishyam

Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuuX2j14NBg

Drishyam-posterA thrilling tale of a common man who by his intellect and imagination tricked everyone in order to save his family.

Directed by Nishikant Kamat, a south remake starring Ajay DevgnShriya Saran and Tabu.

A thriller that keeps you on the edges of your seat and doesn’t reveal the suspense till the very last shot of the film.

9. Bajrangi Bhaijaan

Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyX4toD395U

Bajrangi-Bhaijaan-posterA Salman Khan film, that has a realistic story line, enough scope for acting and most importantly high on emotions and less on dramabazi!

Directed by Kabir Khan, this one is about a big hearted man who went all the way to Pakistan to unite a cute little girl (who is also mute) with her parents.   

A perfect family entertainment clubbed with fun-filled sentiments.

8. Tanu Weds Manu Returns

Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGGmyaurjAI

tanu-weds-manu-returns-poster1With a double role (playing the sexy Tanu and the tomboyish Datto) Kangana Ranaut yet again shows that she is currently THE best actress in Bollywood.

(Click for the review)

Directed by Aanand Rai and written by Himanshu Sharma Tanu Weds Manu Returns guarantees a smile on the audiences face as they leave the theaters. And believe me that’s a huge achievement. 

7. Nh10

Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9icNqWlylw

nh10-poster1A perfect romantic trip turns into a nightmare.

(Click for the review)

Directed by Navdeep Singh, this is one hard hitting thriller where a urban woman experiences the brutal face of rural India, as she unintentionally becomes involved in a case of honor killing.

Raw, edgy, gritty and very much realistic, and undoubtedly Anushka Sharma‘s best performance till date.

6. Bajirao Mastani

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHOc-4D7MjY

Bajirao-Mastani-poster2A take on the life of Baji Rao Ballal Balaji Bhat, a Maratha general of the early 1700!

(Click for the review)

Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, there are rarely any Bollywood films (if any) that are so pleasing to your eyes that the story, content and characters almost get sidetracked by the sheer beauty of each and every frame.

5. Margarita, with a Straw

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YORjJiWBxAg

Margarita-with-a-Straw-posterDirected by Shonali Bose and Nilesh Maniyar this is an exceptional film about a young girl with cerebral palsy who is not afraid to fall in love!

(Click for the review)

Kalki Koechlin – her innocence, her vulnerability, her dialogue delivery, her body language, expressions, her smile – she is the reason to watch this film.

4. Talvar

Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQNMsw8Ljjc

Talvar-Poster2Directed by Meghna Gulzar, this one is a well researched version of the Noida Double Murder Case of 2008, also known as the Aarushi-Hemraj murder case.

(Click for the review)

A gripping tale that often makes it difficult for the audience to remember that after all, it’s a fictional representation of the dismal crime and its aftermath.

3. Piku

Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeiKUlUUNQ8

piku-poster1Directed by Shoojit Sircar, one of the best entertaining films of the year, emotional, real and so much fun.

(Click for the review)

Amitabh Bachchan as the selfish constipated dad,  Deepika Padukone as the devotedly caring yet tired of taking-care-of daughter and Irrfan Khan as the suitable suitor (perhaps).

2. Titli

Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOqiQiMkXDA

titliA family whose family-business is car-jacking, often violently abusing the passengers and looting their valuables. The youngest member of this family is named Titli, and this is his story of freedom.

(Click for the review)

Superbly directed by Kanu Behl, the film even got a nomination at the Cannes Film Festival!

  1. Masaan

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVZzYa0MxM8

masaan-posterBrilliantly directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, there is a certain honesty about Masaan that eventually grows on you and within it’s 100 min screen time, the film compels you to relate to it’s characters.

(Click for the review)

Shot in Varanasi, stories and incidents are threaded together like precious little pearls and the thread being the holy Ganges!

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most crazy one. A must watch).

+1. Manjhi: The Mountain Man

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9KAoTQlEWs

mountain-man-poster-1Directed by Ketan Mehta,  a brilliant biopic of Dashrath Manjhi, a man who single-handedly (with only a hammer and a chisel) sliced open the mountain to make a passage through it, reducing the distance from his village to the nearest hospital to minimal.

(Click for the review)

It took him 22 years but he made the impossible possible.

Poster courtesy:  www.bollywoodmdb.com

Zootopia (2016)

Zootopia review

written by Souranath Banerjee

A perfect satire on our human world and thankfully, not a single human character in the film!

My Ratings: 4.2/5.

In the history of animated films, most of the protagonists start out as ordinary/funny/good-for-nothing bums but then, along the way comes the moment when they “need to believe in themselves” and zootopia-poster1finally in crisis, they conveniently transform into heroes!

Well, Zootopia is not necessarily an exception but here, the expected hero’s journey is been played from a reverse angle.

Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) is a little, cute, ambitious rabbit who is beaming with confidence and zeal from her early childhood, she wants to be the first ever bunny-cop joining the ZPA (Zootopia Police Academy); but then she is constantly being demoralized by her parents, friends, mentors, colleagues – everyone.

After all she is only a tiny rodent in this vast and diverse spectrum of zootopia-poster2anthropomorphic animal-world called the Zootopia.

But Judy is all set to prove everybody wrong, and teaming up with a sly, hustler fox named Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman), she is in the quest of solving one of the most puzzling and dangerous conspiracy in town – the case of the 14 missing mammals!

Large animals like Rhinos, Hippos, Polar bears, Lamas, Elephants, Bisons, Giraffes, Wolves and then, the smaller ones like Shrews, Otters, Beavers, Sheep, Deers, and of course the Rabbits and Foxes – an immense variety of animal characters on display, and with their individual characteristics undoubtedly exaggerated into some pretty hilarious gags.

The best example being the sequence with the Sloths, after all they zootopia-poster9are not the fastest animals on the planet!

Directed by Byron Howard,  Rich Moore and Jared Bush this is one of the most witty, thoroughly entertaining satirical adventure that Disney has ever come up with.

Loaded with spoofs of the typical detective noir films and then the over-the-top Godfather stereotype, but more importantly Zootopia pokes fun of our current socio-political scenario to the fullest.

And then, just when you think it’s all fun and games, our heroic little bunny teaches us an important lesson!

‘Life’s a little bit messy. We all make mistakes. No matter what type of animal you are, change starts with you.’

zootopia-poster6But the only problem (if you even call it a problem) is that most of the jokes, puns and punch lines from Zootopia are meant for a matured audience, far out of reach from a kid’s appreciation level.

But never the less, I am sure the children will adore the flawless animation of their favorite talking-animals, the brilliantly decorative sets and environments and not to forget the soulful Shakira songs.

Grab a ‘pawpsicle’ along with your 3D glasses and enjoy the show.

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.com