Movie Reviews

Jigra Movie Review

Published

1 year ago

December 7, 2024

Alia Bhatt takes center stage in Jigra, a high-stakes action thriller directed by Vasan Bala and produced by Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehta under a whopping ₹90 crore budget. Released in theaters on October 11, Jigra is now streaming on Netflix. With a plot rooted in intense emotions and action, the film explores the unwavering bond between siblings against the backdrop of crime and justice.

Plot Summary
The story revolves around Satyabhama (Alia Bhatt) and her younger brother Ankur (Vedang Raina), who lose their parents at a young age. Growing up under the care of distant relatives, Satyabhama becomes both a guardian and protector for Ankur, always prioritizing his well-being and future.

Ankur travels to Hanshadhao Island for business with their distant cousin Kabir. However, a crime involving drugs, committed by Kabir, lands Ankur in jail. Betrayed by relatives, Ankur faces a death sentence, leaving Satyabhama devastated. Determined to save her brother, she embarks on a journey to Hanshadhao.

Despite meeting several authorities, Satyabhama learns that while the execution date can be postponed, overturning the death sentence is nearly impossible. She then forms alliances with Shekhar Bhatia, a former gangster, and Muthu, an ex-police officer. Together, they devise a risky plan to break Ankur and two other prisoners, Tony (Shekhar’s son) and Chandan (wrongfully imprisoned by Muthu), out of jail. The film unravels whether Satyabhama and her team can successfully execute their daring escape plan.

Analysis
Co-written by Devashish and Vasan Bala, Jigra is a gripping narrative of sibling love wrapped in a powerful action thriller. The first half focuses on Satyabhama’s legal efforts to free her brother, while the second half delves into high-octane action sequences as she takes matters into her own hands. The emotional depth of Satyabhama’s character, as the sole protector of her brother, is convincingly portrayed.

The movie avoids unnecessary diversions, diving straight into the main plot. The prison scenes, though intense, are engaging and well-crafted. Alia Bhatt’s portrayal of a devoted sister is compelling, breaking away from usual romantic roles and proving her mettle in action-packed sequences.

Performances
This is Alia Bhatt’s film through and through. Her seamless transition between emotional vulnerability and fierce determination leaves a lasting impression. Supporting actors, including Vedang Raina (Ankur), Manoj Pahwa (Shekhar Bhatia) and Rahul Ravindran (Muthu) deliver commendable performances that add depth to the story.

Technical Aspects
The production design is top-notch, with naturalistic sets that immerse the audience in the gritty world of the film. Swapnil’s cinematography captures the tension and urgency of the prison and chase scenes brilliantly. The background score by Anshuth Thakkar elevates the film’s intensity, keeping viewers on edge throughout.

Verdict
Jigra is an emotional and action-packed journey that showcases the lengths a sister will go to save her brother. Alia Bhatt’s performance, combined with Vasan Bala’s direction and a gripping narrative, makes Jigra a must-watch for fans of the action-thriller genre. The film proves once again that Alia Bhatt can carry an intense and demanding role with finesse.

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Movie Reviews

Movie Review: AFFECTION – Assignment X

Published

8 hours ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN / Staff Writer

Posted: May 8th, 2026 / 08:34 PM

Rating: Not Rated
Stars: Jessica Rothe, Joseph Cross, Julianna Layne
Writer: BT Meza
Director: BT Meza
Distributor: Brainstorm Media
Release Date: May 8, 2026

AFFECTION is an odd title for this tale. While it is about a number of topics and emotions, fondness isn’t one of them. Obsession, definitely. Love, possibly. The kind of general warm fellow feelings associated with “affection”? No.

There have been a lot of movies lately in which characters – mostly women – are grappling with false identities and/or false memories imposed upon them, mostly by men.

Let us stipulate that the protagonist (Jessica Rothe) in AFFECTION is not an android or in an artificial reality. However, we can tell something is way off from the opening sequence. A car is stalled on a tree-bordered highway. Rothe’s character is lying face down on the asphalt beside it, possibly dead.

But then the young woman rises, dragging a broken ankle. She experiences a full-body seizure. Fighting to recover, she sees oncoming headlights and tries to run, only to be hit by a car.

The woman wakes up in a bed she doesn’t recognize, next to a man (Joseph Cross) she likewise is sure she’s never seen before. One big confrontation later, the man says his name is Bruce – and that the woman is his wife, Ellie.

Ellie insists that her name is Sarah Thompson, and she is married to someone else, with a son. When she sees her reflection in a mirror, she doesn’t relate to the face looking back at her.

Bruce counters that Ellie has a rare neurological condition that causes her to block out her waking life and believe her dreams are real. This is why they agreed, together, to move to this isolated house, without the kinds of interruptions that can hinder Ellie’s recovery.

The set-up is presented in a way where we share Ellie’s skepticism. But Ellie and Bruce’s little daughter Alice (Julianna Layne) immediately identifies Ellie as “Mommy!” Alice appears to be too young to be in on any kind of deception, so what is going on here?

AFFECTION eventually explains this via a helpful videotape, though it’s so convoluted that viewers watching on streaming may want to replay the sequence to make sure they understand the exposition.

Writer/director BT Meza musters a sense of menace and lurking weirdness, as well as making great use of his location.

We still have a lot of questions, many of which are still unanswered by the film’s end. It may not matter to the points AFFECTION is trying to make, but a better sense of exactly how all this started might help our investment.

As it is, despite a heroically versatile performance by Rothe, a credible and anguished turn by Cross and appealing work from Layne, we’re so busy trying to piece together what’s important and what’s not and how we’re supposed to feel about all of it that it can be hard to keep track of the action as it unfolds.

Agree or not, Meza’s arguments are lucid and illustrated clearly by AFFECTION’s events. However, the movie is structured in a way that becomes more frustrating as it goes. We comprehend it intellectually but can’t engage viscerally.

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Movie Reviews

8News Reel Talk: ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ movie review

Published

21 hours ago

May 8, 2026

Press Room

8News Reel Talk: ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ movie review

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — In this episode of 8News Reel Talk, digital producer Julia Broberg is joined by anchor Deanna Allbrittin and reporter Allison Williams to talk about “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”

The hosts gave their reviews and assigned the following star ratings:

Deanna: ★★★★.5

Allison: ★★★.25

Julia: ★★

To watch more livestreams and digital video content, head to the WRIC+ Originals page. You can also watch full on-demand videos on your smart TV using the WRIC+ app.

Movie Reviews

“Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour” Movie Review – Spotlight Report

Published

1 day ago

May 8, 2026

Press Room

“Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour” Movie Review – Spotlight Report

Billie Eilish fans prepare yourself, the much talked about secret project has finally arrived on the big screens!

Billie Eilish has always been about intimacy over artifice, but her latest concert film takes that to a visceral new level. Co-directed by Eilish and James Cameron, Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) manages to bridge the gap between a massive stadium show and the quiet grit of life backstage.

The film starts 18 minutes out from the show and builds the tension until audiences are literally folded into a box with her. Being taken under the stage, passing fans who have no idea she’s inches away, sets a tone of total immersion. What makes this film different is the balance between the spectacle and the behind-the-scenes reality. We see the creative shorthand between Billie and James Cameron as they chase what she calls the “best kind of sensory overload”.

The film is very much fan focussed, with the sound mix being so specific that you can hear individual fans singing along in sync with the visuals.

There are so many standout moments, the handheld camera work during “Bad Guy” that gives a dizzying POV of the band, and the chilling minute of silence Billie requests from the crowd to record a vocal loop.

The film captures her unique stage presence. Influenced by rap culture, Billie refuses to have anyone else on stage, unlike many female artists that use back up dancers. Billie can hold the entire stadium in awe by herself which is incredible to witness, until Finneas joins her for a beautiful, emotional piano set.

Between the high-tech visuals and the “Puppy Room” (where she keeps rescue dogs for staff to decompress), the film feels incredibly personal. While the film doesn’t give us any new insights into Billie, Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) is an enjoyable experience that elevates the tradition concert film.