Thor: Ragnarok, Ittefaq, Ribbon, Loving Vincent, Aval — Know Your Releases

This Friday (3 November 2017), theatres across India have a diverse range of films to offer — from a Marvel superhero flick like Thor: Ragnarok to a slice-of-life film like Ribbon. There’s Ittefaq which promises to be an edge-of-the-seat thriller, then there’s the artistic masterpiece Loving Vincent which chronicles the life and legacy of the legendary Vincent Van Gogh. Thor: Ragnarok

What’s it about: _Thor: Ragnarok_ revolves around the Norse God of thunder facing a much more powerful Hela, the Goddess of Death who is hell-bent on burning Asgard down to ashes. In the film, Thor is imprisoned in some other side of the universe where he has a face-off (in a very gladiatorial way) with his fellow Avenger, The Hulk. Who is in it: Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hiddleston, Tessa Thompson, Mark Ruffalo, Idris Elba, Anthony Hopkins, Jeff Goldblum, Benedict Cumberbatch (in a tiny appearance). Why it may work: Thor: Ragnarok is the third movie of the Thor franchise after Thor (2011) and Thor: The Dark World (2013). The trailer of the film was enough to increase the excitement levels of Marvel fans — Hela breaking Thor’s hammer, Hemsworth cropped up hairdo, guest appearances by The Hulk and Dr Stranger. What else does a true-blue fan of Marvel need? Thor: Ragnarok is directed by Taika Waititi, who also stars in the film. Ittefaq

What’s it about: _Ittefaq_ is a remake of the 1969 Yash Chopra directorial of the same name that starred Rajesh Khanna and Nanda. It is an intense crime-thriller that revolves around one murder, two suspects and two versions of the crime. Who is in it: Sidharth Malhotra, Sonakshi Sinha, Akshaye Khanna Why it may work: Public attention towards Ittefaq could be attributed to a number of factors. 1. It is a crime-thriller, which is anyway one of the Bollywood’s more unexplored genres (given the few successful attempts we have seen over the years); 2. It is a remake of a successful Hindi classic; 3. The makers of the film, in a bold and unconventional way, have decided to do away with promotions for the film, so that the suspense around the ‘suspense’ of the film is intact. Ittefaq is directed by Abhay Chopra, grandson of the late BR Chopra, who incidentally had produced the 1969 thriller. Ribbon

What’s it about: _Ribbon_ revolves around the life of an urban couple grappling with unplanned pregnancy, financial strains, ageing parents etc. In short, it is a slice of every urban-dweller’s life. Who is in it: Kalki Koechlin, Sumeet Vyas Why it may work: Besides the fresh cast — Koechlin and Vyas — the other most important reason this film might work is the fact that amid the current crop of films (released/ about to release), Ribbon is a breath of fresh air. The plot around which the story claims to revolve is something which is very relevant and relatable. Ribbon is directed by Rakhee Sandilya. Loving Vincent

What’s it about: _Loving Vincent_ is the world’s first fully oil-painted feature film that delves into the life and times of renowned artist Vincent Van Gogh. The story revolves around a young man who visits the hometown of Van Gogh to deliver the artist’s last letter and in this journey comes to know much more about his complicated life during his last days. Who is in it: Chris O’Dowd, Saorise Ronan, Jerome Flynn, Helen McCrory, Aiden Turner Why it may work: The official synopsis of Loving Vincent reads, “…drawn from meticulous research and inspired by van Gogh’s masterpieces, subjects, and 800 personal letters, [the film] captures the world of van Gogh in a cinematic experience like no other.” The film has been made out of 65,000 frames of oil paintings made by around 125 painters from all over the world, who came forward to contribute to the making of this tribute. The frames also draw inspiration from Van Gogh’s celebrated artworks like The Starry Night (1889), Wheatfield with Crows (1890), Sorrowing Old Man (At Eternity’s Gate [1890]), and Painter on the Road to Tarascon (1888), to name a few. Loving Vincent is written and directed by Dorota Kobeila and Hugh Welchman. Aval

What’s it about: Aval is a horror film that revolves around a doctor, his wife and kid who get caught up in a number of bizarre and chilling incidents after a new family comes to live next door. Who is in it: Siddharth, Andrea Jeremiah, Atul Kulkarni, Anisha Angelina Victor **Why it may work: ** The film is reportedly based on a true story (at least the trailer says so). Moreover, horror is a genre that usually attracts crowd. Going by the trailer, the setting of the film seems really convincing. Even Siddharth, in an interview with Firstpost agreed that Aval is a true-blue horror film which is meant to scare the audience, keeping the horror quotient as high as possible. Aval is directed by Milind Rau.