Amazon Abhijan

A tribute to Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhayay, the movie is the next episode of the Shankar franchise as created by director Kamaleshwar Mukherjee who is also the writer of the story. This time Shankar is on the quest to discover the lost land of the El Dorado guided by an incomplete map on the request of an Italian anthropologist, Anna Floriana wanting to revive the spirit and save the honour of her pianist father Marco, in heart an adventurer, who failed once trying to look for the city. His previous expedition saw him losing his entire crew as his boat capsized and he was at the mercy of the jaguars but for a miraculous escape, thanks to the apparently mythical Virgins of the Sun who saved him though he passed out soon after that. So he had returned empty handed. Heartbroken Marco had turned alcoholic and had lost all hope for another adventure. Unable to bear this pitiful condition of his father, Anna had sailed to India to meet Shankar, already famous for his African explorations, to ask his help in the adventure. Shankar agrees and all starts gearing up for the adventure.

But here, the movie turns curiously detuned with a staccato of events which are thrilling and full of old world romance but the cohesiveness of the film fails drastically. The geography is carefully narrated, the route explained in details, the dangers of the forests are displayed, the tribes are portrayed in details but the adventure itself lacks clarity. The storytelling fails after sometime. The reason for the adventure never seems convincing. The completeness is severely compromised by floating a vague idea in the closing sequences.

A wonderful part of the movie is the picture portrayal of Shankar and Anna's journey from the homeland to meet Marco which deserves applause.

As compared to the previous movie, this movie only improves on the cinematography, scene selections. The animal lovers may give a hard thought for allowing live animals in movie as the animations are quite evident that does not do justice to the rest of the scenes. The hunting of the Boa is never realistic. The adventurers are once shown diving with the robust apparatus that was natural of the age but their previous luggage never suggests them to carry these along with them. Knowing fully well the food will have to be sufficiently selected, it is hard to understand why rations fall short. The unnatural way of passing out after the Virgins of the Sun show up is never explained. Why a doctor lives in isolation in a house in a lake is also never taken up. The mix of languages is also not correct always. Another curious thing is why the adventurers did not clean their teeth even when staying at camps of tribes.

So for the beauties of nature, the detailed picture of the Amazon, the film will be a treasure but to get the thrill of adventure it will not be a correct choice.

The Eye of Osiris

The case starts with the disappearance of a man suddenly with evidences found to indicate his presence in at least two places last but nobody seems to have a clear idea of where he visited last really. This seems to be a problem with his relatives due to the oddity in his will which makes it necessary he be found. The case becomes more complicated when after about a couple of years some human bones are found in several places that resembles the structure of the disappeared but there is not enough to have a definite idea. Also slowly doubt creeps in minds of people about foul play and subtle accusations stray publicly. So it remains upon the forensic expert to come to the rescue which he does but the twist remains that keeps him in the audience seat.
A story with mystery but with a romantic perspective that may sometime feel a little too much for a detective tale. The element of classics prevail dominant throughout and forensics only fill in the necessary gaps. But the slow yet steady rhytm characteristic of a serious crime drama remains always. Though the narrative is like any other of the series centering more on howdunit rather than whodunit but the surprise will surely be why done it in this case which is splendidly realistic yet horribly peculiar.

Kanchangarher Kokilsir

The terrifying master of Mathematics is himself terrified of his own voice. As remarkable as it may sound that is what had happened to the angry arrogant Sir of Kanchangarh Boys' School that keeps him literally dumbfounded as whenever he tries to speak there seems to be a risk of his voice being punctuated by a cuckoo blurting out notes at random. As he is trying to recover from the shock, it seems he is not the only one with a problem. The closed ones are crestfallen. Several doctors fail to diagnose the cause of the disease and infact one of them sets off a chain of events leading to another hilarious episode. The headmaster is also at a confusion to find students failing miserably by the question set by this veteran Sir. Added to this is the surprise visit of the strangest of inspectors. But the solution to all seems quite at hand. As the logical mind seems to grasp the root of the problem the message is loud and clear. The author styles a unique way to convey the joy of spreading joy among folks. A story for the young but it will surely be as good to the others.

The Mysterious Mr Quin

The elusive Mr Quin makes his presence felt whenever there is mystery involved. Be it murder or romance, the subtle hints by him seems enough to Mr Satterthwaite for unravelling the intricate puzzles of life. His sudden introduction in The Coming of Mr Quin seems just perfect as the story not only solves a long awaited cause of death but it also unveils threat to the love that stands on a delicate pier. In the next a double murder occurs and Mr Satterthwaite has only the clue of The Shadow on the Glass to solve the crime beyond everybody's doubt. A chance meeting At the 'Bells and Motley' seems to save the innocent but a peculiar clue lies hidden in The Sign in the Sky that leads relief to the well wisher of the falsely accused. It is more a romantic story of The Soul of the Croupier but mystery still remains for Harley Quin to guide Mr Satterthwaite to light. The sudden appearance of The Man from the Sea again seems God sent as Harley Quin directs Mr Satterthwaite to join two estranged heart as tragedy looms right throughout the narrative. A melancholy feels the air starting from the sinister The Voice in the Dark followed by The Face of Helen but whereas serious crime is solved in one it seems to be averted in the other. A painter draws The Dead Harlequin which attracts Satterthwaite and curious events follows while The Bird with the Broken Wing seems to reveal a mad criminal hidden behind the veil of respectability. Rolling precariously towards The World's End for picnic seems to be fated for something more and the Harlequin's Lane offers the solution to the eternal love for the heart that bleeds.

The unique creation of the author seems to bind romance and mystery in a way never found elsewhere which is intense yet enjoyable.