How could it be anything but “RRR” at the top of this list? Sure, not nearly as many people have seen this movie as have seen “Top Gun: Maverick.” That said, anyone who has would surely agree that the entirety of S.S. Rajamouli’s wild epic warrants much discussion and is, without exaggeration, unlike anything you’ve likely ever seen before. But there is one shining moment in this massive movie that leaves one to understand that this is an experience for the ages, not merely a movie. At around the halfway point, Bheem leads a break-in at the palace, finding himself at odds with Raju, despite their love for one another. His method for saving the girl he came there to save? Crash a truck through the gates — and that truck just so happens to be full of dangerous, wild animals. Tigers, deer, even a bear, all with Bheem waving torches like a possessed madman.
Chaos ensues of the most visually entertaining order. The scene that unfolds is violent, totally bananas, and emotionally effective given the character beats that are happening underneath the havoc. The most amazing part? Once the dust settles, the audience realizes that this is just the intermission and we are at the halfway point of this movie. Most movies would be lucky to have a climax as effective as this. And yet? This one still has 90 minutes left in the tank that, quite frankly, do not disappoint. It’s audacious and it works like gangbusters. It’s what me, the popcorn movie loving junkie that I am, lives to see. Bring on the sequel.