Here's a weird one, then. Indian film Like Stars On Earth has rarely been seen outside of its own country, but given the size of India's population - and the associated votes it has received from said population - it has somehow managed to climb as high as 109 on the IMDb Top 250. Which would be fine, of course - if the movie in question wasn't pretty darn terrible and an absolute chore to sit through from start to finish. Indeed, check out the critical reviews for Like Stars on Earth in the West and it's a totally different story compared to how it was received on its home turf: most critics have only negative things to say about it, whereas it was praised in India until the cows came home. Like Stars On Earth clings to "admirable" subject matter that has presumably marked it as a product of absolute good: it is, after all, a musical about a young boy's attempts to overcome dyslexia, which earned it points. But the execution is sorely lacking with this one; it feels clunky, amateurish and (at almost three hours) is actually rather dull to watch - especially since there's almost zero drama. Maybe its inclusion in the Top 250 really does come down to a case of cultural differences, and in India this picture really does appear to be a masterpiece?
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
