Rosemary's Baby Analysis

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Adapted for the Screen and Directed by: Roman Polanski
Starring: Mia Farrow, John Cassevetes
Streaming on Netflix.

Well, I'm generally not into supernatural/paranormal horror. For the simple reason that the level of stakes is so high and there is no grounding to it. After a point, you know what a horror film would have. A couple of jump scares. Some gore. Some action. There's no real mystery to it if you've seen a lot of films. The best type of horror, or even mystery is where you don't know what to expect. Take Burning (2018) - in this film, the mystery slowly creeps into our heads like a parasite without even us noticing. Similarly, what this film does beautifully while setting up is that it starts like a film about a couple. It slowly unravels the horror. It is peeled layer by layer. The film doesn't even has horror in the direct sense of the word. It plays on paranoia, like a psychological thriller. It's also fluid in genre. I think that's the reason even films like Get Out, and Midsommar would work better than an Inisidious-78. 

Mia Farrow is terrific in the film, I loved her performance. She was 23, when she did this. The level of hope for a good future, a good life, the innocence, the naivety she brings in the beginning of the film - it all turns into nerve wracking anxiety as the film progresses. The dream sequence was very interesting. The film has a good usage of craft - production design, hair and make up, editing, everything. I realized for some reason, films in the 70s had more confidence as they were staging scenes. Now we have a lot of cuts, or unnecessary camera movements within even a simple action. We use a track-in when a character is drinking water. I'm like... why? I think we have to revisit some of these films to just brush up our ideas of staging and blocking.

Sherni Analysis

Sherni (2021)

Directed by: Amit V. Masurkar
Starring: Vidya Balan
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video. 

The best part about the film is the tone, the subdued thriller, and the way it dips into the documentary territory once in a while where it feels like all these people are real, and all their stories are real. It keeps going in there for a bit, and it keeps coming back to the Bollywood thriller film tone. It's a unique tone. The way the setting is used, is also so good. It's quite rare to see such good usage of setting. Whether it's the way they use the location, the way they capture most of it in wide shots, and especially the way he uses the local people in the background, and sometimes in the foreground too. The husband's character being shown only on video calls, was an interesting way to show us and make us feel exactly how her personal life would be like. 

What didn't work for me as much in the film is that from a dramatic point of view, I couldn't feel the emotional stakes the film was presenting. Had I already been aware of the environmental issues, perhaps I could've felt it but with this film, I feel like I got to know some things but I didn't feel like I felt anything. And this is not something I had an issue with Newton - there I felt it. It's right there. They explore interpersonal conflict well between Neeraj Kabi and Vidya Balan - it's a small thing but it works. I wish the film explored more of the setting, and the thematic elements through such interpersonal conflicts. Because at the end of the day, the people and the characters is all that matters. Having said that, I like this film just for the unique tone it had and I felt like I was watching something different. 

Sarpatta Parambarai Analysis

Sarpatta Parambarai (2021)

Co-written and Directed by: Pa. Ranjith

Starring: Arya, Cinematography: Murali G. 

Music: Santhosh Narayanan

Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video.

It's an emotionally intense sports drama. It covers all the arcs we generally see in sports films. It starts off with an underdog, rags to riches kind of story where Kaliban, who is not even in consideration at the beginning, slowly comes into the limelight and steals the show. And then it gets into a space of how success can let you off track a bit, and it goes into him becoming an Arjun Reddy. An alcoholic obsessed person who starts losing things one by one. This track was beautiful in this film. This part, the downfall was the best part of the film. Later, he again redeems himself. Picks himself up and wins the match.

There are some interesting moments in the film which show us a change in character. They're not really arcs so to say. But the mother asking him to go redeem himself through boxing. The son of his guru, he who initially attacked Kaliban and tried to backstab him, him coming to save Kaliban now, the guru in the ending fight coming to encourage him. Such change in character, but in a way that it makes sense, makes and stays true to character makes for really good moments. 

The production design, and the way it's set in the boxing world in the 70s is so immersive. Because most of it is shot in wides, just like Malik. The editing is also dynamic, especially in the first 30 minutes where they're introducing the setting and the world. One thing in the boxing matches I felt was, the punches were so hard and yet it took so many punches for a knockout in the movie. Whereas in reality, one such punch would land a knockout. I get it, it would've been to create more drama I guess.

Kudi Yedamaithe Analysis

Kudi Yedamaithe (2021)

Adapted and Directed by: Pawan Kumar

Created and Written by: Ram Vignesh

Streaming on Aha.

It's a time loop based show, where two characters find themselves waking up on the same day with the memory of the earlier days. They slowly open different stories that happen within that day as the show progresses. It's well written and executed. With this premise (or genre rather), the show can be anything. They chose to put this in the setting of a thriller. Kidnapping children. Murders. Investigation. It dips into other territories too for a bit, but it mostly stays on the plot heavy thriller space where there is high tension throughout. Durga is played well by Amala Paul, there is a bit of character exploration too, and it's done in a way where there's some mystery there too. The track of her husband being dead is played out in an interesting way, and it's used as a nice cliffhanger to the show.

One issue I found with the narrative was that, after a point, it just felt like a game, especially when Durga gets to know that she failed saving the kid. So they get to a state where they are okay with losing because they know that they have another chance. The time loop and the entire premise felt a bit futile and purposeless at that moment. I just wish there was a deeper meaning explored for the tool of time loop. Having said that, the show keeps us intrigued and it's binge-able because of the consistency in character and tone, which I think is the most important quality for a show.

Vaazhl Analysis

Vaazhl (2021)

Written and Directed by: Arun Prabhu Purushottam

Produced by: Sivakarthikeyan

Streaming on: Sony LIV

This film has a very similar logline to the first script I ever wrote. I watched some portions of the film in Goa Film Bazaar last year, and I was blown right away. Not because of the content, but because of the style. It's extremely stylish. The way it's shot and edited, the usage of music. And even the way the characters are treated. Women are treated so respectfully as characters, but when we see them from the lens of a guy, it isn't politically correct. It stays true to character. The film has one of the best understanding of Indian men, it explores the erratic nature of men beautifully. It just so happens that for some reason Indian films don't explore much of the real thoughts men go through in mainstream cinema. Even something as simple as jerking off is considered a big deal on screen. Vaazhl too doesn't go there, but it plays a super funny, quirky music whenever he's turned on, or is getting a little uncomfortable.

For a while, I felt that the film had too much of conflicts. The emotional baggage of the woman felt a little off tone for the kind of film I was expecting. It goes into the black comedy territory. But as we get used to the unpredictability of the film, the film just goes high on coke. The second half was all over the place, but I liked it. It's a strong visual experience, and I'm guessing the hangover of Vaazhl is going to be there for a day at least.

Sathi Leelavathi Analysis

Sathi Leelavathi (1995)

Co-written, Edited, Shot and Directed by: Balu Mahendra

Starring: Ramesh Arvind, Kalpana, Kamal Hassan, Heera

Streaming on YouTube.

It's a simple, focused, straightforward film. The premise revolves around a man who has extra marital affair and learns his lesson. The film has a clear worldview that it presents, unlike Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona which is a lot more complex. Although this film too doesn't shy away from exploring anything within this territory - it blatantly talks about why these things happen. About a lot of women not ageing well after motherhood. The beautiful thing the film does is, it makes him learn a lesson with love. His wife is his family, his home and he steps away from it for a while to explore something different, but realizes that it's not him. The new stuff is not him. The way kids are being treated, or his family is being treated. It just doesn't feel like home.

I think about why people cheat, especially married people - as much as desire and lust, there's also an element of wanting a sense of excitement and unpredictability in life. I sometimes think if you have an otherwise exciting or an adrenaline filled life, you would embrace the beautiful rut and predictability in your personal life. The film here and there steps into the adult comedy space, but it doesn't go there too much to a point where it'd get annoying. The ending where Kovai Sarala doubts Kamal Hassan was a terrific joke, but the action sequence post that felt like a post credit scene. 

Persepolis Analysis

Persepolis (2007)

Written and Directed by: Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
Based on an autobiographical graphic novel of the same name.
Premiered at 2007 Cannes Film Festival.

It's a coming-of-age story of a young girl set in the backdrop of Iranian Revolution. Let's forget the political and social commentary for a moment, and let's see how beautiful a premise this is for a story. I love it, when there is a mix of moods - here, one is a sweet, nice, coming-of-age story, but the setting is very intense, it has war, revolution, etc. going on. This makes for a bittersweet tone, exactly like real life. Real life is mostly never cheery, or sad. It's mostly bittersweet. Sweet on the outside, bitter in the inside. The film not only manages to take political stances, like vouching for liberation, and more but it also shows us how life is like otherwise. Although she comes from a progressive family, we can still see what kind of a milieu this is. Because for us, all these things might seem so normal - but when we know that in some parts of the world, even today in 2021, even small things are such a big deal. That is the reality that the film makes us feel and experience. 

The grandmother is a nice mentor figure to the girl. It's of course, interesting when there is a conflict between the grandmother and Marji - like when Marji tells her that she lied to the cops that someone misbehaved with her and that she had no choice; but the sheer profoundness of her advice, makes it interesting otherwise too. The way the film progresses, there is a lot of life happening - she witnesses people die, she moves to a country, she moves back to her home and such films which show a lot of life happening - I immediately get the vibe of an epic. Forrest Gump. Boyhood. For me, nothing is more dramatic than us seeing life happening to characters, which is why perhaps coming-of-age is my favorite genre in film to watch and write too.

Three Colors: Red Analysis

Three Colors: Red (1994)

Co-written, Directed and Produced by: Krzysztof Kieslowski

Starring: Irene Jacob

Nominated for 3 Oscars, and for Palme d'Or at Cannes.

When you watch any scene in this film, you sense the confidence of the filmmaker. Particularly with the blocking, and the camera movements. Every minute move of the actor and the camera is choreographed, and yet it looks seamless and it looks like everything is magically falling into place. The film is about solitude, heartbreak and it has an anti-romantic worldview to it, which is ironic because red is usually a color used to express romance. It also goes into the territories of the butterfly effect, and how chance plays a huge role in life. Sometimes, I tend to overthink but my life would've been drastically different hadn't I dropped a text to a stranger on a particular day. Hadn't I opened my phone and stumbled upon an ad for event, which changed my life. I'm sure there'd be a lot of such things that would've changed our lives for good or bad, which we ignore and pass by. The film talks about this aspect of life, even through the ending. 

The opening imagery of the film is pretty abstract, but as we see the film we understand what it was. The telephone lines. The interconnected nature of life. And of course, we see red in almost every frame of the film. Either in Valentine's lipstick, or in at least one property in the frame, and sometimes even the color of the car passing by a road in the background. Things like these is what tell us how everything that we see in the film is crafted to tell story. Sometimes it's on our faces and sometimes it's subtle.

Malik Analysis

Malik (2021)

Written, Edited and Directed by: Mahesh Narayanan

Starring: Fahadh Faasil, Nimisha Sajayan

Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

The film has a terrific sense of visual grammar. The setting of the film is extremely important, it's part of the premise. Communal riots, being a major conflict of the film, we have to understand the people in the setting. The setting comes through beautifully with the craft of the film, especially the long takes and the wide shots. Fahadh's performance is riveting, the way he brings through the pain and power. The parts where Fahadh listens, or reacts, or just looks on, those are the parts where the character comes through the most. I remember having a similar feeling while watching Vijay Sethupathi in Uppena, where he just sits in the car and looks out and I could see character in those shots the best. I think when there's a dialogue or some action for an actor, anybody more or less performs it, but to create intensity without having anything to do, that's something else. Even Frances McDormand in Nomadland. That's another level of intensity. 

The film talks about how it's not always about the choices you make, but it's also the situations you are in. The scene where Malik takes his gun out and shoots in the air, to let people into the mosque - he wouldn't be capable of that if not for the situations he's been in. And that's what makes him a powerful man. Him being thrown in the garbage, sheer injustice to his people. So it's almost like he's created through circumstances too as much as his choices. The film operates in the epic gangster saga space, with a time span of decades, with stories of revenge, betrayal, religion, politics and power.

Promising Young Woman Analysis

Promising Young Woman (2020)

Written and Directed by: Emerald Fennell

Starring: Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham

Won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

The beauty of the film is how the story unfolds, layer by layer. Initially we see that there's this woman who is playing games with men, and slowly we see reason behind why she's doing it. A lot of mysterious facts are casually placed in the film, like her dropping out of medical school, which could be a random fact, here they present it like it's her erratic nature, but later we know that there's more to it. At the end of the day, it's a rape revenge movie, but it beautifully talks about the idea of consent because it bases the entire premise of the movie on that. It reinforces the idea of consent, when a woman is drunk and can't make choices in that state. The film here and there goes into a psychological thriller zone, which I wish it went more into.

The men in this film are written super weirdly. It feels like a tit for tat competition for men writing one dimensional women. The film wants to show that even charming men, and "gentleman" could be dangerous, but it could've perhaps subverted some ideas by maybe showing conventionally creepy men to be actually safe. It's a well written film for sure, but I don't get why this film got a Best Original Screenplay.

Haseen Dillruba Analysis

Haseen Dillruba (2021)

Directed by: Vinil Mathhew
Written by: Kanika Dhillon
Streaming on Netflix.

We see Kanika Dhillon's elements - women who mess up, cheat, and have complicated notions of love. I just loved that portion of the film where Rani is narrating about Rishu, where he becomes psychotic and acts weird - that part has a possibility of an unreliable narration and the film suddenly turns dark, into a psychological thriller space which I absolutely loved. The mystery and the reveal didn't work for me, but I didn't mind it as much too either. It felt like there isn't much happening in the film throughout, except for the portions where Rishu is trying to kill her, the film could've perhaps expanded on that. The tone of the film in those portions was terrific.

There is interesting drama in the triangle love story, the lengths Rani goes to impress the new guy just shows us how granted she takes Rishu for and it's heartbreaking how it is. It is what it is, sometimes you can't help it. She wants someone and she got someone else and desire is desire at the end of the day. There is interesting usage of elements in the writing itself, like her cooking mutton for him, and how she is later reminded of the entire meat sequence, which is also a segway to the ending. Once, the mystery was out - the film could've stopped as soon as possible - it was no fun watching what exactly happened. I was thinking that Vikrant Massey was a bit miscast for the role, of a guy who is not man enough - because his vulnerability didn't come through as much. Though he looks lean, he looks great with his beard and not for a moment does he not look like he's man enough. But it was an interesting transition to see Vikrant in the monster part of Rishu.

Sara's Analysis

Sara's (2021)

Directed by: Jude Anthany Joseph
Written by: Akshay Hareesh
Starring: Anna Ben, Sunny Wayne
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

It's a film with a strong sense of messaging and activism, but the filmmaking and writing don't go for a toss. The film is simplistic and focused, with one protagonist and a simple, yet a very relevant conflict. Sara doesn't want to have a child and she wants to do what she loves doing, and be remembered as a filmmaker. It talks about how it's just assumed that a couple has to have kids once they get married. The film is pretty straightforward, it doesn't take any complex or nuanced standpoints. The way they make it work is through the husband's character, who initially doesn't want to have kids, who initially stands with her but later, he too flips and has a change of thought. It's interesting how they made her a filmmaker, but they don't indulge much in the filmmaking setting much, and the film stays focused on the conflict itself. I'd have had a tough time, stopping myself from getting there. Even in the filmmaking world, they keep addressing feminist issues wherever they get a chance to, like a producer making a pass at her, and a producer doubting her capabilities because she is a woman.

I wouldn't say I loved this film on the leagues of other great Malayalam cinema, only because this film is too straightforward and it lacks any layers and nuance. Having said that, I can't really complain because the issue the film tackles is a very important one and films which deal with such issues have to be made in a straightforward way. I wish they dealt more on how their relationship is affected once the husband has a change in thought, because the in-laws are anyway against them throughout the film. We don't see the couple's interpersonal relationship much, we don't see much of how they feel about each other. Having said that, I think the film stays focused on what it wants to say and that's good too.

Bo Burnham: Inside Analysis

Bo Burnham: Inside (2021)

Written, Directed, Edited, Filmed and Performed by: Bo Burnham

Streaming on Netflix.

"I hope this show does to you for a few hours, what it has been doing to me for the past few months. Distract me from wanting to put a bullet in my head." 

One of my friends told me that this show was dark and disturbing, and honestly I found it to be quite normal. Because that's what the lockdown, and the isolation has done to me. This is material which made me get back from a 3-week slump of not being able to engage with anything. Here, I didn't have to put efforts to engage with the material. The erratic nature of the show resonated a lot with the kind of thoughts that I keep having. Bo is extremely talented, where he can create art out of practically nothing. He can write, sing and perform and do whatever it takes to entertain. My favourite part of his comedy is the way it gets meta on so many levels. I absolutely loved the part where he reacts to his reactions, and how he negates every thought of his at every reaction. I also liked the parts where he talks about his progress, about him turning 30, and such elements which are almost journal like and they'd be otherwise boring even in a vlog - but for the tone that Bo Burnham has cracked, it works within the context of this show where he tells us that it's going to be weird and not so smooth.

I wish he had gone a little more into the struggles of creating, a bit into the territory of Charlie Kaufman's Adaptation. That's just me wishing to see more of myself. Vulnerability. Self doubt. Things like these. Bo Burnham does a good job of capturing these feelings in a slightly different setting too.