Sapta Sagaradaache Ello (Side-A)

Sapta Sagaradaache Ello (Side A)

Directed by: Hemanth Rao
Starring; Rakshit Shetty, Rukmini Vasanth

Music: Charan Raj

Recently, I've been thinking a lot about what makes a good theatrical experience for me. For me, it is not the scale of the film, it's not if the film has stars in it or not, it's not even the genre... it is simply the level of immersive experience the film offers. Some films suck you right in, make you forget your day otherwise and some films just play on the screen and you watch them from a distance. The difference, the level of immersive experience the films offer. Sapta Sagaradaache Ello is a beautiful theatrical experience. It's immersive right from the get go. I loved how the film was shot, written, performed by the actors, the music used... everything. The film has an external conflict per se, but it's made in a way that we feel like we are in their minds. Films like this, which offer an extreme emotional experience can be a beautiful outlet for cathartic experiences. Someone's going through long distance and is feeling painful? They can watch the film and let it all out by crying for Manu and Priya, and in a way cry for their Manu or Priya too. I see this film as an epic saga. And every bit of the film worked for me, except for one thing. 

Spoilers Alert. I was having second thoughts right when Manu makes that choice. I could see that it's a bad idea. It was so obvious. And because of that, I had my sympathy take over my empathy for Manu. I was watching him slightly from a distance. Whereas, if they had established that Manu and the businessman (whose son did the accident) had a good relationship and that he would never ditch Manu - maybe the choice would've felt more reasonable and then the businessman dies anyway. Apart from this, I loved every single bit of the film. The climax is a beautiful cinematic experience. It was both emotionally and physically violent. It was the lowest point the film was going to hit... and the experience of the whole ending was very chilling. I'm very curious about Side-B, although it seems like there's going to a total genre shift. Films like this will revive cinema. 

Boys Hostel (2023)

Boys Hostel (2023)

Written and Directed by: Nithin Krishnamurthy
Spoilers Ahead.

Having missed the original version, I was a tad bit bummed at myself. But after watching the dubbed version - I'd go as far as saying that Boys Hostel is not a dubbed version of the original - it's an adaptation. This is not only because of them reshooting the cameos of Rashmi Gautam and Tharun Bhascker, but because of the dialogues written by the team of Chai Bisket. It's filled with pop-culture references, memes and different accents of Telugu as well. Now, about the film - the opening 15-min stretch just goes bonkers - with the fast cuts, swish pans, the camera moves and the transitions - you know that you're in the hands of a filmmaker whose sense of craft is solid. The film takes a turn from there and now we see dirty rooms, messy teenagers shot by a handheld camera. If not for the opening stretch, this could have put us off. But because of the opening stretch, you know that the filmmakers are capable of shooting something cool and cinematic, but they're just choosing not to. Here on, I loved the premise, I loved the structure of the narrative with scope for so many gags in between. Some of my favourites being - the gang who smokes up, Xavier and yes almost every scene is funny. I like the turns that the film takes. 

Although, I felt some fatigue in the 2nd half. Especially because the narrative style is so pulsating and fast that there's a lot of information to process. There's a lot of chaos to witness. The cut backs to the editor, his commentary, the meta touch was good. But all of these were adding extra information to the narrative, which at beginning felt novel and interesting - but after a point - it felt like it was being overdone. I felt like the film had to slow down for a bit, at least in moments, so that we'd be ready for the chaos again. Some moments made me tear up, one moment being the warden overhearing a student saying something, and him going back to lie on the carrom board. And even the ending was beautifully done. I just wish some bits in the 2nd half weren't there. But all in all, absolutely beautiful film. There's verbal, visual, slapstick, deadpan - all sorts of comedy in the film and everything lands. I absolutely enjoyed the film.

The Last of Us (2023- )

The Last of Us (Season-1)

Created by: Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann
Based on the video game of the same name.

Having been a fan of Craig Mazin from his Scriptnotes podcast & Chernobyl - I was always curious about this show. Late to the party, but I thoroughly enjoyed the show. The show is structured in a way that it can be an anthology whenever it wants, it can explore subplots and the main plot too whenever it wants. It's mostly because the world building is so solid, that any part of the world seems gripping. My favourite episode is Ep. 3 (Bill & Frank's epic love story). That single story has an epic nature to it, and this story being just a part of the world makes the world too epic. Looking at the posters, and having no clue about the game - I thought it's the story of a father and daughter - navigating through a post apocalyptic world. But the story is better - it's that of a man who loses his daughter and happens to be with another girl of the same age. I feel like stories like these are more compelling - stories of bonds which are not familial - but are as strong as familial bonds. It somehow makes their relationship greater. Case in point, Sivagami - Baahubali.

My only disappointment with the whole show was the last episode. It felt rushes. There was too much happening in the main plot in the last episode and him killing doctors to not operate her - felt like a dicey thing to do. They're doctors. And she could possibly save the whole world. That oddly stood out to me. But apart from this one thing, I absolutely loved the show and especially the tone it cracks - it builds terrifying tension like a thriller, it scares you like a horror, it has very strong drama and emotions too. Got transported into the world right from the first minute of the first episode. 

Jailer (2023)

Jailer (2023)

Written and Directed by: Nelson

Starring: Superstar Rajinikanth

Music: Anirudh Ravichander

Tamil films which are superstar vehicles should be a genre by themselves. You get a few banger songs before the film that you're vibing to - and then you go to the film. Every scene feels like a setup to a whistle moment. There is a sense of rush in every scene till the star arrives on screen. From then, things usually settle down. Jailer did all these very well. There are some killer Rajni moments in the film. I mainly have to talk about the music. Anirudh has single-handedly taken control of the music scene in Tamil cinema. To the point where he can deliver chartbusters in every single film he composes for. To the point where he has the capability to make a mediocre filmmaker seem like a good one.

 

But apart from those few moments, the film didn't work for me. Not the story, not the screenplay. I just enjoyed it as a Rajni fan vehicle film. The main issue was Rajni agreeing to steal a crown from a temple in return for the villain to return his son. Now, this plot point was itself weak and needs us to let it go. But after this, the film further dwells deeper in this direction - Sunil, Tamannah track was a further weaker subplot. I liked the idea of how he approaches other superstars for some manpower, and Rajni's elevations happen without much muscle power - which was refreshing. But the whole film apart from the mass moments, was so here and there - because the writing felt all over the place. But Hukum definitely redeems the sloppy writing in the film.

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani (2023)

Directed by: Karan Johar
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt
Written by: Ishita Moitra, Shashank Khaitan, Sumit Roy

I absolutely loved a Bollywood film after a long time! It's a classical story with very conventional beats - but done with fresh air. This film again proves that conventional stories done with fresh air always work. It's a classic Indian love story of a couple who have to get their family's approval to get married. Although this is added up with an interesting premise - both Rocky and Rani stay at each other's houses for a while. The film's biggest strength is the solid setup. They set up both families with such detail and finesse that the film creates a playground for itself - to flesh out beautiful drama. The first half gets slightly annoying at places because of it's overtly musical treatment - although it definitely felt very fresh. The opening of the film felt like Wes Anderson making a film about Indian households. Though the content of the film is very rooted and conventional - Karan Johar experiments with style and craft and he does it so well. Rocky seemed annoying as a character in the beginning, but oh boy he wins your heart. I was very concerned with the introduction of Rani's character - if the film will get into preachy, activist territories - but then I realized that they're doing this only to establish difference between the both of them.

There is a lot of heart in this film. Some of my most favorite moments in the film - Rocky joining his to-be father-in-law to learn Kathak - I had tears in my eyes, Rocky joining him in the performance and Rocky's monologue at Rani's house. Ranveer Singh's performance was so good - I vividly remember a moment - it's a very small moment but it made me fall in love with his character. When the grandpa suddenly becomes conscious and says something, and again falls unconscious, Rocky's father asks him to call an ambulance - and the force with which Rocky yells 'nurse' 'doctor' and the force with which he runs - that tells you that if Rocky loves you - he's going to do anything for you. The film beautifully talks about how everyone's busy canceling everyone instead of trying to think with some empathy. It's a much-needed film in the current climate. Classic-conventional love story done with nuanced writing.

Oppenheimer (2023)

Oppenheimer (2023)

Written for the screen and Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Cillian Murphy

This film surprised me in so many levels - the main thing being Chris Nolan building on his voice as a filmmaker. There are so many new styles that Nolan explored in this film, which he wouldn't earlier. One was the occasional usage of montage and voice over - which is one of my favourite tools of filmmaking - and I didn't expect to see this in a Nolan's film. It's used in the introduction of Oppenheimer in his childhood and in the scene where they discuss different possibilities of explosion - there are sudden inserts of the reaction happening. Another thing was the visual portrayal of PTSD - it was masterfully done - and it reminded me of Darren Aronofsky's films (Black Swan, Requim for a Dream). Another aspect was how the film has straightforward storytelling. A complex subject like this, definitely calls for this. Even though it's not entirely straightforward, it definitely is by Nolan's standards. Because the film is a biopic and is told from the perspective of Oppenheimer - it feels intricately personal too and the anguish that he feels is beautifully captured. 

Nolan gives the story the largeness it deserves by shooting it the way he shoots any other epic film. And in spite of it being epic, it never loses its nuance. Post the film, it feels like the film didn't take a strong stand on the whole thing, but that's exactly the stand of the film. That it is extremely complex and nuanced. Proper representation of war onscreen is very important, because war in real life does not feel like an action film. It feels like a video that we can never get ourselves to watch. And though this film is the story of a man who invented the atom bomb, the film never forgets what it means in the larger scheme of things. And because of all these, I think that Oppenheimer is Nolan's most evolved work. This film is epic and intimate, geeky and emotional, inspiring and scornful. The conflict of this film is destructive, outside and within. And all of these beautifully come through the visuals, the sound and every craft involved. Oppenheimer has the tension of a Nolan film, the nuance of an Asghar Farhadi film, it captures PTSD like a Darren Aronofsky film and it uses montage like a Scorsese film - in spite of these it never doesn't feel like a Nolan film. This is a master director, evolving his own style.

Baby (2023)

Baby (2023)

Written and Directed by: Sai Rajesh

Starring: Anand Devarakonda, Vaishnavi Chaitanya, Viraj Ashwin

Spoilers ahead.

Firstly, I want to start by writing about what I felt about the trailer - what bugged me were the dialogues which generalise. Anand's dialogue goes: "prathi kashtam mundu devudu edho oka signal isthadu, nee lanti ammayi okalla jeevitham loki vachinappudu assal signal enduku ivvade?". Now instead of this, if the dialogue was: "prathi kashtam mundu devudu edho oka signal isthadu, kani nuvvu naa jeevitham loki vachinappudu assal signal enduku ivvaledhe?" - then it would have been personal to him. This is one big issue in the whole film. "Nee lanti ammayilu" instead of "nuvvu", "maa abbayilu" instead of "nenu". This generalising dialogue seems like it's for the film to hit everyone, but it ends up making the audience feel either defensive or attacking instead of feeling empathy for the characters. Instead if the film treated the exact same story as just their story and makes us see them as individuals and not representing a gender - it would still hit and it wouldn't make the audience polarized.

Keeping this aside for a second, the film has a beautiful, endearing opening - which captures first love, the adolescence around it so well - and especially the song which has a chorus of children making the whole thing so innocent and beautiful. At this point, you'd want them to be together (if you forget what happens in the trailer). But post the premise kicks in, the film gets into murky territories. The thing about theatre viewing experience is - it's very tricky to crack grey characters - because when we watch the film as a crowd - especially as a hyper-charged crowd in a single screen - we tend to drop our IQs. The audience isn't in a space to appreciate nuances. It's either black or white. Which is why whenever Vaishnavi makes certain choices, the crowd jumps into a space where they want her to be called names. Though there were some inconsistencies with her character, I could see her. Coming from a small background, when she finds herself in the 'big' world - all she wants is some validation and attention - which she never gets from Anand. Anand treats her like a controlling father. So though she knows that Anand is part of her life, she strays in the process of trying to find her identity amidst trying to fit in. She loses herself. And in the process, a lot of irreparable damage happens. 

Also, because of the way the plot progresses in the second half - them making a deal that she'll "date" him for a month and then he'll be okay & one of the biggest plot holes in the film - "I'll sleep with Viraj so that he'll finally let me go to Anand" - these plot points make this film less of an inter-personal relationship film and more of a conniving drama. How the film arrives at these points, didn't seem convincing to me - yes, the characters are naïve, but it's disturbing to watch naive characters make bad choices throughout the film. Apart from this, the film sets up the characters for them to face bad situations. But the way the film worsens the situations is a little convenient. Although, after all these conveniences it cracks creating one of the most disturbing sequences I've seen in a long time - Premisthunna song. 

Keeping aside all these issues, the film is in the Malcolm and Marie space - where you say the worst things possible you could say to each other. The film operates on people's worst fears - need not be boys - but anyone who's anxious within a relationship. The performances were beautiful - especially the way Anand's heartbreak and pain was portrayed. The mindset of a person who's been cheated on was also captured pretty well. And overall, it was quite an experience for me watching the film. Though there were some issues with the film, the film landed for me. 

Instant Family (2018)

Instant Family (2018)

Co-written and Directed by: Sean Anders

Starring: Rose Byrne, Mark Wahlberg
Spoilers ahead.

It's a beautiful, heart-warming film that moves you into tears every now and then. The film is about a couple who decide to adopt three siblings one of whom is a teenager. The film explores all the highs and lows that they go through in the process. The beauty of the film is that it manages to find sweet and heart-warming moments at every stage - right from the thought to adopt kids to the point where they finally do it. Another good thing about the film is it's written from personal experiences that Sean Anders himself went through - and because of this - the film feels extremely aware and authentic of the world it's exploring. For example, even small scenes where they talk about the 3R technique, the difficulties teenagers face to find foster parents - there are so many such beautiful elements in the film. And the best part about it is the narrative is properly structured in a way that these small scenes fit into the story properly - unlike making us feel like the film is just a string of anecdotes. 

Though I liked everything about the film, the only issue I had was with the ending. They established a solid conflict by the second half of the film - whereas the biological mother of the kids they decided to adopt wants her kids back because she got herself together. At this point, the film raises a beautiful question of preservation of a family. Here, as an audience, I was baffled. What could be done? There is perhaps nothing you could do to get out of this whole. By the end, the film convincingly takes the route where the biological mother relapsed again. I didn't feel satisfying because someone's life being ruined is resolving the conflict of the film in a convenient way. Although the ending is salvaged by the scene where the eldest daughter runs away from home and the parents go and convince her to stay with them. This scene made it a satisfying end. And the ending scene where they finally register the adoption, was so beautifully done. I loved how the film explores a world and creates a simple, heart-warming comedy out of it. 

Pinocchio (2022)

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson

Won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film.

Streaming on Netflix.

It's a stop-motion, animated film. This film has a fairy-tale-like narrative and storytelling. Fairy tale narratives being larger than life and epic and telling such a story through stop-motion animation - with inanimate objects - brings a beautiful sense of smallness and intimacy to the storytelling. The film opens with a terrific prologue - where a father loses his son in the war - the style of the prologue seems to be influenced by the opening of Pixar's Up. After the father loses the son, he gets depressed and he does countless prayers and keeps wishing his son comes back. Now, this is a point where we as the audience are rooting so badly for the father that we are ready to see even magic help this man. I'd call this point - a fantastical low point - which would lead us to hope even magic help the characters. I believe that this fantastical low point is the key to any good fantasy film. In Harry Potter - Harry's uncle not treating Harry well and burning all of Harry's letters is that fantastical low point. In Eega - Nani being unfairly killed for no mistake of his is that fantastical low point. Now, I was super excited after this fantastical low point - I was hoping that the son would be reincarnated into the puppet he makes. Although the film takes a slightly different turn. 

The film beautifully explores so many intense themes - it explores grief and the processing of it. Pinocchio symbolizes another child one has after losing one, a spouse from a remarriage and the film explores how tough it is for someone to not keep looking for the lost loved ones in the new person that has come into their life. And it is too harsh on the new person - in this case, a kid. The film talks about acceptance and getting past the expectations parents have on their kids. Though the film talks about all these in moments, a few things didn't work for me. One was how there is reincarnation possible for Pinocchio in the film - it just takes away the promised intensity of the stakes. Also, it caters to the tropes of an animated film to an extent - the physical comedy and chaos - some of it which I enjoyed. Overall, I really enjoyed seeing the film for how intimate and epic it was at the same time.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)

Directed by: Chris Columbus
Based on the novel by J. K. Rowling

Having read the first book and having watched the films as a kid - I wasn't impacted by Harry Potter as much as an average person was. Re-watching the film now was an interesting experience - I was blown away by the opening 40 minutes of the film. The way the world takes off, the worldbuilding - all of it was so good to the point where I was wondering how they'd pull off all this back then. Although I didn't enjoy the film as a whole that much. It's mostly because the narrative of the film is an adventure without impending stakes to the character. Harry discovers problems to solve and goes out of his way to solve them. So if Harry gets bored and decides to go back to his bed and sleep, nothing would change. So because of this, we also discover the world with Harry and his friends. A more compelling narrative would be if Harry didn't go out of his way - but that would be the only way for Harry. If not this, they could've at least established the stakes of what would happen if Harry didn't go more clearly. 

Also, the whole idea of Harry being the one to go on - over Ron and Hermione - didn't feel inspiring to me as an average person. I could feel like Hermione was the more sincere and perhaps even talented person - but all of them would say that Harry is the chosen one. Why? Because of his legacy. How is that inspiring? Baahubali is also the chosen one. But you badly root for him because he never gets what he rightfully deserves. The chosen one becomes the underdog. Here the chosen one stays the hero and stays there. Also, when Ron sacrifices himself - the film doesn't play on the stakes it tricks us into believing. That Ron might die. But he doesn't. Harry getting the power to burn Voldemort in the end - felt like terribly convenient writing - any power that a hero gets in the fight with a villain has to be established beforehand. In RRR, the interval sequence of NTR with the tigers works because it was established throughout. By introducing new powers to a hero in the moment of stakes - you put the audience in a spot where they subconsciously feel like 'they'll get out of this too' and you never let the audience feel the stakes to the full extent. Apart from these issues (which I elaborated in a lot of detail) - I was blown away by so many things in the film. 

No Hard Feelings

No Hard Feelings (2023)

Directed by: Gene Stupnitsky
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman 

Apart from the premise of the film, what interested me in the film was knowing that it's directed by one of the writers-producers of The Office. It's about a struggling 32-year-old woman, Maddie, who finds a listing for a weird job - to "date" a shy, introverted 19-year-old Percy - by his parents to get him out of his shell before he leaves for college soon. A large chunk of the film has funny, R-rated comedy - where Maddie is trying to have sex with Percy and get done with her job. But Percy, turns out to be a romantic. He wants to know her. And eventually, they become friends. What I loved about this film is, it has a tone that is a mix of an R-rated sex comedy, and an indie, mumblecore film. There is a montage after Percy can't have sex with Maddie - where both of them hangout and play games and I found the heart of the film right there. In spite of the whole facade that Maddie has put on, in spite of the reason she is doing it - she is forced to hang out with Percy and she ends up giving him a shot at knowing him and she actually finds him cool to hang out with. It beautifully explores how if people are given a fair shot instead of being judged for superficial things, they could actually be fun to be around.  

What I wish the film did slightly differently was - I wish it focused slightly less on the physical comedy - the sex-comedy bits and slightly more on their friendship. And also, I wish the film took its time to explore moments. Before we could even feel a moment, it cuts into the next scene. The third act felt very rushed. There were beautiful moments to be explored and they explored them too, but just not enough. I enjoyed how the reveal happens, how Percy reacts after the reveal and how even Maddie learns quite something after this whole experience and how it's a coming-of-age for the both of them. I just wish they didn't have sex. It would've been a beautiful friendship. Of course, it's still a beautiful friendship by the end of the film but I just wish they didn't have sex (if it counts though). Maddie felt like a figure Percy needed in his life. I really loved how in spite of the weirdest premise, the film has its heart in place. Though I wish, it dwelled on the drama a little more - I really enjoyed the movie. 

Gladiator (2000)

Gladiator (2000)

Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix 

Won the Best Picture at the Oscars.
Spoilers Ahead. 

Well known for being a classic, Gladiator is an epic historical film set in 180 AD, Rome. It's a classic good-versus-evil, revenge story. What I love about the film is - though it covers a short span of time from the beginning of the film to the end, it feels like a lot happens in the film - it feels like we've witnessed so many life altering events - and hence it feels like we've witnessed life in the most cruel forms. Which is why, it's an epic. We see Marcus Aurelius, being betrayed and killed by his own son, Commodus. We see Maximus being dethroned. We see Maimus' family being killed. We see Maximus being bought as a slave. We see Maximus slowly winning the audience's support and we eventually see what happens in the film. All of these are big, life-altering events which could each be movies by themselves and in spite of covering so much in the film - it never feels like the film is rushing. We feel every single beat in the film. We see through every character in the film and their backstories too. The film cracks a beautiful balance between exploring character and plot - to the point where you can't even distinguish the both. Every scene explores both plot and character. 

After reading about it, I learnt that in the earlier drafts of the script - Maximus' family wasn't killed. One of the later writers who joined, added that bit to increase stakes for Maximus and I feel like that one call changed the whole dimension of the film. Both the actors were so good - Joauqin Phoenix was oozing evil through his eyes and Russell Crowe, loyalty to his mission. The scene where Commodus tries to provocate Maximus by saying things about his family when they were being killed - felt like a classic Rajamouli scene. Also, the way crowd cheers for Maximus and boos for Commodus - Baahubali, Bhallaladeva vibes. Also, the way the crowd cheers after Maximus wins - reminded of the scene in Magadheera after Kaala Bhairava wins the race with Ranadev Billa and the way the crowd cheers. I could see the influence of this film on a few scenes of Rajamouli's films, but of course, Rajamouli elevates each moment to a much more exuberant level. Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this film - because it's a wonderful spectacle with brilliant writing and acting too.

The Raiders of the Lost Ark

The Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Directed by: Steven Spielberg 

Streaming on Disney+Hotstar

Films which are considered to be classics, highly influential are said so because of two reasons. One is if the said film has achieved a tone or style for the first time, the derivations of which are still relevant. Two is if the said film by itself has stood the test of time and the film itself is relevant today. Apart from being influential for a huge number of films even till date, I think this film is partly relevant too. Mainly because of the way it carries tension - it does that beautifully in so many scenes. But apart from this tension, the film felt like a series of physical obstacles in different settings that the protagonist has to overcome. It felt like the film could end in 30 minutes or even go on till 4 hours. It wouldn't change a lot. And the way music was used felt a little heavy on the ears, especially the theme music of the film. It was used a little too repetitively. 

Although I was absolutely blown away by the staging and blocking in so many scenes - it was so smooth. The usage of the Spielberg Oner (famous amongst film geeks) - was so good. Although because the film is set in different countries and the hero goes on a journey to find something - the film makes you feel a sense of adventure for sure. After every set piece - you feel, hoof wasn't that something? Though that way the film was beautiful, I was perhaps hoping for a slightly more visceral experience. 

Por Thozil (2023)

Por Thozil (2023)

Directed by: Vignesh Raja
Starring: Ashok Selvan, R. Sharathkumar
SPOILERS AHEAD.

Serial-killer murder mysteries is a genre that I love watching - the tension building, the twists and turns - and Por Thozil does a good job at everything. It draws its tone and style from Fincher's films, True Detective and it takes a classical approach to filmmaking. The film picks up post the entry of Sharath Babu's character - Kennedy. Every scene there on carries terrific tension. Although the end reveal of him being the killer was eerily similar to the scene in Zodiac - I wish it was done slightly differently. Although what I loved about the whole Kennedy bit was that in the beginning, he feels like a red herring - but he is not. That's a nice diversion from the usual tropes of a serial killer film. Although he partly is. There is another killer too - although the link between both the killers didn't work for me. The whole act of the other killer kidnapping Sharath Babu's character to learn the tricks of killing people didn't seem convincing to me even at a writing level. But apart from this one link in the whole puzzle of the narrative, I enjoyed pretty much everything. I loved the whole act of catching the new killer too.

I really enjoyed Kennedy's backstory - it felt rich and it's a nice way of showing how circumstances can push people into extremes. It's a big debate - nature vs nurture - certain research says that psychopaths are not made, but are born. Some portions of their brains are not as developed and they cannot feel things. Now whether they turn criminals or not is circumstantial. Some research says that there are so many successful, famous people who could be psychopaths. The film touches upon this and doesn't go any deep into this - understandably so. The last scene, though, was a nice touch for the ending with a kind act - it also felt like a convenient visual way of solving a problem that can't be solved by any person. Although I loved the fact that the film even touches upon this whole debate - whereas I was happy with just the cat and mouse, serial-killer murder mystery.

Minnal Murali (2021)

Minnal Murali (2021)

Directed by: Basil Joseph

Starring: Tovino Thomas, Femina George, Guru Somasundaram

Streaming on Netflix.

Not being a big fan of superhero films, I wanted to give this a shot because it's rare to see one come out of Indian cinema and especially Malayalam cinema which is known for its layered and nuanced writing and filmmaking. What I loved about this film is about how they set a film in rural Kerala and still completely transported us into the idea that two characters from here get superpowers almost like any other Marvel or DC heroes. I think it's because of the time it took to set up the milieu, the inciting incidents and everything which leads up to the incident that gets them to have superpowers. And though the film is slightly in the meta zone where it shows its awareness of existing superheroes in Hollywood films, it never gets into the parody zone - it takes its characters very seriously.

What's beautiful about Malayalam cinema is, even in a film like this or 2018, which are heavily centered around the premise of the film - they still set up the whole world in an extremely nuanced way. No lazy writing at all. Apart from this general aspect, I liked a few things about the writing of the film - I liked the backstory of the kid - I liked the Joker touch they gave to the villain which is usually not so easy to pull off - I also liked the bit where the villain pulls off a fake identity. Although what I didn't enjoy as much was that it felt predictable. They didn't address the whole - how will Minnal Murali prove to people that he did only the good things and not the bad things? They chose a convenient way out of it. The fight between the superpowers felt very Marvel-ey. But having said that, as a film, I have huge respect for the execution. Not once did the VFX feel weird, or the action sequences seem bad or not even one thing felt out of place. Everything felt very stylish and yet seamless.

2018 (2023)

2018

Directed by: Jude Anthany Joseph

Starring: Tovino Thomas, Kunchacko Boban

Streaming on Sony LIV

It's a film based on some events centered around the floods in Kerala in 2018. The film tells us stories about how people helped each other in the time of crisis. The caption of the film says - everyone is a hero - and that is the emotional energy that the film is built upon. The protagonist happens to be one of those so many people. The film celebrates every person who selflessly helped others. The film celebrates humanity. With stories like these, it's very easy to get into the zone of a preachy space - but this film never gets there. One of the reasons is because even though the film is about how people's lives are saved - in spite of that every character is fleshed out very well by showing us very nuanced everyday conflicts they keep going through. And it just subconsciously reminds us of how life is happening to everyone and one day, suddenly everything goes for a toss. And what matters is, if we are safe and alive.

Another reason, the film never goes into a preachy or a boring biopic sort of a space is because the film carries terrific tension throughout. The tone of the film is that of a Hollywood survival thriller and yet it retains all of the nuance and subtext that usually a format like that would lose. Apart from the writing, it's amazing how the world is built with the cinematography, the production design and the VFX - it felt humongously scary at so many times. It felt like a vision perfectly executed on screen. The film got me inspired as an artist, and more than that - as a human. 

Virupaksha (2023)

Virupaksha (2023)

Story and Direction: Karthik Dandu
Screenplay: Sukumar
Starring: Sai Dharam Tej, Samyuktha Menon

I really enjoyed this film - it transports you into the world right away - and it uses mystery and horror to sustain tension and I feel like that's even more scary because there's the fear of the unknown. Usually in films where there are superstitious beliefs, we as the audience tend to not take them seriously because we assume a higher ground of rationale. But this film beautifully tricks us into buying the superstitions by scaring us whenever characters break free. I was surprised when I found myself rooting for characters to stick to them because that's what's the horror and mystery did to me. The theatre I watched the film in, the sound was too loud and even annoying in portions which is why even the jump scares felt like a bit of a cheat and there was frequent shrieks by characters almost forcing me to close my ears. But apart from this one thing, the way the mystery was building up step by step till the point of interval was amazing. The reveal that happens in the interval was a nice Sukumar-esque piecing things together. One more thing I felt a little dicey about what was how Surya keeps grabbing Nandini's hands forcibly, repeatedly. That gesture just made me tad bit uncomforable, but otherwise I love how their love story was also organically woven into the main plot. 

Spoilers Alert here on. While I enjoyed the twist that Nandini was also behind this, it felt like a bit of a convenient detail to add in the ending. Because the hints that they planted that it could be Nandini were too much of a far shot. Having said that, I definitely enjoyed the twist. I just wish there was more set up to pay this off. And after the reveal was done, the film was practically over for me - but there was a lot of shrieking and yelling and a lot of noise. I wish the film concluded the finale in a simpler way after the reveal was done. But yes, after having watched the film - the images and sounds from the world are still resounding in my head and I'm happy that a film in this tone and space is made in a mainstream way without losing its essence. 

Romancham (2023)

Romancham (2023)

Written and Directed by: Jithu Madhavan

Streaming on Disney+Hotstar. 

When I was trying to describe this film after watching it to people, is when I realized how unique of a film it is. It is a slice of life, horror film - blending two polar opposite genres seamlessly into a film. This is the most unique expression of horror I've ever seen - because the horror isn't in your face, but it slowly seeps into the film before you even realize. Of course, over time Malayalam cinema has earned it from the audience that the films will take their own sweet time to establish the world and characters with simple scenes - nothing mind-blowing or amazing or extremely funny - just simple stuff. This film banks on that as well - the opening 30 minutes or so is just establishing characters and the world. And the interesting part is, this world is not even a new interesting world to look out for. It's the most boring, mundane setup ever and even then the film finds its interesting moments. 

I like how Malayalam cinema creates tension and horror out of eccentricity of the body language of characters - FaFa in Kumbalangi Nights. The only horror scene in the film was a good one, and because it's the only scene in the film - it felt like they totally earned the suspension of disbelief. Although with this style of horror, the caveat is that you don't take the horror element as seriously. Having said that, horror films always excite me before I watch the film and barely impress me after I watch it. This film def impressed me on so many levels.

The Holiday (2006)

The Holiday (2006)

Written and Directed by: Nancy Meyers
Starring: Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz

Streaming on Netflix. 

It's a beautiful film! Usually films take their time to establish the world and the characters with introductory scenes - whereas this film uses the premise of the film to do that. Two women from different countries swap their homes for a holiday to get away from their relationship issues. We see two women having failed relationships and deciding to go on a holiday. BAM! We are transported right into the world of the film. And all of this is treated in a light-hearted tone, and yet the film maintains immense empathy for what the characters are going through. Above this, there is the British girl going to Amercia and vice-versa - there is a lot of comedy explored through contrast. There are quite a few characters that we are introduced to, through the lens of the two protagonists and the canvas has been laid out. The beautiful thing about the film is - throughout the film - no matter which scene, which character - it's like there is a filter of kindness, empathy, but also a certain awareness to life which brings out comedy. We could call it the Nancy Meyer filter. I'm not saying she's the only filmmaker to have captured this tone - I've observed this in Richard Curtis' films too - but I really enjoyed how this film feels different and yet familiar. 

As the canvas of the film is laid out, the screenplay has freedom to explore the lives of any character in whichever order it wants to. But the film never loses its grip. By the end of Act-2, the film goes into a territory where all the characters are being treated badly in their relationships and are unable to muster the courage to walk out. And though the arc of them finding courage didn't come through so well to me - I didn't mind it because sometimes finding courage happens with a flip in the brain and often it's not even explicable. Eventually, keeping the tone of the film - everything works out for everybody in the end and it's like a nice warm hug. I absolutely loved Kate Winslet in the film - how could a gorgeous actress and a star like her be convincing as someone who is rejected? Who is going through unrequited love? She did it. I really loved the whole world, and the characters. I watched The Intern, I will have to check out other films by Nancy Meyers.

Iratta (2023)

Iratta (2023)

Written and Directed by: Rohit M.G. Krishnan
Starring: Joju George
Streaming on Netflix.

I was really excited about the film right after watching the trailer - because the canvas of the film is such that there's a lot of scope. The film is a murder mystery and in the process of investigating suspects - we also do a character study. I like the intense backstory - it makes us wonder if people are bad by choice, or because of circumstances they've been in. Although the investigation felt like it was middling a lot. Except for the ending and a few moments - the film didn't keep me as hooked. Although one thing I liked about the film is the way drama is explored. Usually in murder mysteries - the drama is taken a bit easily, but here they show Anjali traumatized properly. I liked Joju George's performance, but to me the film could've been more engaging with the canvas it has - at least it didn't reach my expectation. 

(Spoilers alert from here) Now the film feels like it was made just for the twist in the ending. I wish they did some more setting up for the twist to have landed better. Maybe Vinod meeting Pramod's wife and him having a decent relationship with Pramod's wife and daughter (when she was a kid). One good thing though is, I was wondering - why the idea of twins? Because the whole film would've worked with them being brothers too. But with the ending twist, it hit real hard. Now, he doesn't have a shot at even meeting his daughter because she'd have been traumatized (spoiler alert ends here). It reminded me of Iraivi a little - for how women face the consequences for men's actions. Overall, the film came across as a little confused to me - it feels like a mix of a murder mystery playing with the possibility of a Rashomon effect, it feels like there's a lot of social commentary on men and their nature, it talks about trauma too (which I enjoyed), the animosity between the brothers (which is a red herring). The film still sounds interesting on paper to me, but I can't quite figure out why it didn't have the desired effect on me.

Viduthalai - Part 1 (2023)

Viduthalai - Part 1 (2023)

Directed by: Vetrimaaran
Starring: Soori, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Vijay Sethupathi
No Spoilers.

Vetrimaaran Supremacy all over. This film made me feel like I'm a fearless person who is aware of what's happening around the world - just by watching the film. This film elevates your understanding of what's right and wrong, on par with an Asghar Farhadi film. And because of all of these, I feel like I've slightly evolved as a person after watching the film. The film throws us into this world right from the opening - and it's a poverty rid world - and yet with the way Vetrimaaran presents it - by showing us their lives, the food they eat, their routines - it almost feels like a different world we're getting into altogether. So there's strong usage of setting, and then there's strong usage of character too - the protagonist is a new cop who goes into this world - so it's almost like he's taking our POV and we see how he eventually becomes courageous. I love how the film is plotted - I think this film works wonderfully at a one-line order level itself - for the amount of progression that happens with each scene. And because of this, the film is extremely engaging. By the interval, I was shocked - because it felt like time just flew.

The film is as brutal as Visaaranai, but has the tinge of a well-made gangster/crime drama film too. The tone is a mix of Visaaranai and Vada Chennai - sometimes, it feels like we're watching real footage and we see larger than life characters and events happening in the film. I love how the heroes and the villains of the story are all part of the same world, intertwined with each other. With this film, I can see how you can shift the perspective of a character through the casting. You cast a hugely admired actor like Vijay Sethupathi - the audience will have some soft corner for that part even if it's a villain. Now if you have a character who's a rapist, or a serial killer without cause - you can't cast someone like him. I love how Vetrimaaran weaves his plot - where the setting, character, plot - all affect one another and none are neglected. 

The Father (2020)

The Father (2020)

Directed by: Florian Zeller

Based on a play of the same name.

Anthony Hopkins won the Oscar for Best Actor.

It's about a man in his 80s dealing with dementia - a very empathetic, kind, possibly boring idea. But the film takes this idea and makes a mind-bending, heart-breaking film out of it. How? We as the audience feel the disorientation that the man is feeling. The scenes keep cutting back and forth in time, we go 5 years ahead, 3 years back, without even realizing. We wake up in different places, cities, countries, meet different people, have hallucinations now and then. It's a chaos. And every non-sensical question that he asks his daughter, make total sense to us now. I've met a few people who're dealing with dementia, and after having watched this film, I feel like everything that they said and felt, would've made complete sense to them. It feels non-sensical to us. But to them, it's disorienting. I feel like this film is a tight slap to anyone who'd be insensitive to someone going through dementia. This film makes you feel it yourself to know what it could possibly feel like.

Apart from the dementia angle - films like Amour - films that talk about aging are always a reality check. Life is eventually going to get there. When we see people take care of their parents, partners when they're going through a lot - it makes me ponder a lot. Because we as young people find it very easy to say things like, 'I want to spend the rest of my life with you' to someone who we're attracted to and to whose jokes we laugh at. But do we know what we're signing up for? We might have to take care of them, clean their poop, and be there for them as a parent is there for a baby. Are we ready to do all of that for this person - who seems "cute, talented and funny"? Films like these make me think a lot about life and the people we have in it. Is there a point of living in so much pain? Isn't it easier to just go when living starts being such a pain? Who would I have around me when I'm in that state? Would I be okay being a burden on someone? Whether I have answers to all these questions or not, and irrespective of what I'd do once I get there - I just want to ensure that I don't have any regrets when I get there. That's it.

Dasara (2023)

 Dasara (2023)

Directed by: Srikanth Odela
Starring: Nani, Keerthy Suresh
Spoilers Ahead.

I loved the opening 15-minutes, where they show us the world and the characters - I found it to be very interesting. Halfway into the first half, I realised that the film is opening up a few plots and running them in a parallel way and that the film could go take any direction from there. I absolutely loved the interval, but I just wish they explored Dharani & Suri's friendship in a more humane way for the interval to land better. To me, the entire 2nd half felt a little flat because I knew the story by the interval. Everything that was adding didn't change anything drastically. And if the villain kills him for the girl anyway, then what's the point of that whole elections bit? But though these questions came up in my head, my favourite scene from the entire film was Dharani going to bat after downing a lot of alcohol. It was sheer swagger.

What I loved about the film is, it has a strong sense of visuals, strong sense of character and setting - which we don't see a lot in Telugu cinema. There lies the problem with the film too, it feels slightly derivative of films we've already seen. And to me, though there were moments that were emotionally landing, there were a lot which weren't also. To me the whole climax didn't have the emotional effect I'd have liked it to. Having said all of these, apart from the few writing issues - the film has a strong directorial voice and I have mad respect for the film for exploring new avenues in terms of the tone and texture. I enjoyed the film, I guess I just expected more.

The Greatest Showman (2017)

The Greatest Showman (2017)

Directed by: Michael Gracey
Streaming on Disney+Hotstar. 

The film has a very enticing premise - the trailer talks about how there's this man who has to make a living for himself and what he decides to do is to give unusual people a voice, by making them part of a circus. There are two underdogs who are being given a shot at life here - one is the man who runs the show, two is the people who are part of it. So suddenly the film because a world full of underdogs who we are rooting for. So it's a sober cocktail of inspiration, motivation and positivity. All of this done in a musical format - I'm not a big fan of this genre but this film mesmerizes you a lot with those songs and the set pieces. There were so many moments in the film which blew my mind with how the choreography, the set pieces, the acting, the camera moves and the music - all of it came together in sync. So I was very involved in the story. The film quickly takes a weird turn, where PT Barnum starts losing himself. He gets sucked into the fame, the money and the glamour of the field. He then shuts the same people who he gave a voice to. They never believed in themselves, but one man came and changed their lives and again did the same which everyone else did to them their whole lives.To me, this was the lowest point of PT Barnum's life. 

Whereas the film has more tangible loses after this, like him losing his marriage and his theatre burning down. One thing I never quite understood was - Jenny was born out of a wedlock - she has been traumatized because of it her whole life - after this, why would she be okay with being the other woman? And also, I didn't like the troop accepting PT Barnum back after him shunning them that badly. I understand that they forgave him, but he just went back to them after he lost everything else. To me, he didn't deserve their love back again. I get it, since it's based on real life, they'd have taken some beats and wouldn't have had the space to explore every layer of these characters. Apart from these few flaws,  Zendaya's track was beautiful, I absolutely loved the songs and I couldn't believe that this is somebody's first film. The film is an amazing, wonderful source of inspiration, motivation and sheer joy.

Fatherhood (2021)

Fatherhood (2021)

Directed by: Paul Weitz
Starring: Kevin Hart, Melody Hurd

Streaming on Netflix.

It's a very simple premise - it's about the struggles of a new father who has to raise his daughter after the sudden death of his wife. It's done beautifully. Though the film doesn't diverge a lot from tropes and is even a little formulaic - the film is very emotionally potent. It's been a few weeks since I watched the film, but the film had such an effect on me that I remember that night so vividly - even the smallest of details - what I had, how I felt - everything. I think it's mostly because death is a very intoxicating thing to brood on, and the film is very hopeful set within the death of a loved one. So the tone it cracks is irresistible - you shed tears, you are inspired, you feel terribly close to your loved ones and you feel grateful to be healthy and alive. One of the good things about the film is, small differences aside, every person is kind and beautiful - they are fighting for the their own different versions of good. So even them fighting is very endearing to watch. 

Kevin Hart is so good in the film, and time and again, it's proven that all comedy actors can beautifully derive pain from within. There is a moment in the film where he has to leave his daughter with her grandparents - it hit me as much as an intense heartbreak scene for a romantic partner. The saddest thing in the film is how he has no time and space to even grieve the death of his wife. Everything seems like a chaos and he can only find moments where he can take a breather and even process what happened. Even the friction he has with his girlfriend is because he didn't grieve properly before he met her and hence anything that goes wrong, makes him feel guilty and he ends up calling it off. Since this is based on a book based on real life, you can't really think of shuffling beats a lot - and though the beats are a little predictable, the film does its job of taking us through a rollercoaster of emotions. Bonus: Listen to 'Slow Up' by Jacob Banks - it's beautifully used in the film.

The Banshees of Insherin (2022)

The Banshees of Insherin (2022)

Written and Directed by: Martin McDonagh
Nominated for 9 Academy Awards
Streaming on Disney+Hotstar.

As I saw the trailer, I was astonished by the simplicity, the absurdity of the premise. This is one premise that immediately wanted me to watch the film - not only is the premise simple, but it also carries terrific mystery. I badly wanted to know the answers. One fine day, a man living in an island, decides to stop being friends with his best friend. Not only does he want to stop being friends, but he threatens to cut every finger of his every time the friend tries to talk to him. It made me think: why, what could have possibly happened? How can you explain this? The film captures a snarky world, where lives are lonely, isolated and terribly simple. Though the film doesn't answer this mystery the way I was expecting it, I was happy with what the film gave me. On more thought, I realized that the absurdity of the premise is such that there can be no "answer" to it. The only way to explain that absurdity is to take us into their world, explain to us how their lives are and then eventually it makes sense to us, at least partially. 

To me, Padraic embodies the man who accepts his life for what it is and is happy about it. Ignorance is bliss. Acceptance is noble. Whatever it is, he's a happy man. On the other side, Colm is depressed about his own mediocrity. He wants to achieve excellence, but he knows that it's too much to expect it out of himself. So, his way of protesting against life is to blame the people around him and self-sabotage under the disguise of isolating himself. What happens to Dominic in the film broke my heart. It's interesting how the film is dark and humorous, but it never quite merges the both. It's hilarious in some portions and depressing in some portions. The beautiful setting of the film made me realize that no matter how beautiful, and how good your life is, it's no fun if you don't have people to share it with. In that way, Banshees of Insherin is a beautiful commentary on the modern-day loneliness, where everyone would love to live at a place there. But this film makes you wonder if the place matters or the people.

Farzi (2023)

Farzi (2023)

Directed and Produced by: Raj & DK

Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Vijay Sethupathi, Raashi Khanna

By now, it feels like Raj & DK have cracked the format - doesn't matter what story they're telling, what world and characters they're exploring - they figure a solid narrative structure for the long format every time. On the surface, the narrative of Farzi is in similar lines of Breaking Bad - a guy who feels like the system is a bad way to live life by, finds a way to live outside of it with an immense talent he has. But it still seems like a different story, because on the surface the reason for both the protagonists is money. But it's more than the money. It's the insults they face, the oppression, the discrimination they face, the way they're treated and looked at. It's all these things that make more of a difference. In Ep. 2 of Farzi, we see a terrific flashback of Sunny. He's abandoned by his father in a train, and he starts drawing on every platform so that his father would recognise it and find him. 

One style I've observed in Raj & DK's storytelling is - they create depth in their stories by treating moments in a slightly matter of fact way. Sunny's father abandoned him. Big deal? It happens. It's life. That's the treatment. We don't feel these emotions with Sunny, and because of that we start looking at Sunny slightly from a distance where we know that he's been through a lot in life and it makes us feel like we are not adequate to judge what's right and wrong for him. And hence, a beautiful grey character who is protected from our judgements is born. Vijay Sethupathi's character reminded me of Srikanth Tiwari - I love how Raj & DK explore middle aged relationships and marriages, within the context of family, and the real world. Again, Vijay Sethupathi loses custody of his kid. Big deal? It's life. And because of this treatment style, it feels like you're witnessing life and you surrender to them more than otherwise. 

The Whale (2022)

The Whale (2022

Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Written by: Samuel D. Hunter

Starring: Brendan Fraser

The Whale is the most potent experience I've had in a long time. It's about a depressed, morbidly obese man desperately trying to reconnect with his teenage daughter. One of the brutal things about the film is how it sustains the emotion of despair. The state where you've given up on life, but don't have the courage to kill yourself either. So you just let things be - and life and death doesn't make much difference and as much as a sparrow's chirp can change your decision. The film sustaining this emotion felt like having to make a choice to life almost every day. And despite everything he faces, what's inspiring about Charlie is his undying belief in people and their ability to care. The film also talks about honesty and hypocrisy in a rich way full of layers. 

This film shows what a good script and a director at the top of his game can do. This script is so solid, it has twists and turns, some terrific set ups and pay offs and every dialogue in the film meant something. Darren's already unflinchingly honest take to tell stories adds a lot to this story. It's brutal where it's brutal. In the scene where Charlie binge eats, it almost feels like a horror film. But the way the film leaves Charlie in a state of being out of despair, the way it eventually hits us with layer after layer in the ending - I could think of no other example but a crescendo in an orchestra. The Whale is a beautiful exploration of depression, despair, hope and humanity - and it makes you feel grateful and inspired. 

The Time It Takes (2022)

The Time It Takes (2022)

Created by and Starring: Nadia de Santiago

Streaming on Netflix.

It's a new format, with ten 11-minute episodes. And the structure of the episodes is also very interesting - whereas the first episode is 10 minutes in the past, 1 minute in the present, and the second is 9 minutes in the past, 2 minutes in the present and so on. It's a beautifully narrative structure to explore the relationship in the past and eventually lead it up to the present. The show explores one relationship, but in a way explores modern relationships in general. And it is brutally disturbing for the way it explores everything bad that can happen within the context of a relationship ranging from feeling distant, to feeling rejected to being cheated on. And my heart was heavy to see that she'd still want to make it work. The duality of modern relationships being very futile vs someone trying with their everything to make something work throws us into an inexplicable dilemma. The show kept me wondering how to feel about everything. The icing on the cake is how it goes to the space where they also explore how childhood trauma can spill over into our adult relationships.

The show is brutally honest and heartbreaking. Mostly because of the narrative structure. We know that they're apart and after that every happy moment in the past feels tragic because we know what it eventually lead to. Everything seems futile. But you also keep wondering if you could get yourself to cherish it till it lasts. The happy moments in the flashbacks are crazy romantic - there's a lot of passionate sex, there are so many cute and tender moments which we enjoy till we actually understand her plight in the present. After that cute moments aren't cute anymore. They're brutal. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Nadia De Santiago, the lead actress was also the creator of the show. She's the hero of the show, she depicted pain and heartbreak beautifully. In the present, just her blank face showed that she was in so much pain. I was just so mad about the ending. After everything... after everything... couldn't she have walked away? I was begging for her to walk away. But they end it before that. I'm still hoping that she did, but guess we'll never know.

Pathaan (2023)

Pathaan

Directed by: Siddharth Anand

Starring: SRK, Deepika Padukone

I loved the teaser of this film and had a lot of expectations, because I enjoyed almost every film in the whole Spy Universe of YRF and this film seemed like a simple, focused, stylish, action flick. But I didn't enjoy the film as much, mostly because of the writing. To me, the image of SRK was outpowering the character a bit too much, to the point where I could feel no stakes or tension, which is key for an action film. The bits that I enjoyed was the cameo crossover (loved the painkiller bit), the backstory of Pathaan and Besharam Rang. My main problem with the film was that the action episodes seemed very convenient - for example in the heist scene - Deepika honeytraps the guy and Shahrukh does the Ka.. Ka.. Karen thing, and then when they actually go and steal it - they just go, show the man some cleavage and steal it. The only obstacle they face is physical force which they easily fight. Take the heist scenes in Dhoom 2, all of them are extremely clever. You don't see them coming. In this film, no matter how bad a situation people are in, they just fight their way out of it. 

I liked the Dimple Kapadia bit, because I didn't see it coming. Usually such parts are played by men, I liked how they flip the cliche this time. And this was the only part where I felt some real conflict in the film. Although inspite of the scale of the film, when John Abraham's character says, he needs Kashmir, it didn't seem as authentic and real. Perhaps because the film doesn't explore these settings in detail as much. Also the only clever bits in the film, Deepika and SRK's track felt a little similar to Hrithik and Aishwarya's track in Dhoom 2. Apart from all this, I enjoyed seeing SRK on screen after a long long time, but I wish the writing of the film had a little more depth. It would've taken the film to another level.

Grass (2018)

Grass (2018)

Written and Directed by: Hong Sang-soo

Grass is a film set in a cafe, where a writer tries to write and is eavesdropping on conversations around for material. The film is essentially an anthology of some conversations that happen around her. It's classic Hong Sang-soo - minimalist setting, film centred around conversations, long shots and a lot of smoking. This film, or even some of other Hong Sang-soo films, operate on this level where he doesn't make you emotionally invest in the characters. It's more on an observational level. And I feel like this story is a perfect premise for his kind of storytelling, where the character is observing people around. It's almost always like this to me. This doesn't mean that his films don't hit you, some bits stay with you and make you wonder - especially if you're an artist yourself. Almost all the flaws of his characters are that those obsessed artists are easily prone to. 

This reminded me of Coffee and Cigarettes, although the conversations in this film are tonally dark - characters accuse each other of being responsible of bad things. The only breather we get is when the characters take smoke breaks. One thing that I like about this film is how honest the characters are, in conversations. It makes you want to be that honest with yourself and reflect. I love the ending where she says that she prefers eavesdropping from a distance rather than being part of the conversation - it says a lot about who she is, and how artists can be.

The Fabelmans (2022)

The Fabelmans (2022)

Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Written by: Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner

This is easily one of the best films I've seen in a long time. Till now, I've been a fan of films which had a post-modern style - non linear editing, voice overs, snappy editing. I've never been a big fan of the classic style of filmmaking, with those films it's the stories that would stay with me. But with this film, I've discovered my love for the classic style of filmmaking. The film moved me so much, and the images are stuck in my head. There are two images that are still vivid in my head - one is the eyes of the 8-year-old boy, the curiosity and the excitement with which he looks at the movies, and two is the eyes of the 16-year-old boy, the moment when he realizes that his family is going to fall apart. I don't know if it's just me, but both the young actors who played Spielberg when he was 8 and 16 respectively, resembled Spielberg - especially his eyes. Apart from his love for filmmaking, I absolutely loved the story about his parents' marriage falling apart. It made me feel uncomfortable and scared, watching this as a third person. I can't imagine what they'd have gone through. And picking up the camera, getting the job done amidst witnessing all of this, is nothing but inspiring.

The character of both the parents is such beautifully explored, with utter honesty and empathy. I can understand why Spielberg would've waited all these years to tell this story, because it's supremely brave to be able to honestly tell an extremely nuanced story like this. Spielberg said that, after this havoc unfolded in the house is when he started looking at them as people more than as parents. Apart from this, the conversations at his house when he was a kid reminded of my conversations at home. I feel like those conversations are universal for any child who wants to become an artist. Although what I really enjoyed was the uncle's character - who's a broke, lonely artist - the way he scares Sam is funny. And I absolutely loved the cameo in the ending. This film tells me that you can tell deeply personal stories with classic style of filmmaking too. Before this film, if someone asked me 'Scorsese or Spielberg' I'd have said Scorsese without a second thought. Now, I'd say that too but I'd admit that I'm yet to watch a lot of films of Spielberg.

True Grit (2010)

True Grit (2010)

Written for the Screen, Edited and Directed by: The Coen Brothers
Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, Matt Damon
Nominated for 10 Academy Awards. 

It's a Western film, with a very interesting premise - after the death of her father, a 14 year old girl sets out to find her father's killer with a sheriff. The film reminds us of the title 'True Grit' in so many instances. Just the way, the 14 year old, Mattie even negotiates deals with Cogburn - she won't budge and she will stand on her word no matter what. Negotiation can be tough to sustain after a point of exhaustion - one of the main techniques of negotiation is to just exhaust the other party - but Mattie won't get exhausted. She would want things done exactly her way. This reminds me of how Rajamouli describes characters - he says when a character stands by their word no matter what, and when we see the extent to which they'd go for what they want - that's when we know the integrity of a character and that is what is a strong character. The film takes off with this premise - it's the story of an underdog and also a coming-of-age story for the girl. All of this set in a Western, it was a delight to watch. 

The series of events that the film presents us are very interesting - at times it feels like the Cogburn and Mattie are on the same page, at the same level of expertise. Although the heart of the film is in the ending 20 minutes - from the time where Mattie sees Chaney. Everyone is at gunpoint from there, and that's where the genre kicks in with full intensity. After the whole shoot out, and after the whole thing was resolved, I loved how the film cuts to 25 years later and explores this whole event from the point of view of past, and history. What's beautiful is that Mattie is still strong on her word. She'd do what she's meant to do, or even more. Mattie is easily one of the most inspiring characters I've seen in a long time, and the film was worth just for that, if not for watching a Western made by the Coen Brothers.

Love Failure (2012)

Love Failure (2012)

Written and Directed by: Balaji Mohan
Starring: Siddharth, Amala Paul

This was such a fun watch - I absolutely enjoyed the style of storytelling in this film. The fourth wall breaks, the cutaway to gags, the commentary on relationships narrated using swish pans, fast cuts, snappy editing. This is exactly the kind of style that I aspire to achieve, where you can't even pick where a scene begins and ends. The whole film flows, and I feel like that state of flow is what's going to keep the audience hooked, with the reducing attention span. I like how it's told from the perspective of the guy, where he takes digs against women, in a light-hearted tone. It almost feels like he's representing all men who are trying to figure out the mystery of the other gender by telling us some generalized recurring behaviours. And there's not an ounce of animosity - there's just love, confusion and at times exasperation. I like how they use different subplots to also make a general commentary about how relationships are work. And I like how the whole narrative is constructed. 

Although what I thought I slightly missed in the film was how every relationship in the film was dealt on a slightly superficial level. I wish they dug a little more deeper, without even much change in the tone of the film. I felt like they never actually worked out the problems they had, all the couples just went back to each other without actually sorting their issues. I get it, at the end of the day it is acceptance and adjustment to an extent - but before that, there's a phase where they try to sort it out and I felt like I missed that phase in this film. Although, it was an absolute delight to watch Siddharth - he was so good. The reason I watched it in Telugu is because he dubbed for himself. And I liked the cameo of Balaji Mohan too.

Waltair Veerayya (2022)

Waltair Veerayya (2022)

Directed by: Bobby Kolli
Starring: Chiranjeevi, Ravi Teja, Shruti Hassan

In spite of the commercial cinema template, with cut-away dance numbers interrupting the story, I partly enjoyed the film. Mostly because it's been so long since we saw Chiru as a character who is not perfect. He's an alcoholic, loose character with vulnerabilities and the goofy scenes done in his own style were a delight to watch. I enjoyed the second half, mostly parts between Chiru and Raviteja - there was some beautiful bromance there. The film is filled with references, I enjoyed them too. And though it reminded me a little of Racegurram, the flashback was really nice which added some more depth into their relationship. There are some really heartfelt moments in the film, especially the scene where Chiru goes and rubs the mud off Ravi Teja's posters, and the scene in the car. In the ending, when the court finally gives a verdict, Chiru does a light bang on the court stand - that was brilliant.

Now what didn't work for me in the film was the entire Rajendra Prasad plot in the first half. It didn't seem enough of a conflict, where he's trying to find justice for his colleagues. If it was his family or so, it would've been more impactful. But since it's his colleagues, without having their relationship established too, it didn't land as much. Which is why, the interval scene too felt a little flat for me. Although, why Chiru is so easy going is beautifully paid off with the Ravi Teja's flashback. And I did not enjoy the placement of songs with Shruti Hassan, at all. Because there's no love story explored between them, and whenever they need a song, they place a random interaction and cut to a foreign location. But apart from these hiccups, I enjoyed the core plot of the film. If not for the commercial template, or at least if the template was a little bit of a midground, then I would've enjoyed the film a lot more than I did now.

Aftersun (2022)

Aftersun (2022)

Written and Directed by: Charlotte Wells
Streaming on MUBI India.

Just with the posters and the logline, the film struck a chord within. It chronicles the time a father and daughter spend over a vacation. It has the treatment of revisiting memories, and it's done so impactfully. Just like C'mon C'mon (2021), I found so much beauty in this relationship between a kid and an adult, where there is an unlikely friendship, an invisible mentorship, and a mutual exploration of life together. There's no arrogance within the adult of having seen enough. This is where the film takes off. It's very sweet and heartwarming. The film is from the point of view of the 11 year old girl, and it does it so beautifully that even you can't see things beyond it except for a speck of doubt in the back of your mind. Even the way the film is shot, there are a lot of static poetic shots capturing the most random things which you'd see only when you're lost in thought and mindlessly gazing (dikkulu chudatam).

Before we can notice, grief slowly creeps into the film. There's a heartbreaking scene of the father bursting out crying - it's done so honestly. Usually, crying it out all is a very personal and an embarrassing experience. Films tend to show it very beautifully, but in reality crying it all out is a tad bit ugly. That scene captured that. And even after that I just kept wondering, like the daughter. I'm not a big fan of vague, ambiguous endings and so did I feel with this film. What happened? Explain it to me. I was looking for answers just like the daughter was. And then when I got to know what happened after reading about it, I questioned my whole viewing of the film. How could I not see it? Why did I not see it coming? It was so clear. I was angry. But then, I could also see how he was trying so hard to be okay in front of her and let her have a good time. I could see that he gave it his all, out of whatever little that was left in him.

Nope (2022)

Nope (2022)

Written, Directed and Produced by: Jordan Peele
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

More than as a singular piece, Nope works better as a piece in Jordan Peele's filmography. His directorial debut, Get Out, is a contained horror with a focused social commentary. With Us, he explores a similar style of horror, but with some added flavor of surrealism. With Nope, it's barely horror. It's mostly a surrealist, science fiction film with the undercurrent of a horror. I like how Peele is smoothly taking the audience into different sub-genres within the horror genre. Usually genre films are not considered high art, I like how Jordan Peele tricks you into believing that it's a genre film and does whatever he wants to with it.

Coming to Nope, it's an absurd, weird experience because of the elements they use in the story and the style of storytelling too. I like this kind of storytelling when it's done partially. If the entire film is as absurd, even the good elements don't land as much because I'm not as emotionally invested in the story. I like any film that's not predictable, and Nope is anything but predictable. I enjoyed feeling confused, and ambiguous for a bit. That feeling added with horror would exponentially elevate the whole experience. But this film doesn't go into the horror territory as much. And I didn't get what the film was trying to say or do as well. I would've loved the film, either if it was a little more clear or if it zeroed in on the horror elements a little more. Going to read explanation articles on the film now.