You Hurt My Feelings

 You Hurt My Feelings

Written, Directed and Produced by: Nicole Holofcener
Distributed by A24.
Premiered at Sundance. 

You Hurt My Feelings, is one of the funniest films I've seen in a long time. Though slightly niche, the premise itself had me laughing. It's about a novelist's long-standing marriage that suddenly turns upside down when she overhears her husband give his honest reaction to her latest book. It’s a simple setup, almost silly—you laugh from a distance, but up close? It’s a knife, cutting into the trust we build our lives on. This film isn’t about the big lies; it’s about the small ones, the ones we tell to keep love soft. The “you’re fine just as you are” kind of honesty, not the “you’ve let yourself go” kind. It wanders between how hard it is to speak those truths and why we need them. There’s a subplot, too, where Beth tells her son he’s wonderful, that Western trick of radical acceptance. He hates it, calls it hollow, and you feel it—the way constant praise can leave you alone with your flaws. The problem with this sort of radical acceptance is that as a community we wouldn't want to even acknowledge them as flaws, leaving people to deal with it by themselves - creating a society of isolated individuals.

The best part about the film is, it comes from a place of having moved past such experiences and hence it takes a lighter note. If the director writes this from a place of deep hurt and betrayal, the film would've been entirely different and it wouldn't let the audience see what it's saying. Films like this show us how comedy can be the chocolate sauce to the broccoli which is the truth. It's a simple film, with a unique idea written and executed beautifully. I laughed out loud, more than once, and walked away hoping we all find someone brave enough to tell us the truth, even when it stings.

50 First Dates (2004)

 50 First Dates

Directed by: Peter Segal
Written by: George Wing
Starring: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore
Streaming on Netflix. 

Rom-coms with a unique hook, are always fun to watch. 50 First Dates, Love Today, About Time, etc. They're relatively easy to crack also. The premise of the film is fun, clear and to the point. This film comes from a time when comedy was relatively unfiltered and not too politically correct. Weirdly, that made me feel slightly nostalgic. I liked what the film does with the premise, but I don't think the film aged that well - especially because I don't think the film entirely explores the spectrum of relationships/humor that could've been explored with the premise. Having seen so many rom-coms by now, the beat of the girl wanting him to move on, to have a better life - though it works, and is perhaps the only right beat at that point - it didn't blow my mind or move me so much. Adding to this, although the cinematography of the film is not warm, it entirely doesn't have "feel good" vibes, but the setting of the film makes it a very cool, summer film. The beach, the shack, their professions - that made me feel like I was watching something different. This film re-iterated the importance of setting for a story, a scene and a beat. 

It's Complicated

 It's Complicated

Written and Dirceted by: Nancy Meyers
Starring: Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alex Baldwin
Streaming on: JioHotstar.

Watching Nancy Meyers’ films feel like cozying up into a warm blanket on a rainy day, with a cup of hot chocolate in your hand. The Holiday, The Intern—they’re warm, cozy and heartwarming. It’s Complicated, with its tangle of messy relationships, should’ve made me squirm. Infidelity, exes, all that chaos usually puts me on the edge. But Nancy Meyers? She’s got this way of telling stories that makes all the chaos and mess feel human. After wondering what was actually the difference could be, the realization finally hit. It's about the gaze. Nancy Meyers avoids the male gaze of messy relationships in this film. She's not interested in a man's sexual jealousy about his partner being with someone else. She's interested in a woman's grief when she sees her ex-husband build a life with someone else and worse, laugh with someone else and be happy with the ache of time passing by without her. 

Having known that this film is loosely inspired from Nancy's own experiences of divorce, I could tell that this is a very honest film. Not just that, the writing is so good that I could follow every chain of thought in Jane's head and get why she's doing what she's doing. Steve Martin as Adam, had my heart throughout the whole film - the sheer simplicity and how much of a gentleman he is, was so endearing to see. Since this film explores the complexities of a divorce after kids, perhaps I missed how much that guilt weighs on you, but even without fully feeling that layer, there was so much complexity and layers to the relationships - and never making things actually feel too messy/uncomfortable (like a Match Point/Gehraayian). I loved the experience of watching this film, and I hope and pray Nancy Meyers directs more - because even the most messiest of lives turn out just okay if those stories are being told by her.

Anora

Anora

Written and Directed by: Sean Baker
Starring: Mikey Madison
Won the Oscar for Best Picture, Director, Actress, Original Screenplay & Editing.
Spoilers Ahead. 

When you Google the film, it says it's a Romance/Comedy. While as I watched the film, it felt more like a Crime Comedy. Nevertheless, I found the film to be very original and engaging. The best part about the film is how the plot unfolds, layer by layer. You can sort of see how things could go really wrong for Anora, and you can also see how she is probably deep down aware of it and is yet signing up for things, perhaps because she wants to take her shot. Even how the film is edited, shows how there's zero chemistry between Ivan and Ani. Ivan doesn't care. It's very obvious, almost to a cartoonish point. As the family finds out and Toros comes home, there's an extended sequence at home where they tie up Ani - which even though was funny, felt a bit stretched. After that, the whole search was very funny and engaging. Even when they finally find Ivan. The film really uses the extreme differences between all the characters to create humor, tension and drama. Ani, even though probably deep down knows that Ivan doesn't love her, wants to stand up for herself. Toros and Igor are loyal, dutiful men. Ivan is out of his fucking mind. Putting all these characters together, with different motives is a brilliant way of creating chaos and comedy.

I like how the film is a brutal depiction of the divide between the haves and have-nots. Ivan is on a bender, blind to Ani's heart, while she fights for her place even though she deep down might know it's a lost cause. Ivan, he wants what he wants. Once the family comes into the picture, this is even more clear. Even though Anora doesn't get what she wants, seeing her stand up for herself in front of Ivan's family was very satisfying. The conversation between Ivan and his family was hilarious! I didn't see the Igor track coming. Though the ending was beautiful and heartbreaking, I wonder if this thematic ending suddenly came into the picture out of nowhere. Of course, the film is about a sex worker and it'd explore the repressed/masked feelings, but for the tone the film takes throughout the film, I did not see the ending coming. So I have mixed feelings about the ending. Overall, I really enjoyed watching the film and absolutely loved how original the film is!

Why blog when you have a screenplay to finish?

Why blog when you have a screenplay to finish? An average screenplay takes anywhere between a few months to a year or more to write. Unlike literature, with the challenge of the economy of words, a screenwriter has to end up spending a lot of time deciding what to remove. When you're writing a feature film for the theatres, the screenplay can't be rambling about a hundred things. It has to be, at least to an extent, focused around a central thematic idea or stick to a genre. By nature, my screenplays come from a very personal space. To redirect material which come from a personal space, into a particular genre and a theme is the fun and challenge of writing screenplays. I love doing it, because it makes me rethink and reimagine a lot of things from my life. Although, the con to writing a focused screenplay is that a lot of 'you' gets edited out. Hence, a screenplay could express a part of you in a hyper-focused way. A part of you that can be imagined visually, that could fit into a certain genre and tone. The other ultra-nuanced, inner monologues and battles mostly get edited out. When you end up spending a year or more trying to express a part of you, the other part of you goes unheard and unseen and feels like you're being a partial parent. This blog is to try addressing some of the other parts.

Ah, romantic relationships - I see them as a way of experiencing the rollercoaster of highs and lows of life in a very short time. If one of the joys of relationships is to feel loved by the person who you love the most, one of the challenges is to occasionally feel hated by that one person who you'd kill for and die for. Romantic relationships are more complex and nuanced than parent-child relationships, which are straightforward and simple. Not that parenting is easier, but it's more straightforward with one person mostly giving care and the other receiving. An adult romantic relationship is a balance of giving and receiving care. Most relationships get ruined where both partners get lost in trying to figure out who's giving more and who's receiving more. To make things worse, in times where conflicts go unresolved for long, the truth is that both partners are giving more than what they're receiving. A lot of therapy pages and forums say that communication is key. Proper communication is probably the best solution for any conflict and yet it's the most hardest thing to do. Words, tone, pauses, innuendo, subtext, your mind has to process all of these and make a choice, even when you're triggered. 

Being good with words is indeed a privilege, one that I'll always keep striving for. When you can express well with words, your feelings and your pain is seen. Your nuanced, metaphorical exploration of your troubled childhood is not an exercise of wallowing in self-pity. However, what about all the other people who can't express that well? All we can do is to try and express or perhaps find an artist whose pain resonates with ours and find some sense of belonging in that artist. A close friend asked me to promise that I'd always try to spread love and happiness in the world. Yet, the visible stories of pain belong to those with a voice. What about the voiceless? To fulfil that promise, I think more than my skill to write what would matter more, is my skill to read. Reading a person, even when they can't articulate much. Reading a person without jumping to judgements or attaching labels to every single trait of theirs. Reading them and just letting them be. Now, whenever I watch a film with a tragic story - I obviously feel for the characters and then I feel for how things are far worse for the voiceless and I seek solace in the fact that my life is perhaps not the hardest.

Broke, lonely, depressed - this is the universal crossroads where most of us find ourselves at, at one point or the other. It could not even be true, but that's how everything around us is wired to make us feel. Now, how we rebuild ourselves from there is the battle of modern life. It's very interesting how after generations of technological development, we are working more hours than our earlier generations and living more stressful lives. People say, it's for survival. Although I think 'survival' is the most loosely used term in modern day. Survival is being safe, sound and having a meal or two everyday. Survival is not being on the top of the social ladder. Survival is not 'being able to afford international trips'. Well, there's nothing wrong about being driven and ambitious, and I respect anyone who is. But living like you don't matter or exist till you reach a certain milestone is terribly sad. You matter. I matter. We all matter. And if there's one sentence where both the statement and the opposites are true - it's that all of us matter and that nobody matters.

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.