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!

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.