Geeli Pucchi Analysis

Geeli Pucchi from Ajeeb Daastaans 

Written and Directed by: Neeraj Ghaywan
Starring: Konkana Sen Sharma, Aditi Rao Hydari
Streaming on Netflix. 

Every minute of Geeli Pucchi is heartbreaking. It keeps on adding up as the story keeps progressing. It starts with the plight of Bharti, about her not getting a job she deserves because of discrimination, and her falling in love with the exact person who has taken her place. Can it get worse? Yes, it can. People treat Bharti like shit, and Priya lets it happen. She is a bit naive because she doesn't face it, and perhaps also because she too can't do much about it. The scene where Bharti is standing outside as they cut cake for Priya's birthday, is a heartbreaking visual. When you think it can't get worse, it does. They call her inside and ask her cut it into pieces and distribute it to everyone. 

Bharti and Priya fall in love. Priya can't love her husband no matter how hard she tries, there is no chemistry between them. They live at a place where they don't even have privacy. Bharti tells her to go have a baby because then when people will respect you, and because she knows how it feels to be treated like shit. Priya moves on from Bharti. Can it get worse? Yes, it does. Bharti helps Priya throughout her pregnancy for her to have a baby. Being there for someone while going through a heartbreak is not easy. And it feels like for the kind of pain Bharti has been going through all her life, she is probably used to being in this place. It's almost like the knife gets in deeper and deeper in us as the film keeps progressing. 

Guitar Kambi Mele Nindru Analysis

Guitar Kambi Mele Nindru

Written and Directed by: Gautham Vasudev Menon
Starring: Suriya, Prayaga Martin
Cinematography: PC Sreeram
Streaming on Netflix - S1:E9 of Navarasa.

Gautham Menon is back at his element. Romance. Music. Love at first sight. Doing insane things for someone, he flies to another country in Vaaranam Aayiram, and here he stays back. The film has a beautiful sense of rush. It is extremely stylish and dynamic, because of Suriya's energy and especially because of the way it's shot. The camera movements, the lighting, the usage of background score - the way music kicks in between scenes - all of it makes us feel the rush and the adrenaline. It's a beautiful feeling because this adrenaline is created out of a sense of calm and order - the music isn't chest thumping EDM, the scene aren't high drama, it is about love - and it's just the way he presents that creates the rush.

Chennai is beautifully captured, I haven't seen such good use of extras in films before. It felt like they actually shot it amidst traffic in the main roads. Chennai as a setting isn't very romantic, it's noisy and chaotic and yet the feeling stays, it is mostly retained through the characters, and their passion. I think a lot of acting in Gautham Menon's films happens through voice, because the way the characters talk brings a lot to the table. He captures that passion and intimacy through the voice.

Certified Copy Analysis

Certified Copy (2010)

Written and Directed by: Abbas Kiarostami
Starring: Juliette Binoche, William Shimell
Premiered at Cannes Film Festival 2010
Best Actress at Cannes for Juliette Binoche.

A British writer, and a French antiques dealer walk and talk over Tuscany for a day. The film by the idea and the setting, seems like a Richard Linklater film, a Woody Allen film, or a Hong Sang-soo film. Artist protagonists. Conversations over a walk. Conversations about art. Using a city as a setting. Barely any conflicts. But the film also gets into the Charlie Kaufman territory. It becomes confusing and complex in parts, especially how they switch roles from a certain point in the film. The film also talks about originality in art, which is already such a nuanced topic. They talk about 'Mona Lisa' being a copy of a woman, which reminded me of the Art Curious Podcast, and the conspiracy theories they had saying that the actual Mona Lisa in the Louvre Museum is actually a fake one, and the real one is actually lost or in a safe vault. So the question is, does it even matter? 

It's interesting how the film is shot. It mostly uses one shots of characters as they talk to each other, until they start talking like they are a couple, from then I recall that it's most two shots, where both of them are in the frame. The film, for sure, intrigued me because of the abstract narrative but there's no emotional gratification. The viewing experience of the film is quite absurd, and it almost feels semi conscious. The film grabs you, and engages you for a bit, and leaves you hanging there for a bit. 

Rick and Morty S1 Analysis

Rick and Morty S1

Created by: Justin Roiland and Dan Horman

Streaming on Netflix.

Rick is a crazy cynical scientist. He is Morty's grandpa, he takes Morty along for his science adventures. Morty is a fretful kid, who is always anxious and nervous even about the slightest of things. The fun is generated through our awareness of these characters, and after that whenever Morty is anxious, or whenever he says 'aww... Man', it's low key funny. And when the situation is too big, even before we see Monty react, we'd start laughing. And of course, Rick is the one saying the most absurd, unpredictable, dark things. It's seems like such a simple premise, but the level of complexity they explore in some episodes just expands the scope of the show. 

The premise caters to our inner child and rightfully so, because it justifies the form of animation. It caters to the inner child because as you're a kid or a grumpy old man, you don't crave for dopamine hits as much, and you aren't on the pursuit behind anything. You mostly get happy through the simplicities of life. We are more in the state of zen in these times, which is represented through Rick. Morty's fretful nature comes out from a sense of naivety, so it's not anxiety inducing as we watch. I enjoyed the first few episodes the most, the later episodes started becoming in the same territory one after the other - which probably explains why I'm more into movies than shows. I get bored pretty fast. But, I loved getting introducing to the world of this show.

Heat Analysis

Heat (1995)

Written and Directed by: Michael Mann
Starring: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

It is a simple hero versus villain film, a cop versus a thief, good versus evil and it is done so well. Both the characters are fleshed out and performed very well. Robert De Niro is so different in this film, he is much more sophisticated and subdued. He doesn't stutter, or mumble and it's interesting to see him this way. Much different from how he was in Goodfellas which came the same year. Al Pacino is terrific too. The setting of the film is the nightscape of the city - the bokeh effect of the traffic lights is such well used in the film as a visual element. And both the men meet at the midpoint, both the stars, it's such a cinematic high, and after the build up, they don't fight or even yell at each other, they just sit and talk about how they feel about things. That scene gives the audience a cinematic high, and it also explores character in an engaging way. I like how the film had people wearing black suits most of the times. I remember a lot of scenes where both characters were wearing black. It adds to the texture of the film. 

The action is so good. It feels like a blast, and yet it doesn't feel too over the top. Despite of all the action, the film is about these two people as well. We see Al Pacino struggling in his marriage, his daughter attempting suicide, and we see how Robert De Niro's partner takes a chance with him and leaves everything, and goes to him - but because of his nature and the kind of job he does, she has to go through a heartbreak. Although we don't know if she ever fell in love, or if she was just swooned by his charm. Well, it's tough not to fall for something like that but she'd perhaps learn a lesson. 

Cold Case Analysis

Cold Case (2021)

Directed by: Tanu Balak
Written by: Sreenath V. Nath
Starring: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Aditi Balan
Streaming on Amazon Prime.

The logline of the film read something like a mix of an investigative thriller, and a supernatural element and suddenly the film that ringed in me was 'The Wailing'. Though the ending of that film didn't work as much for me, it had a terrific tonality throughout. The reason this film disappointed me is because even the tone of the film didn't work for me. It uses the same old tropes of showing horror. Someone moving in the back. Someone making sounds. Some random magic tricks. I hate them even if they're done well. I, in fact, don't enjoy watching supernatural horror unless if the film works even without the horror element of it. Here, there are bits and pieces of the thriller piece working. Some interesting portions of investigation. But the core idea of the movie fell apart for me. I think a dead person seeking for revenge by becoming a ghost, as a story is done to death and we've to find different ways of exploring horror. A flashback in the ending which explains the mystery, the character who is a spirit master, lights turning off, dramatic music - all such elements. 

What worked for me in the film is that, in spite the film had all these cliches, I didn't feel like I should stop watching it. It had the expectations stay. Simply because the film is grounded well, and is shot decently. Like the scene where she sees a starfish in the icebox, the scene where the girl is stuck in the fridge - these are interesting scenes. I think if we maintain this standard of filmmaking, and if the story works, then it'll be a wonderful movie.

Luca Analysis

Luca (2021)

Directed by: Enrico Casarosa
A PIXAR film. 
Streaming on Disney+Hotstar.

It's a sweet film about friendship, and acceptance. Even though the film is about these things, it's amazing how PIXAR manages to create a world which is always rich of love from the family and that's what makes it endearing. The premise in itself carries the theme of the film in a subtle way, discrimination, the feeling of being different from others because of something you can't control. A few sea monsters, assume human form as they come out of water, for us to empathize with them. It's also meta in a way because even for us to understand them, they have to become something that we can see and relate to, or else we'd not empathize with them, just like the people in the film.

The plans Luca and Alberto make, to buy a Vespa - I think that's the core of a friendship. To make plans for something you look forward to in life, and being on the pursuit of it. The pursuit for something is always more beautiful than what it actually is. The conversations they have about what they'd do after buying a Vespa. Luca wanting to go to school with the girl he meets, works in both ways, it works for what it is, and it also works for a guy falling in love with a girl and the conflict it would create between two close friends. Luca letting go of Alberto as a sea monster, is such a heartbreaking scene, and the final scene when Luca redeems himself is such a Rajamouli-esque scene. I had goosebumps while watching something after quite a while.

Rosemary's Baby Analysis

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

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

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

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

Sherni Analysis

Sherni (2021)

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

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

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

Sarpatta Parambarai Analysis

Sarpatta Parambarai (2021)

Co-written and Directed by: Pa. Ranjith

Starring: Arya, Cinematography: Murali G. 

Music: Santhosh Narayanan

Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video.

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

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

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

Kudi Yedamaithe Analysis

Kudi Yedamaithe (2021)

Adapted and Directed by: Pawan Kumar

Created and Written by: Ram Vignesh

Streaming on Aha.

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

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