Category Archives: Film Reviews

I, myself, am a movie critic and this is about my old and newest movie reviews of different movie industries. It is all about my judgment towards the movies I watch. The period of movie include all ages either extreme or near past.

Film Reviews

Film Review: Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

STORY

Set in the 1920s Oklahoma, Mollie Kyle, a member of the Osage Nation, marries in the White Catholic family of William Hale to his nephew Ernest Burkhart, a WWI veteran who recently moved back to the state. William Hale is a reserve deputy sheriff for Fairfax who built a fortune by stealing the Osage people’s wealth through insurance fraud. With the marriage follows a series of murders of her family and the members of the Osage Nation. Mollie faces a difficult time in seeking justice as she raises her doubts about William Hale.

INTRODUCTION

‘Killers of the Flower Moon‘ is based on David Gran‘s non-fiction novel by the same title. Osage Nation is one of the old American tribes of the Great Plains. In the 19th century, these people were forced to relinquish most of their remaining ancestral homelands and were relocated to Pawhuska, Oklahoma. In the early 20th century, the oil was discovered on their land and they had retained mineral rights on their reservation. So that made them rich. Now what kind of Americans will not like these Native Americans becoming rich? Of course, White Americans. I am not offending at all, this is one of the tragic chapters of the American history.

So what William Hale does with them is mastermind a heinous spate of killings with the help of his nephews Ernest and Byron by targeting wealthy Osage people including Mollie’s family. This film indicates that the American men were marrying wealthy Osage women for money.

A DIRECTOR EFFORT

It is a 3 hours and 28 minutes film (206 minutes) making it one of the longest films ever made in the modern age of the American film industry. Plus, the film is deep slow so it is painfully a killer. But if you go with the flow and understand the artistic image of the film, it will not trouble you.

Martin Scorsese returns on the director chair. So there is no question about the craft and the visual artistry that still holds the distinction about shooting the best out of the story.

Take a look at the raw attraction of a busy Oklahoma street where Ernest meets Mollie the first time. Scorsese glimpses many kinds of business runs and hence shooting it so meticulous. Was there a need? After all, the whole shot was about Ernest meeting Molly, that is it. But if you understand the heart of the drama, all these forces attracts and gives you a wonderful image of one cinematic catch rolling in the camera.

Scorsese film-making philosophy always gives value to classic zooming shots on the characters. It is the artistic way of engaging the audience into a visual attraction like Ernest coming out of train. A one-shot of Hale’s household before Lizzie sees an owl. Or Ernest and Mollie setting up to bed only to be disturbed by a shocking bomb blast nearby. A sudden outburst in the court hall when Hale’s attorney demands to confer privately with Ernest. These are a few examples in the film that set the precise tone for dramatizing a shot.

Even after 50 years, Scorsese and Spielberg are the only two directors whose old-school film-making still maintains that directional substance and the finest craft work.

RADIO DRAMA SCENE

The story was concluding at much anticipation until some radio drama at a theater chose to reveal the aftermath. There can be several theories and opinions about the film concluding with this scene instead of those characters. The first thing is, the story would have never ended with whatever fate Ernest, Hale, and Mollie met. Secondly, if the fate of the three was assumed to depict in the film, would have taken an extra hour for sure. And the film had already passed three and a half hours. So did the film stretch way too long to not give a better conclusion?

ROTH, ROBBIE & SCHOONMAKER

To add the value of complimenting this film, I feel it is important to mention a few names whose contribution excelled the film. If Eric Roth is screenwriting a film, you must know that he has done a huge favor on those who are expecting to watch a quality film. You can observe a tremendous balance in the writing of three parts of the story.

One of the aspects of Scorsese films that augments the continuity of the story is the background score. And Robbie Robertson once again has been a pillar to a Scorsese film but he did this favor for Scorsese the last time because before the release of the film, Robbie Robertson passed away. There are pieces in the film that will tune your eardrums. I liked Robbie’s music when the Osage people discover oil and also when Hale burns down his own ranch.

But the one technical quality that always impresses me about a Scorsese film including this, is the editing job. Thelma Schoonmaker is one of the major reasons of Scorsese legacy whose almost entire editing career is built on Scorsese films and also most of Scorsese’s films are edited by her.

I don’t know how big was ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ if the final cut was 3 hours and 28 minutes. So it is more difficult to edit the lengthy films because all those scenes must be meaningful for the audience before it bores them and ignite criticism. Hardly do I believe the film wasted any resource. Like I wrote before, the film to me was slow but it didn’t trouble because I went with the flow of the film.

To mention a few, observe the court scene, or when Anna fights Byron, or when Ernest goes out to check which house was bombed.

DE NIRO/DICAPRIO

Easily the most anticipated factor about the film is the first collaboration of Martin Scorsese’s two favorite lead actors in 30 years, Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio. This was DiCaprio’s sixth film with Scorsese and De Niro’s tenth. But both actors never worked together in a feature film directed by Scorsese.

It was worth a wait as both were terrific in their roles. Their togetherness was not exaggerated but respectfully stuck to the narrative and leveled their roles. DiCaprio was Hale’s nephew Ernest who was stuck in the line of fire melting in the flames of injustice between Hale’s fraudulent cruelty and Mollie’s slavery to time. Almost every of their conversations were interesting and the shots were well written be it their argument after Roan’s killing, or Hale asking Ernest to sign, or when Ernest informs Hale that he will testify, or Hale beating Ernest at the lodge, and many more.

LILY GLADSTONE

This is my first experience of watching Lily Gladstone and I don’t believe she has worked that often. She is still new to the industry. As far as her performance is concerned, she did her role pretty well without a doubt but it wasn’t an award-winning presser at all. She was in intense race for Best Actress with Emma Stone for ‘Poor Things‘ in almost all award functions. I am yet to watch Poor Things but I didn’t find Lily’s performance as a winner.

Perhaps, the media companies, critics, and journalists have been very sympathetic towards her performance due to what the character suffered and went through extremely difficult times. Plus, people love interesting life and career stories from a non-White background. So that made a strong case and made her the first Native American to be nominated for the Best Actress at the Oscar.

CLOSING REMARKS

I don’t think if Scorsese can make a bad film but for a director like him, if I opine that ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ cannot be considered one of his finest works or say not his top 10 film at all, I assume I am not insulting him at all. That is the magnitude of a bar he has set for himself from the others. A strong casting and excellent technical work.

With a story involving or about Native Americans, it truly is the best drama film in years or perhaps this decade. A tragic drama and a sorry-tale about a sickening greed and killing. A brave subject to raise, the Native American injustice, a dark chapter of the old America.

RATING 8.6/10

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Film Reviews

Film Review: Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai (2023)

STORY

‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hay‘ is a courtroom drama about Advocate Solanki who fights a case of a minor girl who was raped by a very popular spiritual leader, Baba. This film is based on a true story. In 2013, the spiritual leader Asaram was accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl. Almost five years later, Asaram was found guilty and was sentenced to life. During this time, Asaram was denied bail 12 times.

REVIEW

I think the aesthetics of the film-making didn’t do justice. The film’s opening phase ran too quickly. The main characters were not settled in the script. The writers must have prioritized to carefully introduce the victim and his family on one side, and Baba and his ashram on the other. And give a dedicated shot at running those moments thoroughly for around 15 minutes.

I do not suggest dramatizing a sexual assault of a minor girl at all. But I do not believe that the director Apoorv Singh Karki was bold to give us a haunting vibe. If the content is so sensitive, the director needs to take risks of making the audience feel discomfort. Moreover, the pressure on Solanki was immense but the dramatization about his life in danger looked more dramatic than real. Knowing the fact that Asaram’s arrest was met with violent demonstrations across the country by his supporters, the film didn’t meet that tone.

Like several films, the background score disturbed the momentum. The courtroom drama had the promises but at some moment, Advocate Solanki teasing a few people around the court was distracting a very serious tone. I do not understand how come Baba was not brought in front for testing and interrogating.

PERFORMANCES

The actress Adrija Sinha who played the victim executed such a sensitive role very well and confidently. Observe, when her statement to Advocate Solanki closes at her hopelessly crying. Manoj Bajpayee played Advocate Solanki but what is special about such an excellent performance is that he act it differently. The body language and the accent was different. And the reason for Manoj being so different in the film is that Manoj adopted mannerism and personality of the real-life Advocate Solanki.

CLOSING REMARKS

I have no clue how did this film win 5 Filmfare OTT awards. Only Manoj deserved to win but this is not one of his best performances despite being so different. ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hay’ deserved a Hansal Mehta or Anubhav Sinha treatment for such a story.

RATING 5/10

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Film Reviews

Film Review: Dhak Dhak (2023)

STORY

Four women from different backgrounds and generations are destined to bike-ride Khardung La. Lali, the youngest, played by Sanjana Sanghi, has low self-esteem and is recently engaged. Uzma, played by Dia Mirza, helps her husband run home by secretly working as a mechanic. Mahi, the oldest, played by Ratna Pathak Shah, has recently learned to ride the bike after winning it as a prize. And Sky, played by Fatima Sana Shaikh, the leader of the gang is a videographer. Sky was newly a victim of internet crime when her private pictures were leaked by her ex-boyfriend. And she had not informed them.

TRUE STORY?

Dhak Dhak had an interesting plot but in my observation suffered from a lot of issues. Without a doubt, all four stories were well connected but here is the penny to entwine. The film presses that this is based on a true story. What true story? I did not find the true story on the internet. If this was based on true story then why the real-life footage or pictures were not shown in the end? Was this a lie to sell popcorn? Let me know if any of you has any idea about the true story.

MISINFORMATION

Secondly, Dhak Dhak’s plot-line pressed that Khardung La is the highest motorable road in the world which is around 17,500 ft. If I am not mistaken, this is a wrong information. Forget the world, Khardung La was never the highest in India in the past. It was Dungri La that stands at 18,400 ft. And in recent years, Umling La has become the highest not in India but in the world, that stands at around 19,000 ft.

POOR WRITING

Dhak Dhak’s screenplay was disappointing because after highlighting their origins, the direction could not grow the four characters together. The film didn’t spend or was unable to invest time in developing their unusual friendship. I didn’t get the feel when the continuity pretended that they had already climbed the first ladder of knowing each other. I was surprised and found it bizarre that the bikers were punished on the street with the ear-holding sit-ups, especially Mahi.

There was a very important scene in the film that got terribly wasted due to weak direction. A video about their private conversation while being drunk went viral on social media and was blamed on Sky. Later, it was discovered that a foreigner recorded them. Next scene? They move ahead to their next destination. Did the ladies take no action against the foreigner and ride off to the next destination? Just like that? Knowing the fact that this is a female-centered film, I think the director Tarun Dudeja missed the chance to address. The story could have concluded that character by calling the police and making him record a live confession.

CHARACTERS & PERFORMANCES

I think Uzma got to join the gang very comfortably. Despite the fact that she lied to her husband, I really thought that her husband will raise questions and inquire from the contacts she was lying about meeting them. After all, she was planning to leave alone, not even her daughter was accompanying her. But he let her go. It was strange due to the fact that Uzma was living in a semi-conservative Muslim household. I was expecting a ‘Secret Superstar‘ kind of tension here.

It is not like if the writing of the film did nothing exceptional. Lali’s character had a strong individual portrayal. She represents many millions of girls who are afraid of taking a step on their own. Lali cannot even open a packet of chips. Not that if this problem is threatening but can be. You have the right and must be bold to make your own life decisions. It was a thoughtful scene when her guru asks what the soon-to-be-husband does and she is blank.

And Sanjana Sanghi played her part very well, so did Dia Mirza. In fact, Dia is unsung for her performances in recent years. Her acting has improved if anyone notices. I don’t think I need to invest my time explaining Ratna’s performance. She has been in splendid form for some time now. But Fatima Sana Shaikh has indicated that the audience needs to take her seriously. Watch her when she drops her frustration after a heavy stream destroys her work. All the hearts break when she laments over how people respond her posts and communicate when they see her. I think this was one of the best scenes of the year.

By the way, Taapsee Pannu was one of the producers of the film. She was perfect for the role of Sky. Unsure why she didn’t appear but she was missed.

CLOSING REMARKS

In overall a poor writing, Dhak Dhak was also annoying me with over-usage of songs that were highly unnecessary. The background score was a huge distraction and sometimes the music was louder than dialogues. The final 15 minutes were average and predictable.

Dhak Dhak, despite an interesting plot and good performances, is a chance missed and deserved a better writing and direction.

RATING 4/10

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Film Reviews

Film Review: American Fiction (2023)

STORY

After feeling immensely annoyed with the majority of book readers showing more fondness towards literary stereotypes from the Black writers, a highly intelligent Black author Monk chooses to stain his writing craft by writing a satirical novel from a different name, so he can indirectly drop his anger towards the authors and publishers. After submitting the book, the agent breaks the news to Monk that the book shockingly received strong praise from the publishers.

REVIEW

Now this is some story that grabs my undivided attention. Because ‘American Fiction‘ is funny, emotional, thought-provoking as well as a commercial satire. The film is adapted from Percival Everett’s novel ‘Erasure’.

What impresses me the most is in the times when the Black voice in America is listened by the highest number of listeners in 405 years, there is this Black upper-class author who prefers to write outstanding novels with fully developed characters and rich language over gang war, police brutality, mistreatment and injustice filled with profane language.

No I am not denying the Black injustice. I just wrote 405 years above, not 248. During the course of bringing the Black revolution, if anyone notices about Black entertainment and literature, almost every plot or context has similar elements and narrative. If you are watching a Black sitcom, film, or a documentary, you have already predicted what the story will offer you. Monk is one of us, who wants to initiate or innovate a new Black idea to be remembered for. Monk is like us, sick of repeated content and willing to offer something new, something fresh.

But the colossal hammering in the reading culture of the new age is that your choices and judgement have gone political. The Black person is predicted and assumed to be following the same footsteps and you have a weird interest for reading or listening to the same Black story again and again.

Think from Monk’s perspective, it is okay if you are the reader but chooses not to read any of Monk’s books but someone else. But if you are Monk, and publishing your own novels is your bread and butter as well as your legacy, what will you do if no one is willing to buy your book despite being brilliant and being million times better than those soulless books.

So what amused me in the Oscar-winning screenplay of this film is that Monk’s irritation grew very well. Monk wanted to pull the nerves of the publishers by writing and mocking a stereotypical literature but on the contrary, they loved the book. Offered a kind of money he never earned. He got a film to adapt that book. If that wasn’t enough, the book was nominated for the best-seller. People like Monk either try to fit the bill or somehow distinguish their own identity while existing amongst the stereotypes.

But being different and changing the era is not for everyone. Monk comes from a dysfunctional family. His old woman has Alzheimer’s and his sister Lisa was taking care of her until she passed away. Their estranged brother Cliff is divorced and is interested in men. The emotional relation of the household is complex and tries to move on from the tragedy. So Monk’s shoulders are suddenly burdened as well as rusted with the shocking progress of the book.

DIRECTION

Not only the screenplay and the dialogues are rich, the direction equally serves the purpose without exaggerating the social mockery. And thanks to Jeffrey Wright for understanding the brain behind Monk’s character and adopting it like fashion. When Monk is advised by his agent to adopt a persona of a convict to sell his fiction, you will observe Jeffrey not giving in too much of a convict while walking inside the restaurant meeting the film producer. Naturally, no serious person can go 360 and behave completely opposite in the first go as many films dramatize the character in a situational comedy. You can observe how Monk is so much done playing a double.

I absolutely liked that dialogue, “The Dumber I Behave, The Richer I Get”. No offense, isn’t that one of the ugliest and the harshest truths in many cases.

This is my first experience with Cord Jefferson as a director. He is basically a writer and my only experience about his writing before was Watchmen. So watching American Fiction was a must. And I like the directors being sincere with their art. Monk meeting his sister and spending minutes about their sibling-hood had a purpose. Cord wanted the audience to go through the process about how losing someone in the family feels like. After spending two minutes of their conversation at the beach, she suddenly suffers the heart attack and passes away.

Talk about the rise of broken language that people now find it more poetic and compelling. Jeffrey was so good in translating shock and disappointment on his face when he listens to fan-favorite author Sintara Golden reading an excerpt of her new release. This is followed by a standing ovation and Monk is frozen with the reception. Yes I understand that this language is common amongst the Black American middle and lower class communities but the point is that Monk wanted the Black literature inform the world that Black people are more than this.

SCENES

Without a doubt, the best scene of the film was Monk writing that book and its characters acting on his lines in the same room. Assumed to be a serious scene, what follows is the exaggeration of slang dialogues pressing the exact objection Monk use to make. I have no knowledge if the author writing the book and the story itself were shot in the same frame in any film or a TV show before but I found this very creative.

Another thoughtful scene was Monk discovering that Sintara, about whom he opined to have similar traits of other Black writers writing literary stereotypes, shared his literary views. While they argue on the table, Sintara and Monk brings the best out of the conflict of interests and we the audience view their perspective in a different dimension. And guess what, both are right in their argument.

CLOSING REMARKS

F_03320_R
Erika Alexander stars as Coraline and Jeffrey Wright as Thelonious “Monk” Ellison
in writer/director Cord Jefferson’s
AMERICAN FICTION
An Orion Pictures Release
Photo credit: Claire Folger
© 2023 Orion Releasing LLC. All Rights Reserved.

I think it is unjust to compete ‘American Fiction’ with other magnificent films of 2023. In fact, ‘American Fiction’ and ‘The Holdovers‘ have neither competition nor comparison. Until now, I sense these are the best films with a genuine drama produced with the finest quality of art.

American Fiction make me walk through a pensive mood where opinions are mustard, anger is silent, sincerity is ravaged, and books are colored. Bibliophiles and those who love watching a quality dramedy must consider watching American Fiction.

RATING 8.7/10

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Film Reviews

Film Review: Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video (2023)

STORY

Sajini Shinde belongs to a traditional and conservative Marathi family from Ahmednagar. By profession, she is a Physics teacher at a reputed school in Pune. She has found a man, Siddhant, for an arranged marriage through a dating app. With her priorities in life placed in order, one big mistake ruins her forever when her colleagues insist to get drunk and enjoy her birthday party wild. All the mobiles come out to capture her moment and the video goes viral all over the social media. Her video reaches the school administration, young students, the society, and her family. She is shamed and expelled from the school. The family as well as her soon-to-be husband Siddhant are furious. Besides a couple of feminists, she has no support. And one day, she disappears.

REVIEW

“Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video” is really the title of the film. Reminds me of Saeed Akhtar Mirza‘s films that used to have long titles. Coming back to my assessment, this is a mystery film where two inspectors Bela and Ram investigate the disappearance and get stuck in the complexity of the case. The film grows so intense into the second half, that most of the characters begin to look like involved in kidnapping or killing her. Every arc gives a different and genuine understanding.

I was absolutely sold to the core of the story followed by a marvellous continuity. Because, let me tell you something, in the presentation of a story and between the lines of the continuity, the viewers must always keep themselves open for a broader theory of what that film wants you to sink into. Generally, the film is about the whereabouts of Sajini but moreover, from where I am looking at is a broader picture, that the film is about things that led to Sajini’s disappearance.

This film has made me listen to possibly the best dialogues written for any film of 2023. One of the parents asks the principal if she will send her daughter to a school where a teacher does a sandwich dance between two naked men in a foreign country. I’m afraid she has a point and almost every parent will question about their children’s future. And then there is Sajini’s colleague Shraddha who complains that the fun is acceptable if you are a film star but crime for a school teacher.

Was it even Sajini’s call? She wasn’t eager to get drunk. It was Shraddha who convinced her to enjoy it like that and also was she who uploaded her dancing video by mistake. We can throw the blame on Sajini’s guy who asked her to get modern. Didn’t he know his woman’s definition of being modern would come out of a book? Or was Sajini from a small town, who was trying to fit in and get accepted in modern ambitions, really that dumb to not understand what he approved her about enjoying?

Do you get my point? I am not playing with your mind but informing you that this is a thought-provoking story that is not limited to her disappearance but is too large for assessment. I can write at least 25 pages about what I have watched and how and why is the message of the film so important for all of us.

Almost every character was developed. The film had a lot to offer. There was dark humor, the continuity had pace, and the suspense was captivating. The film wasted no time in introducing to the inspectors. And speaking about the supporting characters, the film opposes obviousness and gives a more realistic portrayal. Sajini confesses that she loved Siddhant. But Siddhant was not a good guy at all. He was a sore loser who had a bad past with other women. And even after Sajini disappeared, his personality was questionable. And I really liked that in such a scenario, the writer and director of a Bollywood film chose to show that the ideal man of the leading character is not quintessential. Yes, there is every possibility that the chosen portfolio is not the right person.

Radhika Madan as Sajini was outstanding but unfortunately, the story didn’t allow her character to spend much time in the film. And by this thought, I bethink that this story had every potential to transform into a limited series. You can easily stretch it to six or eight episodes and give more breathing to some promising characters like colleague Shraddha, principal Kalyani, and brother Aakash, and run Sajini’s important life events in it. Radhika did a superb impression of a small-town simple-minded girl giving such a raw-scale mannerism while meeting her date or speaking with people. Notice when she doesn’t find Siddhant’s heist joke funny and hides her discomfort in her smile.

CLOSING REMARKS

Although, the film somehow met with a fair conclusion with Inspector Bela delivering a very important message. But from an artistic angle, the film’s final scene should have been Sajini’s video message. With that, the film would have served the purpose. Also, this suggested ending would have hit hard on the audience.

I believe “Sajini Shinde Ka Viral Video” is a spectacular debate about freedom and its social conflicts. This film is where liberty questions slavery and selfishness become self-esteem. Everyone performed at an average scale but Nimrat Kaur as Inspector Bela deserves the praise. The direction of Mikhil Musale, and dialogues, and screenplay are the biggest pluses.

Food for thought. Can a woman have her own choice of freedom? Why? Why not? But which one? Good freedom or bad freedom? What is that? Can freedom be bad? And who will decide if that freedom is good or bad? We the society? Or you, the seeker of freedom? Can a woman distinguish good freedom or bad freedom? Hold on a second. can a woman even distinguish what is good or bad? If she can, why are people offended? And if she cannot, why do her parents want her to get married?

Does Sajini have the right to enjoy? Must she have gotten drunk and danced? Must she have avoided doing all this in fear of getting caught by a camera in the era of social media? Does being a teacher dissuade her from all this? If you are thinking about, when will I finish my review then my dear readers, my series of questions will never end because this is all about a woman, and that too, is in trouble. So where does the problem really lie? The problem lies in our minds.

RATING 8.2/10

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Film Reviews

Film Review: The Holdovers (2023)

STORY

In 1970, Professor Paul Hunham of the New England boarding school, Barton Academy, is tasked to babysit five students during the Christmas break. Four of them luckily leave on a ski trip when they get permission from their parents but Angus Tully can’t get it. So he is bound to stay under Hunham’s supervision. In the coming days, Hunham and Tully form an unlikely bond and develop an understanding.

REVIEW

Alexander Payne returns to the director chair to give us a dramatic sketch of a bizarre situation that revolves around three characters. Mary Lamb (played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph) supervises the cafeteria of the school and has recently lost her son in the Vietnam War. The melancholy is fresh and is unable to move on. Angus Tully (played by debutant Dominic Sessa) is a bad news and jeopardizes his school life. The emotional tragedy is that he was in delusion to travel to Saint Kitts with his family but his mother left him to go honeymoon with her new husband.

And a very sorry figure of Professor Hunham (played by Paul Giamatti) has lived most of his life in this boarding school. The current headmaster was Hunham’s former student so the professional longevity reminds us of Mr. Chips. He is alone, socially awkward, hesitates to connect the world outside the school. He is a grumpy professor who sticks with old-school traditionalism of teaching.

What the director wants us to watch and observe is a beautiful element of emotion that is hidden between the two rocks of Gibraltar. Hunham and Tully are unhappy being together and why not? After all, the Christmas break is here and they are stuck with each other instead of enjoying their holidays with their loved ones. But Hunham is a lonely fellow. Watching Tully enjoying his skating makes him smile. And in that smile, you observe his thoughtful face with lazy eye talking to his life.

And speaking of lazy eye, Paul Giamatti admitted in an interview to Howard Stern that he had to wear a big soft contact lens and was difficult to perform with that.

And it is never comfortable to perform with lens for lazy eye. The concentration becomes very challenging. He was outstanding throughout the film. I do not have much knowledge about Giamatti’s career but this maybe the highlight of his career since John Adams.

There were a few points that distracted my attention while observing. I am confused about a fact that a boarding school that usually maintains discipline, why most of the boys were sporting long hair. I have no knowledge but was sporting long hair in boarding school an acceptable fashion? How come Angus recovered after dislocated shoulder so quickly? It takes around 12 to 16 weeks in full recovery.

WHAT DID I MISS?

Many of you will not like it but I just don’t get it why Da’Vine Joy Randolph is receiving so much critical acclaim and winning several awards. Yes, she was very good but not at all phenomenal. On the contrary, I believe she missed the mark of being wow. I wanted her character to be more broken and shattered. After listening to the music at the party, she is shown crying in the kitchen. I wanted this moment to entwine her resistance and breaking point.

A PROMISING NEWCOMER

Dominic Sessa is the one that impressed me the most. His mannerism and physical performance were splendid. Notice when he dislocates his shoulder and the treatment in the hospital immensely hurts him. That act of suffering was well executed. You may also notice him when he humiliates Teddy. Dominic needs strong backing because we are looking at a promising newcomer.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

HOLDOVERS_FP_00406_R
Dominic Sessa stars as Angus Tully and Paul Giamatti as Paul Hunham in director Alexander Payne’s THE HOLDOVERS, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of FOCUS FEATURES / © 2023 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

‘The Holdovers’ is one of the most excellent examples of a well-crafted film-making that is set in the 1970s. I would like to particularly praise the cinematographer Eigil Bryld for making the 1970sh tone of the film so meaningful. The major accomplishment of this film is that it just doesn’t look like if the film was based in that era. ‘The Holdovers’ looks like a lost record of the film history library discovered and released. That’s because Bryld shot the film digitally using an ARRI Alexa camera.

CLOSING REMARKS

The humor was exceptional. I thoroughly enjoyed Tully’s troubles and Hunham’s irritation. I was deeply disconnected in the selection of soundtracks that mostly were folk rocks. The plot-line doesn’t allow to stretch due to a restricted growth in the screenplay. This is why I felt that the second half was quite slow. 133 minutes of the screen-time is too lengthy for such a film.

But overall, I think ‘The Holdovers’ has successfully build the reputation in our emotions. There is a special corner for such a film that tries to bring smile after plenty of disappointments in life.

What the audience of the film needs to observe is three unlikely companions of a particular situation sticking around in line of duty, command, and nature whose lives are melancholic.

‘The Holdovers’ is like a nomad with a caravan and a dog seeking happiness.

RATING 8.4/10

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Film Reviews

Film Review: Friday Night Plan (2023)

REVIEW

‘Friday Night Plan‘ is a Netflix coming-of-age comedy-drama about two brothers Sid and Adi who get a chance to drive their mother’s car and attend a party at Nat’s with whom Sid has a crush. The film stars Babil Khan, Amrith Jayan, Aadhya Anand, Medha Rana, Ninad Kamat, and Juhi Chawla.

This film gives an insight about an introvert Sid who has been a pupil in the same school for eight years but has not gained any recognition and reputation like others. He has a crush on the girl but doesn’t know how to interact and impress. But then suddenly, he is the talk of the school and has built a status because he won a football tournament for his school. And now he is more uncomfortable.

There is always a need of the background story for the main character in the coming-of-age genre. This film grew Sid by talking about his past in the later phase of the film that developed more reasons behind his being extra silent and careful. His younger brother Adi is the best detailing for a younger brother as he was fast, smart, chill, irresponsible as well as a troublemaker. The last two traits are obviously not the best qualities in the person but in a character because the smart Adi just couldn’t realize why losing a car to the police was a big problem. Instead, he suggests that the mother will take care of it as he does not want to give up the party at all.

The heated argument between the two was interesting because they opened up their lives to each other. What Adi brings to the story is trouble as well as relief for Sid. He is his hype-man and really wants his brother to calm his solemnity and open up to the world. It is so well shot without exaggerating when Adi starts praising his brother when Nat enters the room.

CLOSING REMARKS

‘Friday Night Plan’ has a very simple and straight route for the continuity of the story. There are no interesting filming techniques to bring an excellent crafting from a coming-of-age. Also, for such a simple story based on one day, this film is too lengthy and slow for having a screen time of almost two hours. The dialogues were easy-going and realistic.

The whole sub-plot of inspector being furious over being egged was a bit time wasting and unnecessary stretch. Another reason why I say that the film was too simple is because Juhi Chawla’s role of the mother of two kids didn’t get to test. She came nowhere close to her car getting towed. If I was the writer, I would have her character do the talking with her sons and conclude the film on a better note.

I am getting fond of Babil’s acting since watching him recently in The Railway Men as I watched that first. His character execution, voice, and behavioral attitude is a gift from his deceased legendary father and anyone can observe that.

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Friday Night Plan’ but for me, it was at least 30 minutes long and deserved a better conclusion to all dramas that occurred in one night.

RATING 6.5/10

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Film Reviews

Film Review: La Sociedad De La Nieve (2023)

INTRODUCTION

In Uruguay 1972, 45 passengers including a local rugby team flies to Chile but suffers from a flight disaster when the plane crashes into a glacier in the Andes Mountains. 29 of them dies but 16 survives. La sociedad de la nieve is a Spanish film based on this actual event and their survival. The story of such miraculous survival is adapted from Pablo Vierci‘s book with the same title. Director J. A. Bayona discovered this book while researching for his the-then upcoming film, The Impossible.

REVIEW

At a 2 hours and 20 minutes stretch, the heart of the film is in the unthinkable courage of those remaining passengers counting their seconds and making effort in somehow distancing themselves from an agonizing death. My objection is the length due to a very limited growth of the plot.

If humans are stuck at a particular geography for almost two hours of the film, two factors are important to be taken care of. One is that the pace of that portion of the film must not drop down to death. And the other is that the screenplay (again, of that portion) must offer a lot of sub-plot developments for the audience to grow in it. Neither the pace dropped nor the growth of their survival story faltered. In that case, 144 minutes were too much for such a film.

HISTORICAL ACCURACIES

 

Director Bayona carried out 100 hours of interviews with the survivors and gathered information to make the detailing of the film authentic. He even signed South American actors mostly from Argentina and Uruguay instead of North America and Britain.

Taking the picture before the crash is real with accurate detailing of postures of other passengers.

The blame for the flight disaster has been burdened on the inexperienced co-pilot who was controlling the plane at the time of the event. To my amazement, there was no scene shot about the pilots facing any difficulty and making any error while flying their way out.

Two survivors did hike their way out for any hope. And it is also true that the third one returned to the survivors.

The plane in the film flew from Montevideo to Santiago but in real, the flight also had a stop in Mendoza due to bad weather. Nothing interesting occurred there so ignoring that stay was acceptable liberty.

The scene about helicopters coming to rescue and collect 14 survivors is incorrect. It took two days to take all the survivors due to helicopter’s weight, bad weather, and high altitude.

THAT CRASHING SCENE!

The biggest attraction of the film that wins the global audience is the sequence of the plane crash that is engineered for our scariest imagination of a terrible traveling experience.

The whole setting up of the impending disaster, that aerial scream of an unannounced death confusing the angel of death dancing on their heads, the window giving them a chance to witness the horror and feel the punctuality of coldness in their chest and feet, the sudden dropping of luggages like debris, the last breath in consciousness that makes them remember that God certainly exist, the state of shock and despair, the shining light of the destruction, the bodies getting smashed unalarmed, and the wisdom of pain mocking the cold blood. With such hold of high-class detailing about a flight disaster, the viewers are not prepared to take this cinematic experience without breaking into it.

A METICULOUS EFFORT

Without a doubt, the film heavily punches the detailing of their struggle as well as their souls knocking the body to leave. I like that interesting scene when four of them hike their chances and realize while reaching at an altitude and looking back that they just cannot see the plane at some distance. If they cannot, then no aircraft at their height can ever trace it due to white fuselage against the snow.

The disaster in the film dreadfully commands the implementation of extreme measures that challenges the survivors. The consumption of very limited food, the delirium of smoking to pass over this unimaginable cold weather. The cold winds blowing their hopes. The drastic loss of weight, shivering in their hugs, discussing about eating dead bodies, marking the ice, desperately listening to the radio, passing unusual urine, burying their loved ones. All the hearts break into pieces when the radio announces that the search ends. And the excitement over believing that an aircraft passing by may have noticed them.

CLOSING REMARKS

Society of the Snow, as it is translated and titled in English, is an excellent survival thriller that has possibly accounted all canyons of miseries and setbacks orchestrating in superb direction by J. A Bayona. The film is obviously very human and gives a much-needed inspiration that in the worst possible scenarios where survival is highly unlikely, people can work together and can defeat death in any given weather. Protecting each other and surviving together at all cost is the last thing humans can do to escape this horror. Do yourself a favor and watch this magnificent film.

RATING 8.5/10

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Film Reviews

Film Review: Rabia and Olivia (2023)

Young Olivia suffers from night terror since her mother passed away and several nannies have been changed since then because they couldn’t comfort her. Rabia is an illegal immigrant seeking job. From a close contact, she gets a job and becomes Olivia’s nanny. Therefore, Rabia and Olivia is a story of two people from different worlds who have been brought to each other by fate and grow a bond like a mother and a daughter.

Watching this film was like some bunch of brown dudes in a foreign country raising the funds in the community, mosques, and churches to finance a film about mutual respect. And in that money, they hire some non-professional low-profile actors. I guess more than half of the collected funds were allocated to sign a well-known actor to raise awareness because I recognized only one artist and she was Sheeba Chaddha and that too in a brief role.

See, I recognize compassion in the story but such plots are not meant for a feature film length. The right platform is the shorter length. I felt I was watching the longest version or some director’s cut of a short film. The aesthetics were below-par with level-1 video effects and most of the artists showing terrible skills of acting.

I appreciate the effort but Rabia and Olivia is like some passion project of a community that they will remember after a couple of decades at some party as a generous effort.

RATING 2/10

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Film Reviews

TV Review: Monarch – Legacy of Monsters

MONSTERS OF JAPAN

Two Japanese half-siblings Cate and Kentaro search for their missing father Hiroshi who was working for Monarch. Monarch is a covert organization that was built in the 1940s to monitor and study Kaijus called ‘Titans’. Kaiju is a Japanese word for a giant monster. It was Monarch who discovered Gojira, the original name of the globally popular monster, Godzilla.

The reason for highlighting the Japanese references is to acknowledge the Japanese legacy, that was built by the entertainment company Toho, for their science fiction films that introduced several kaijus that later established a universal fanbase. Toho’s Kaiju films are mostly centered around their Big Five who are Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, King Ghidorah, and Mechagodzilla.

THE HUMAN ARCS

In all honesty, the human arcs have been dragged in the four Monsterverse films so far. A lot of screen-time were spent to value the human assistance in relation to these monsters. In the films based on creatures, the human connection looks bizarre because eventually, the humans with all the given science do not stand any chance to survive the wrath of these monsters. So what’s the point of shooting their scenes and introducing so many humans?

The reason for stating all this to the readers is to explain why this Ápple TV+ series is so important for those who are fond of watching these monsters. Because ‘Monarch’ is the only acceptable human angle in the world of Monsterverse.

This show completes the Monsterverse. A continuity of this cinematic universe that was questionable at some point between the four films will be cleared by watching this 10-episode series. The discoveries and developments that resulted in bombing Godzilla in Bikini Atoll are all in this show.

Monarch is run in two different timelines. The old age reflects on the trinity of scientists, Keiko and Bill, and an army officer Lee representing Monarch making groundbreaking efforts in their research. Whereas the half-siblings and a hacking friend May in the new age tries to uncover the mysteries of the secret organization.

CONTINUITY FATIGUE

 

In the middle of the series, I was irritated at the screenplay losing its direction and the show’s core purpose. In both timelines, the writers began to emphasize on their love angles. The old age trinity became a love triangle and much time was spent on Keiko’s relation with Bill and Lee. On the other hand, Kentaro and May were in relation whereas Cate turned out to be a lesbian who cheated on her girlfriend.

I understand that growing and developing the character in a television series is a must. But all this character work had zero value because their love stories contribute nothing to the main plot. So for quite some time, Monarch became some teenage crybaby drama and their romantic arcs ruined the show. During all this, Monarch missed the chance for not offering much action sequences between the monsters.

THE RUSSELLS

One factor that I really liked about the series was Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell playing the old and young versions of officer Lee Shaw. For dramatizing in different timelines, the involvement of the real father and son serves the purpose. I have no knowledge if Monarch has won the audience and the critics but if this series has survived, that is because of them. Their lively presence particularly Kurt’s is the reason why the continuity in the new age become very interesting.

Surely everyone were confused like me over Kurt’s character being a 90-year-old because obviously he looks too young for a nonagenarian. At first, I thought the makers compromised and ignored the personification of a man in an advanced age for the sake of hyping the involvement of the Russells but it was a relief that it was part of the story. I am impressed with Wyatt’s execution of the character. I feel sorry for him for all the backlash he had for being Captain America. If you observe, he is a fine actor.

CLOSING REMARKS

Easily, the season finale was my favorite and the saviour of the show’s efficacy. All the reunions were well-performed. Monarch is an important development between all the four films and cannot be ignored.

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