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Pavi Caretaker (2024)
Dileep badly needs to reinvent himself! [+34%]
The protagonist Pavi is a clear mish-mash of several characters that Dileep has played in his heydays, with no texture in the writing to make him stand out. The bar is currently set too low for Dileep as a performer since he's been busy attaching himself to crap like Bandra and Thankamani, so anything marginally better will come across as "oh hey, we got our vintage Dileep back!" - HELLL NAWWW! Rajesh Raghavan's screenplays (3 Dots, Onnum Mindathe, Aravindante Athidhikal) have never appealed to me. How did a promising director like Vineeth Kumar decide to collaborate with him after listening to the one-liner?
Pavi Caretaker plays out like a typical Dileep film from the 2000s and early 2010s, with superficial writing. None of the characters other than the protagonist get any fleshing out. You'll find countless instances of drab, Dileep-brand™ humor that you've already seen in yesteryear blockbusters of his. There's reactionary humor, there's slapstick, verbal humor, self-deprecating humor, etcetera. But the real laughs are hard to come by. The only scene that mildly pushes the actor in Dileep is one where he and Johny Antony are standing on the terrace of the apartment, and he's exhibiting his emotionally vulnerable side. The sweet golden retriever (who goes by "Bro" in the film) sidekick is always an adorable presence, though he's hardly there when the film needs him.
One or two songs (by Midhun Mukundan) are nice compositions, and they're also captured well by DOP Sanu Thahir. A film like this can only work when you have extremely solid supporting talents (which Dileep had the fortune of working with, during the 2000s), and here, we don't really find any. For instance, the role played by Raadhika Sarathkumar would have been infinitely better if we still had Kalpana Chechi. Johny Antony's character would've been better if we still had Cochin Haneefa. The five heroines too, lack identity beyond their smiles, shrieks, and smugs.
Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
Rose Glass, you've created SOMETHING ELSE! [+77%]
Rose Glass, in just her second feature film, leaves plenty of signs as to why she's one of the most promising filmmakers of our times. Saint Maud was something, but Love Lies Bleeding is SOMETHING ELSE! It's part lesbian romantic drama, part crime cover-up thriller, part body/psychological horror, part magical realism, the list goes on. The best thing about it is that the "concoction of genres" is a largely intriguing, tremendously entertaining one. Both Kristen Stewart and Katy O'Brian bring their A-game, playing lesbians lovers with troubled, traumatic, and crime-ridden backgrounds. The supporting cast is solid too, with Ed Harris (a walk-in-the-park for this guy), Dave Franco (jaw "literally" dropped at one point, LOL!), and Anna Baryshnikov (in particular) delivering the goods neatly.
Clint Mansell's score punctuates the proceedings in captivating fashion. There's a disproportionate blend of lust, grime, gore, and drugs in the film that spoke volumes to the aesthetics-observer in me. I couldn't make cinematic sense of it all in one go; this definitely is a film I'll rewatch, and the second time keeping the fundamental (sex + thrills) aside, but focused more on its storytelling brilliance. I think Glass' films will continue to remain difficult to classify, though the themes they discuss (violence is a vicious cycle, eh?) and the way she's able to extract such powerhouse performances from the cast are undoubtedly worth studying. It also really took me back to the year 1989, with its visual palette, costumes, and makeup.
Monkey Man (2024)
A must-watch for action fanatics! [+75%]
What I particularly enjoyed about Monkey Man is Dev Patel taking an honest stab at sectarian violence in India, without holding back on where his perspectives stand. I've read about the struggles both during shoot and post, and it makes me want to understand the measures Dev and his team were forced to take, in order to lessen the blow on India's current ruling party which is notorious for its minority-targeting. For instance, whether the amount of saffron turning red in post-production was a call taken by Netflix (while they still were the distributors) who is investing big in India these days but not a lot on daring attempts - I think The Washington Post wrote a piece on this back in November 2023.
In essence, Monkey Man is a straightforward revenge actioner. But it also doesn't want to be simply tagged as an action flick and forgotten. The film's first hour intercuts between past and present, slowly divulging details on Kid (Dev himself playing the lead) - the childhood memories he shares with his mother, his obsession with Lord Hanuman and embracing the persona of Monkey Man while wrestling in an underground fightclub, and his attempts at exacting revenge on the cop (Sikandar Kher) who brutally murdered his mother. The politics of religion is strongly hinted at, with a godman (Makarand Deshpande) shown to be the mastermind behind enacting several vicious measures against the poor and the neglected.
To be on the safer side, Dev sets the plot in a fictional Indian city (called Yatana) that strangely resembles Mumbai and has a lot of Indonesians playing Indians (COVID production struggles, apparently). But he doesn't compromise when it comes to the set-pieces. There's a LOT of blood-letting when we get to the real deal - especially in the second and more decisive hour of the film. It strongly reflects classic action movie predecessors such as The Raid and John Wick but with an infusion of Indian culture and (Hindu) religious references. We also get some fantastic original rap compositions underlining some of the action and the drama, alongside actual songs from yesteryear Bollywood films.
The visual style reminded me heavily of this 2010 videogame called Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days where much of the action unfolds in the perspective of a "handheld camera," but with Indian aesthetics standing out. The climactic set piece is spectacular, and truly the area where Dev Patel shines as an actor. Shobita Dhulipala is also present in a short but memorable role. Sharlto Copley also shows up as a feisty fight promoter. The writing isn't very deep, though there is some effort seen in the sections where Kid recuperates in the shelter of the Hijra community. Their presence in the final showdown also adds another intriguing layer, but choosing to resolve their issues by giving them a bagful of money felt like a convenient writing decision.
Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (2024)
A little better on the action, but still terrible on the character side. [+38%]
Lately, Zack Snyder films come across as dubious, "what-if" case studies rather than entertaining popcorn blockbusters. The Rebel Moon sequel that no one except Snyder asked for, is currently streaming on Netflix. It quite seems like the next batch of bland, forgettable films that'll enter the same league as the dreadful Transformers sequels. Part Two begins with Sir Anthony Hopkins' voiceover summing up the events of the first flick in a few lines. Snyder then takes a long time detailing Admiral Noble's resurrection (yawn!) and the village of farmers going about their business of cinematically harvesting grain. Snyder (who also puts on the DOP's hat) shoots them like music videos, lens-flaring the hell out of everything. Unlike the first, the action here unfolds mostly during the day, so the dark industrial grey aesthetic is almost replaced with what looks like a dusty, twilight-hour palette.
It takes exceptionally bad writing for the screenplay to focus less on what was supposed to be a "battle for grain" and turn into a Star Wars knockoff. That was already an issue with the first film, and nothing really changes here. The warriors supporting Kora in her quest to defeat Noble each get five odd minutes of a music-video-backstory, and I couldn't wait for the (long-ish) first act to just get over and move on to the action. The story arcs are terrible, the character development is bleh, and none of the performances are rousing. The film stays emotionally flat from start to finish - the stakes feel next to none, the deaths of key characters leave no impact.
Again, with writing this derivative and barebones, there's nothing Junkie XL could've done to make the proceedings any better. While nothing to write home about, the set pieces in the sequel feel less choppy (a typical Netflix trait) and even the excessive slo-mo didn't bother me all that much. In 2024, the same year where Dune: Part Two exists, it'd take a beyond-superlative effort to mesmerize audiences with a colonial space-warfare story. I acknowledge that Snyder is purely a "visual" director, and his writing efforts have been atrocious for the most part, but can the man learn a thing or two from his earlier big-budget mistakes, maybe?
Late Night with the Devil (2023)
Possession horror gets a smart, vintage spin! [+73%]
I really liked the Cairnes brothers' commitment to the film's 70s aesthetic, adopting the style of a found-footage mockumentary that keeps you on your toes for the most part. The use of AI aside, the production design team behind the film has done a fabulous job. David Dastmalchian is in stupendous form here as the late night talk show host, and he's ably supported by a solid ensemble that includes the likes of Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Fayssal Bazzi, and Georgina Haig. The film shows how there are still interesting scenarios to create within the demonic possession subgenre, and in able hands, they can easily awaken the tired horror fanatic in me.
The visual palette of the film alone is solid enough to warrant a second watch, but what you wouldn't immediately expect to strike a chord is its (rather smart) blend of humour and cynicism. In a film that's set in the 70s, I definitely appreciate the gooey, bubblegummy practical effects over anything computer-generated, and therefore, the gimmicky payoff to the suspense built over the talk-show segment doesn't turn out to be as rewarding as expected. Nonetheless, the nightmarish epilogue, which also functions as a double climax, is wildly effective.
What Jennifer Did (2024)
Delivers the expected twist in an unsuprising manner! [+36%]
As a true-crime documentary, I felt the presentation of the case was rather lacklustre. The title gives away the one obvious (and anticipated) twist, especially for regular true-crime content consumers such as myself. The reenactments are plain and straightforward, and while the makers do not attempt any ridiculous editing gimmicks, they still could've done a better job of keeping the proceedings crisp and engaging.
For a piece that's supposed to play out like a thriller, it fails at doing exactly that. What we end up getting is a mostly flat retelling of the entire saga, which has been tackled in a more engrossing manner by at least a few YouTubers. It only tries to play into the dramatic "shock-value-providing" side of the story, while treating all the other aspects such as parental expectations, poor state of mental health, and immigrant life as ancilliary. Also, to hell with AI-generated imagery!
Immaculate (2024)
This Catholic horror flick is fairly engaging, if not exceptional. [+60%]
So, I get it. Director Michael Mohan makes good use of two major Sydney Sweeney expressions - deadpan and terrified. Immaculate begins with hints of being a supernatural chiller similar to Paco Plaza's Sister Death. However, as the proceedings unfold, it becomes evident that the final act has a few tricks up its sleeve. The transition to campy survival thriller isn't all that smooth, yet the gore is aplenty and the politics of bodily autonomy is explored to greater depths. The first act relies almost entirely on jumpscares, but they're fairly well-executed.
It also helps to see Christian accessories becoming murder weapons in inventive ways (LOL!). There wasn't any doubt regarding the pregnancy angle given the film's title, though the religious subtext regarding it is barely touched upon. A little extra runtime would've easily sorted that out, and I probably would've enjoyed this a lot more if that was the case. Sweeney is certainly not bad here - she confidently rises to the occasion as the "final girl + scream queen" combo. None of the other characters leave an impact, and more so, because they mostly speak Italian. I understand the intention to create an unsettling atmosphere overall, but the film undoubtedly needed a stronger key antagonist.
Aavesham (2024)
Ranga Annan is such a V-I-B-E! [+78%]
I don't wish to write a detailed, eloquent review for a film that only tries to present itself as a pure, no-holds-barred entertainer with just the right doses of everything (save for a romance). The character sketch of Ranga, along with an insane range of unpredictable emotions, is safe in the hands of FAFAA. He embodies the adorable, fun-loving thug with a penchant for violence (although he's under oath not to inflict any himself) like no other performer can, at least in Malayalam cinema. We've seen him play solemn, serious protagonists with consummate ease, but Aavesham gifts him the opportunity to fully embrace his zany side. If his foray into Tamil and Telugu cinema eventually led to him signing up for such an unhinged role in Malayalam, then I'm all in for those decisions.
The plot can be summed up in two or three lines, but director Jithu Madhavan is adept at keeping the proceedings tremendously enjoyable. As a result, we get a well-cooked mix of terrific action blocks, plenty of laugh-out-loud moments (major credit to Sajin Gopu), and even a little unexpected emotional depth to the protagonist. Sushin Shyam's songs and score are every bit an essential ingredient, without which, the mass moments would lack the necessary knock-out punch. The three guys who tag along with FaFaa also manage to hold up their end of the bargain, and their exchanges especially in the latter half, left me in splits. There are occasional signs of the screenplay running out of storytelling steam, but the fun factor never takes a dip. Once in a while, Malayalam cinema needs an injection of packaged entertainers like Aavesham where you slip into your most comfortable sitting position, clapping and hooting at the antics of an electrifying FaFaa.
Wicked Little Letters (2023)
Quirky little British comedy that's definitely my cup of tea! [+67%]
If you love your share of quirky British comedies, then you're in for a fairly fun ride with Wicked Little Letters. They could've done a better job with poster (something handwritten maybe, given it had to do with letters after all), but don't let that deter you from watching. The leading ladies - Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley (big fan!) and Anjana Vasan - are in exceptional form here.
The plot neatly delves into themes such as repression, hierarchy, patriarchy (in religion especially), and oddly enough, the sophisticated cursing style of the British, which I'm fascinated by. It is a whodunnit, but the reveals aren't exactly what startle. It's how director Thea Sharrock chooses to present the reasoning that intrigues me more. The supporting cast (especially, the ladies who join officer Gladys in her quest to unravel the mystery) is a lot of fun. I'd love to see Vasan's large, expressive eyes featured in more films, please.
All of that said, I definitely don't know whether in 1920s England, a police officer (who's presumably of Indian heritage) was frequently shunned because of her gender alone. India was still under British rule, and it is quite surprising to me that she's never denigrated by the British officers for her Indian roots. Also, a black judge in those times? Gimme a break. Don't get me wrong, the casting choices are laudable, but the anachronism is quite in-your-face. That cinematic gripe aside, I'd say I enjoyed it for the most part.
Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)
Doesn't justify its existence, but also fairly fun! [+54%]
From a story development perspective, there isn't a significant reason for this sequel to exist. But of course, any beloved franchise with box office potential can never be left behind in Hollywood. Kung Fu Panda 4 still carries the fun vibe of the first three instalments, but it also commits the mistake of cinematically replacing the Furious Five with a new character Zhen (voiced by Awkwafina). Budgetary concerns, by the looks of it? The film is budgeted at $85 million, as opposed to the $130-150 million of the prequels. I also read somewhere that the film was supposedly planned as a live action/animated hybrid at one point; wonder how that would've turned out. In the current version, the makers haven't tried anything unexpectedly new; they've stuck to the basics of what made the earlier instalments work.
Anyhow, it's safe to say that sequel #4 isn't terrible. But it doesn't quite scale the heights of the previous three, even with a stronger antagonist (Viola Davis). Jack Black is still in fine form voicing Po, and the same can be said of some of the others like Dustin Hoffman, Bryan Cranston, James Hong, Ian McShane. Ke Huy Quan feels wasted. I especially loved the equation between Po's dads that led to some situationally funny moments. Po's persistent food obsession still finds the space for the occasional one-liner. The set-pieces offer some slick editing gimmicks which I've only seen in animes and martial-arts-based video games, but they aren't all that memorable, which is almost how I'd describe the movie altogether.
P. S. Hans Zimmer's score is overshadowed by Tenacious D's rendering of "Hit Me Baby One More Time" during the end credits.
Scoop (2024)
Scoop behind the "SCOOP" - not bad, Netflix. [+59%]
Scoop is a largely decent retelling of events that transpired before the 2019 BBC Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew, Duke of York. It's mostly told from the perspective of Sam McAlister (played by Billie Piper), alongside fine interferences from the likes of Gillian Anderson and Keeley Hawes. Well, for starters, this isn't Spotlight, so any big emotional stakes are out of the way. It focuses on Sam's journey of unravelling the story behind the "unholy" connection between Andrew and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstien.
The storytelling style is mostly flat, but never dull. There's not much to experiment in the way of a visual perspective either, though it was fascinating to see the sudden switch to a studio camera lens (the lines are perceivable) when the interview gets rolling. The commendable aspects here include scenes that bring Piper, Anderson, and Rufus Sewell (in a terrific transformation) together in bold conversations prior to the sitdown interview. It's almost like an interplay of different kind of energies, with the actors rising above the screenplay. I also liked the post-interview epilogue that moves the story to its definite closure.
Baghead (2023)
Nothing much to see or appreciate here. [+30%]
This takes the Talk To Me concept and turns it into a largely uninteresting affair. But apparently, this is based on a short film released in 2017, so I guess director Alberto Corredor gets the credit for the idea. The film's heavy reliance on CGI jumpscares was a sign that it'd get on my nerves quickly. The characters are all stupid and make the worst decisions possible, and now that I think about it, there are only 3 living, breathing characters in the film. The rest are supernatural and/or dead. And for a pub supposedly set in the middle of a (.. was it German?) town, I couldn't spot a single human being walking around. Like, none. Even on the rare occasion that a supporting character sets out on a side quest, she doesn't run into any people. There are plenty of dead people to compensate for that, however, with their typical demonic black eyes. The finale, with a bland twist, serves no purpose. Yawn!
The Goat Life (2024)
Full marks for Prithviraj, half for the rest. [+61%]
What I expected to see more in a film that's titled The Goat Life is essentially a neglected, enslaved man's relationship with the animals he herds and tends to. Blessy's adaptation of Benyamin's best-selling novel Aadujeevitham falls well short of building to that affecting emotional core. A few scenes hint at it, though he doesn't bother exploring one of the core ingredients from the novel that'd have made for a moving ordeal. That essentially takes a backseat for the survival drama to unfold in the film's second half. It's also where the true musical potential lies, though I'm unsure if 2020s A R Rahman was able to tap into all of it. Why didn't they play the "Hope" song during the end credits?
However, Blessy fully utilizes the actor in Prithviraj Sukumaran (the same way he has with Mohanlal and Mammootty in the past), and it's safe to say that he's done a tremendous job, both performance-wise and body-transformation-wise. He's greatly aided in the process by make-up artist Ranjith Ambady and costume designer Steffy Zaviour. Sunil KS' cinematography also deserves praise - the wide shots of the expansive desert terrain are something that, by default, warrants the big-screen experience. To Sunil's credit, he's also successful in capturing Najeeb's daunting journey across the desert even from a personal perspective. However, I didn't like the way some of the night scenes were shot.
The first half, except for the scenes where Najeeb suddenly goes through the traumatic experience of being condemned to servitude, didn't really work for me. The flashback scenes depicting Najeeb's bond with his wife Sainu (played by Amala Paul) are painted in shades of green, in a vain attempt to contrast them with the browns and oranges of the desert (~ isn't that the most basic visual perspective someone could think of while conceiving the film?). The underwater scenes - especially ones that use VFX - are shoddily executed. But the VFX during certain other scenes (including a sandstorm - well, some of it was apparently real - and one with vultures) is way better. The climactic rescue segment feels rushed, and Blessy doesn't bother letting those hard-hitting emotions take shape, even when he spends a considerable amount of time detailing survival misery porn.
Endnote: While I appreciate Blessy's decision to shoot the whole thing in real locations and fully commit to it for years, I didn't feel as moved by the film (in a way that's similar to most films of his) as many others were.
Por (2024)
Bejoy Nambiar's streak with terrible scripts continues! [+34%]
The number of editing gimmicks in the film is inversely proportional to the amount of effort taken in writing its script. Jeez, can someone write Bejoy Nambiar a good script? The man half-arses his way through such shoddy writing with shots straight out of a music video, and for what it's worth, the music itself is pretty damn good. None of the characters (including the leads) register, none of the conflicts register. There are too many subplots, and too many attempts at messaging.
For 2h 30m, you're subjected to a bunch of random scenes stitched together without any connective tissue. Nambiar goes for a chapter-wise approach though there's nothing that segregates any of them. You have good-looking leads, you have great music, and you have vibrant visuals, but they don't count when the screenplay doesn't try building to anything substantial. I don't even want to comment on the climactic segment - it's just a bloated mess.
P. S. Bah Gawd.. is Sanchana Natarajan such a hottie!🔥
Imaginary (2024)
A hard pass on this one! [+22%]
It hasn't been a great year at all for horror so far (..I'm yet to see Late Night with the Devil). As a film that follows the Blumhouse formula (of being made within a $10-12 million budget), this one turns out to be an absolute DUD. I'm not trying to crap on the idea, but the execution is just plain unimaginative and yawn-inducing. I can tolerate Jeff Wadlow when he makes a Never Back Down (that film somehow has teen-nostalgia value for me) or a mediocre Kick-Ass sequel, but his last two directorial outings have clearly been the worst. I wouldn't dare to go anywhere near Truth or Dare or Fantasy Island again even if they were the only movies left to see in this world. Imaginary is definitely a shameless addition to that list. S-K-I-P!
Lover (2024)
Prabhuram Vyas makes a worthwhile debut! [+63%]
Lover has some poignant individual stretches, but it still doesn't hit as hard as it could have when perceived as a whole. Part of that blame goes to the writing, and to an extent, the music. Sean Roldan's work is both a plus and a minus. It works in certain portions where dialogues are absent and the director chooses to show and not tell. On the flip side, it also paints a sympathetic picture of Arun (an excellent Manikandan) in scenarios where he's clearly in the wrong. The red flags keep flaring up, and given it's a recurring element, you already anticipate things going south whenever he's asked to be social, such as attending a party or joining a trip.
Sri Gouri Priya does a good job as Divya, Arun's lover, who finds it difficult to deal with his (frequently increasing) levels of toxicity. But, she's also painted in a shade of grey or two at least, especially in certain decisions she consciously makes. This, coupled with the sorry tunes from Roldan which lend an "oh, poor guy!" perception of Arun at times, makes you want to disconnect from both the protagonists and view the proceedings objectively, at least for a little while. But that's only until we get to know some of the supporting characters better, and the more we understand them, the more I find myself siding with Divya's harsh but practical take. The ending is very cinematic; almost like a Gautham Menon flick - never happens in the real world, but works as "closure" for this particular story.
You'll Never Find Me (2023)
The curse of the final act hits this one hard! [+54%]
What a mixed experience this turned out to be! The writing constantly keeps you guessing for the first two acts, and the fantastic sound design and lighting choices add to the underlying mystique. The two lead performances are deliciously first-rate, making us question their inner motives with each passing scene.. at least for a good chunk of the film's first hour. The framing in these sections consists of several uncomfortable, unforeseen close-ups. But by the time it moves into the final act, a sudden wave of "oh no!" just takes over, replete with overblown edits and messy color patterns.
And to think, the same film effortlessly made me feel on edge during the initial (often philosophical) exchanges between the two characters, further deflates the experience overall. The woman character, especially, is oddly written. There are stretches where we as audiences are made to think she's harboring some dark secrets (or questioning if she's even a real person or just a manifestation?), and a little later, the same applies to the man. This leads to random jumps in character perspectives, albeit for short periods. Also, while the man's state of mind gets somewhat better detailing in the final act, the woman's side of things lacks a finite arc (..and was that even intentional?).
Road House (2024)
Fun, self-aware actioner that gets the larger things right! [+64%]
I think I may have just stumbled upon my next "comfy action movie". A reimagining of the 1989 film starring Patrick Swayze, this has everything I enjoy in actioners right from a ludicrous plot, a bricky Jake Gyllenhall, loads of testosterone, a beachside setting, soul + rock n' roll laced soundtrack, and most importantly, some well-staged action (except when there's forced CG or janky edits). Gyllenhaal plays Dalton, an ex-UFC fighter looking for trouble (read: fist fights) wherever he goes, in the hopes of getting paid for it. Apart from looking like a million bucks, Road House isn't a film that pushes the performer in him. It just lets the guy smile, smirk, wisecrack, and punch his way to the ending. To no surprise, the film even gets the official UFC endorsement.
Doug Liman hasn't made anything this fun (or self-aware) since American Made. The night shots are full of yellows and blues, and for a film with this premise, it fits the bill alright. Conor McGregor, as you'd expect, plays a beefy, madcap baddie and his showdowns with Jake are oddly satisfying (ft. The riffs from Rina Sawayama's version of Enter Sandman). The leading ladies (Daniela Melchior and Jessica Williams) are reduced to token roles, with not much texture - Hannah Love Lanier, in a cute supporting role, trumps the rest. In fact, that's the case with nearly everyone in the film as the stylization takes precedence over plot and characters. Arturo Castro, as a henchman with a funny bone, was good. The film is about 15 minutes too long, and most of the unnecessary scenes involve either the cops or Billy Magnussen on a yacht.
P. S. For a streaming release, this features some finely executed moments .. best enjoyed in a theater full of people.
P. P. S. I so wanted a Post Malone v. Jake Gyllenhaal fight, but they robbed us of it.
Sometimes I Think About Dying (2023)
Daisy Ridley's captivating performance is the highlight! [+73%]
As much as I loved the style in which director Rachel Lambert explored a few weeks in the largely uneventful (but..eventful too.. sort of?) life of a socially awkward isolation-enjoyer, what spoke to me is her sense of visual aesthetics. The port city of Astoria, Orgeon is a distinct character within the film, and its laidback stillness is something I grew to like. Several frames delineate the notion, and I think they sublimely complimented the life that Fran (Daisy Ridley) lives. She enjoys her work, but loves running away from the small talk that the office brings. She awkwardly exits office gatherings, including one where a longtime colleague of hers is retiring. There's greater meaning to most of these little moments, but not everything has a meaty payoff.
The film's delicate pacing is, at times, broken through banter between Fran and her new colleague Robert (Dave Merheje), as well as through sudden transitions where she ponders over death (..her death, i.e.). This is the most I've enjoyed a Daisy Ridley performance in years, and it speaks volumes when an actor can convey the right emotions through subtle changes in body language. Fran isn't much of a talker per se, but when she does, she's also less curious. She slowly grows to love movies and being around people, thanks to Robert's interventions. I like how the film addresses the issue of Robert being unable to fully comprehend Fran as a person. There are layers to her than even we (..as audiences..) cannot fully peel off. We know next-to-nothing about her family, and the circumstances in which she grew up. We know she ain't suicidal, but she doesn't seem to relish life all that much either.
Actually, a lot of unsaid elements contribute to further, deeper readings of Fran's demeanor. Her depressing thoughts on death aside, there's one moving scene towards the end where she randomly encounters the retired ex-colleague and learns how life is so unpredictable and difficult, underneath all the "plaster" that we add to it. I got to know that the film is based on a 2013 play called Killers, and it, sure as hell, makes for splendid material on the stage. I'm glad though, that Lambert decided to make it into a film, as mundanity of life is something that's less discussed in the world of cinema. Dabney Morris' score adds to the understated nature of its proceedings, making the experience even better.
Bob Marley: One Love (2024)
A lot is rushed through and oddly edited, but the lead performances are compelling! [+53%]
There's no doubt in anyone's minds regarding the quality of performances put in by Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch (as Bob & Rita Marley). Kingsley Ben-Adir, who doesn't have the slightest tinge of Marley in him, actually makes for a very compelling Marley, the thick Jamaican accent imbibed in all its glory. Lynch gets a relatively underwritten role, but being the powerhouse performer she is, the woman is able to make at least some of the emotional stretches work. Now, this is a "biopic" primarily dealing with a couple of phases in Marley's life, and not much else. The childhood bits are in the form of quick montages, the lasting effect of the civil war in Jamaica - an element that constantly bothers Marley - is rushed through (this section had a lot of dramatic scope, which the writers ~ 4 of them ~ failed to exploit).
Other parts of his life are barely even touched upon, and that includes the various relationships (and children out of wedlock) and his conversion to Rastafarianism. I wish there was more to the latter at least, given the whole "spiritual connection to marijuana" and its perception elsewhere. In fact, one of the film's pivotal scenes i.e. The "shooting" incident, doesn't offer the expected sting. It feels like just another incident ticked off the list from his life, as opposed to something life-altering. That said, the one thing the makers perfectly nail is the music. You'll end up listening to more Marley immediately after watching the film (sometimes, even in between.. paused.. like I did!), and that's an indication of the timelessness of his work.
Anchakkallakokkan (2024)
A pretty solid debut for director Ullas Chemban! [+62%]
While the screenplay is loose in places (especially in the second half), Anchakkallakokkan benefits from having a fairly strong technical team to back it up. This is a period film (the year is 1986), unraveling in a fictional town on the Kerala-K'taka border. It's also a partial whodunnit, as the film begins with the midnight murder of a prominent landlord in the area. The first act doesn't emphasize this, as it's busy acquainting us with various characters in/around the hillside town's police station. While the film takes the perspective of Vasudevan (Lukman) as a means to introduce the period setting and characters, it gradually becomes clear that deeming him the protagonist is pointless. Each character is a protagonist in their individual stories (or subplots), while we arrive at the key antagonist in a slow-burn, twisty reveal.
The production design and art departments seamlessly recreate a politically wavering era, and the performances hold it all together. The guys who played the Gillappi brothers (one of them is from Angamaly Diaries, and the other reminds you of a young, dancing Vinayakan from Maanthrikam) were entertaining as hell, and whenever the film mildly showed signs of a slow-down, their entry (or re-entry) would fire things up. There's an entire set piece dedicated to them right before the interval, which was both neatly choreographed and captured. The second act is spent in connecting the murder-mystery dots while simultaneously making us understand the relevance of the film's title. Manikandan Ayyappa's score is extremely significant to the proceedings, and a major factor in raising adrenaline levels during the extended fight scenes.
I think where the film failed to hit the bullseye is in its writing. This is clearly the case with Lukman's character transformation, which is quite sudden and unconvincing. The film's title is justified, though the route taken could have been better etched. Also, when the film goes into whodunnit mode, it tries to interweave multiple subplots together, complicating things for a little while before wrapping up nicely. The visual effects are also barely okay, and that's understandable given it's a low-budget flick.
P. S. Ullas Chemban becomes another promising name to watch out for, in the future.
P. P. S. I have a feeling the film will work ONLY in theatres, if at all. OTT reviews aren't likely to be very positive.
Stopmotion (2023)
The creepy stopmotion animation scenes stood out! [+59%]
The film did its job of grossing me out with the body horror bits, and to an extent, successfully bothered me with its psychological horror layers. But as a whole, it still felt undercooked and wildly predictable in the final act. Undoubtedly, the best parts of the film are the stopmotion animations featuring these creepy meat-puppets. There's something eerily unique about stopmotion animation, isn't it? Maybe, since it's got to do with bringing inanimate (read: dead) things to life. The film conveys the uncanny aura of the entire process quite effectively, in a minimalist setting.
I thought the plot already had an interestingly uneasy angle to explore between the mother and daughter; however, the makers went in a totally different direction as it progressed, with subplots involving the boyfriend's sister and so on, which didn't hit the mark completely for me. I still applaud writer-director Robert King's approach to creating something wacky and authentic, unlike most horror films these days. Aisling Franciosi also does a solid job playing the lead who's facing a creative block. It's certainly NOT one of those films you'd rewatch a lot, and I guess, for good reason.
Drive-Away Dolls (2024)
Not bad, not great. A perfectly in-between flick. [+51%]
Once in a while, you come across films that make you feel they could've been a lot more.. be it thematically or comically. Drive-Away Dolls is one of those. There are promises made in the beginning, of a fairly exciting (coming-of-age?) road trip that unfolds in late 90s Florida. The protagonists - Jamie and Marian, played by Margaret Qualley & Geraldine Viswanathan (both of whom I like) - are lesbians navigating their adventurous early-to-mid 20s. But we're instantly reminded that it's a Coen film (even if it's just Ethan directing this time, from a screenplay he co-wrote with his editor wife Tricia Cooke) when a classic crime mix-up situation ensues, feat. Generous undertones of black humour.
The opening scene which has Pedro Pascal in a fun, gruesome cameo sets the tone for subsequent events. It seems to me that the makers were attempting to strike a firm balance between a "throwback buddy road movie" presented from an LGBTQ perspective, and an old-fashioned crime thriller, perceived through a contemporary lens, although the film is set in the late 90s. Did they manage to effectively synchronize both? I don't think so. Qualley's foul-mouthed, promiscuous Jamie is pretty hard to like, and Viswanath's Marian lacks clarity all the time, which is further enunciated through the constant WTF expressions. Their spontaneous sexual chemistry is blazing; however, I definitely couldn't buy into the idea of them dating long-term.
There are a few funny lines sprinkled randomly throughout, but the plot developments aren't as interesting. We can see subtle thematic parallels drawn to the Henry James novel The Europeans, but only book-readers can connect to that. One scene that genuinely made me laugh was when the two criminals broke into Jamie's ex-girlfriend's house only to be physically confronted by her. Beanie Feldstein casually beating up an older, towering man while engaging in banter with the other criminal, was hilarious. Even the Matt Damon cameo in the end led to a brisk smile, if not much else. But the film consists of more misses than hits, overall. What purpose did those dreamy, colourful transitions serve?
Merry Christmas (2024)
Bombay noir done well, with signature Raghavan-isms! [+71%]
When I say I want a pulpy thriller, I'm referring to Sriram Raghavan levels of pulpy. This is the kind of Bollywood venture I'd love to see more of any day. I wasn't sure how the Vijay Sethupathi-Katrina Kaif pairing would turn out, but all it took was a few minutes. Both of them bring their own sense of charm and deception to the proceedings, and their candid, casual banter during the entirety of the first half was actually pretty enjoyable for me. I knew the thrills were just around the corner, so I had no issues waiting for them to unfold at the right juncture. Raghavan does a major rug-pull at one point, followed by several minor ones, and there's a fair level of conviction to each, complimented by spunky dialogue writing.
VJS, playing a "Bombayite" (not a Mumbaikar, mind you) with a Tamil accent (and that's just one identifiable trait among many), is one actor who can seamlessly oscillate between being a sweet-talker and ..pssst, okay.. let's not spoil it for anyone who's yet to watch. It's safe to say he fulfills his side of business pretty damn well.. as expected. Kaif puts in a layered performance for a change, and a large chunk of that credit also goes to Raghavan's direction. She's got more to her persona here than usual, and I actually bought into (nearly) every move she made, every decision she took. The kid who played Kaif's daughter was also good.
A few tonal inconsistences aside, Merry Christmas is the kind of cinema that you also relish for its smart usage of retro music, aesthetics, and (well..) Christmassy nuances. Vasan Bala and Sriram Raghavan will always be on my radar for unique touches like these. I'll happily take generous slices of storytelling from 'em.
Argylle (2024)
This feels so much like one of those Netflix action-comedies. [+43%]
Argylle feels much less like an actual action-spy-comedy but rather just a series of twists; each successive one offering reduced levels of excitement. This really isn't Henry Cavill's or Dua Lipa's film even though they are prominently featured on the poster. Neither is it Samuel L Jackson's. In reality, it's a spy comedy within a spy comedy, but without the necessary ingredients. The action is an over-edited and CG-ridden mess, except in the final act. I like both Sam Rockwell and Bryce Dallas Howard (who looks adorable despite the weight gain), but the screenplay doesn't put these actors to good use. You get a wonderful cast coupled with a top-rated director like Matthew Vaughn and Argylle is the best they could come up with? I'm not sold on this, even with the obvious Kingsman connection.
P. S. Is it just me or are we witnessing criminally low levels of humour lately in films that are marketed as "comedies"?