pranabchaudhury Reviews

Dune: Part Two (2024)

Visuals, Cinematography, Sound, Music & Filmmaking

[7/10 · 4 March 2024]

All about stunning visual feast, boasting incredible sound design and music. And Greig Fraser's masterclass in cinematography, perfectly showing why cinema should be made in Horizontal plane in the highest format possible and be seen on the biggest & largest screen. To the kids romanticizing, embracing Vertical framing and filming everything for instagram reels or social media asking cinema should be made in that plane; can you make a film like this with visuals like these in vertical plane? Stop ruining the art form. Everything today is consumed on that vertical frame that gives no sense of orientation or the idea about space, leading to a claustrophobic feel. Thankfully, this film wasn't released that way, even though marketing might badly utilize it. Here Denis Villeneuve is showing you what cinema is and how it should be made with modern technologies.

Article 370 (2024)

Surprise! This is really a good film.

[7/10 · 3 March 2024]

Surprise! This is really a good film and a very well made. Perfectly captures every important angle related to the 370 article and its abrogation. Which gives you a gripping edge-of-the-seat experience, powerful performances, Yami Gautam pulls off a Vicky Kaushal from URI. It's great to finally see a Hindi film in a houseful theater (on its 2nd Sunday) that finally features no songs or character's dance, the classic way of making films.

As it's said 'it was an act to keep Kashmir and its people away from India by keeping them in India and rest of India from Kashmir' the abrogation changed it. Also I personally believe that PoK and that hypocrite army-ruled country will eventually be part of India like it was before, its just a matter of time and a political turmoil away with China being the crybaby antagonist just witnessing history.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

An incredible experience of cinema as art! One that draws you in and never lets go.

[8/10 · 23 February 2024]

And the Oscar for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Editing & Best Music goes to... An incredible experience of cinema as art! One that draws you in and never lets go, from the very first frame which can be interpreted in many ways to the Trinity Test and how he presented the entire sequence both visually and using sound; the best sequence I've seen since Hitchcock's iconic shower scene in Psycho, evoking a similar visceral experience. Profoundly impactful, something you can only feel in a theater. Watching on phones or laptops simply cannot replicate its profound effect. It stands as the apex of Nolan's illustrious career, while Cillian Murphy's and Robert Downey Jr's performance shines as a long-overdue triumph. The sound design alone cements its status as unparalleled in past century.

12th Fail (2023)

The best Hindi movie of 2023 from the best director and the best actor of that year.

[8/10 · 14 January 2024]

What could be a better compliment for this film than saying - if Satyajit Ray was alive and had to make a film very close to Pather Panchali with modern technologies and modern colors then this is how he would have made and executed this story. It masterfully excels in every department from all aspect; writing, making, staging, telling, acting, casting, music everything leave you spellbound on every emotional level. VVC's discerning eye discovered the essence of Apu's soul and spirit in Manoj, creating a cinematic masterpiece reminiscent of Ray's films. It's timeless and will be relevant in time. The best Hindi movie of 2023 from the best director and the best actor of that year.

Sam Bahadur (2023)

Should Have Treated It as Manekshaw's Contribution on The 1971 War Instead of His Biopic.

[7/10 · 11 December 2023]

Could have been way better than this, very weak screenplay, totally not baked properly. Yes, 40+years 5 wars is lot for a 2hr-long film, still making wise and writing wise should have been better. But for its standard, it gets better in the second half specifically when it shows the Bangladesh parts. When it shows the biggest achievement of Sam Manekshaw 'The Bangladesh Liberation' that's when the drama peaked in the entire film, should have treated it as Manekshaw's contribution on the 1971 war instead of his biopic.

It's Vicky Kaushal who saves it with his powerful and nuanced performance, totally chewed the character in, he made it look like method acting. He not only gets the outside but also gets the voice perfectly. Two years ago he brilliantly played Udham Singh now Sam Bahadur, surely an actor born to portray the pre-partition India's historic titular characters. But Sardar Udham is a way better film than this and its two different things to give a great performance in a well written and directed film than to done the same in a badly written and made film. He would have earned an Oscar nomination if it was a Hollywood film.

--@pranabchaudhury (03/12/23)

Surongo (2023)

Disappointing... Afran Nisho is the only positive thing to watch.

[5/10 · 4 July 2023]

Despite the hype and marketing, this film falls short due to its poorly written script and amateurish execution, resulting in a disappointing experience. And if you're an evolved film audience, you can easily guess the main plot-twist. To me it misrepresents itself as a suspenseful thriller, but is actually a clichéd tragic love-story with no originality. With many tonal shifts, the central message revolves around the dominance of money and its role in love and tragedy like how women chooses money & sex over love, a theme seen countless times before in many films across languages. Afran Nisho delivers a commendable performance, yet it is not his best if one has seen his Natoks and TV performances. There's this chance this coming decade is going to be his, to truly shine, he should collaborate with talented directors instead of pseudos like this. Bangladesh possesses promising emerging filmmakers who deserve opportunities in commercial cinema.

Trial by Fire (2023)

A Brilliant Show!

[8/10 · 14 June 2023]

A Brilliant Masterpiece. Netflix's Finest. It ingeniously diverges from the typical investigative thriller or courtroom drama, presenting a unique perspective on a well-known incident. Through the lens of grieving parents, and people who lost their loved ones, it delves into the intricate tapestry of internal conflicts and moral dilemmas, delivering an intensely human drama. Outstanding performances, complemented by great cinematography. An absolute must-watch that resonates deeply. My favorite episode is the Sixth Episode, really liked the way they shot it, staging and blocking, presenting it using invisible cuts to make it look like long takes, perfectly done. And the ending shot breaking the fourth-wall is my best moment.

The Lift Boy (2019)

Prepare to be genuinely touched and find meaning within its extraordinary ordinariness.

[9/10 · 8 June 2023]

A Great Film. Very subtle, simple, ordinary yet emotionally powerful. Released in 2019, it came to my attention purely by chance through Netflix's algorithm, and I am immensely grateful for the discovery. A Heartwarming Tale of Self-Discovery and Redemption. I can't recall the last time a film affected me so deeply, as I effortlessly connects and relates with the character and even the story. Highly recommending to anyone in their mid-20s to late-20s, like me you'll be genuinely touched and find meaning within its extraordinary ordinariness... Give it a shot. I wish I had someone like Mrs. D'Souza in my life...

Jubilee (2023– )

A great series. Probably my favourite after Breaking Bad!

[9/10 · 24 April 2023]

A great series. Probably my favourite after Breaking Bad! The Pilot episode is like a film itself. Has to be the best pilot in any language after Breaking Bad's. Also the best episode of the entire series. Totally loved it. It's not a film within a series, Jubilee is the Cinema here. And outstanding performances from each cast member, but Aparkshakti Khurana owns this one, what an act he has put on here, truly the director's actor. Jay Khanna is everyone who wants to make films today, fully emotionally connected with his characterisation. Written perfectly with beautiful cinematography, shines in every other department - production design, costume, makeup, editing. So many parallels to old Hindi films like 'Kagaz Ke Phool', 'Pyasa', 'Awara', and probably the best homage to the iconic movie 'Shree 420'. Overall I loved it so much that I would put this series at top, above Scared Games and all other shows in India. A must watch if you're a cinephile, love old Hindi films and interested in filmmaking...

The Offer (2022)

Why not everyone's talking about this, Cinephiles it's about how they made one of your beloved movies.

[9/10 · 24 March 2023]

Why not everyone's talking about this, Cinephiles it's about how they made one of your beloved movies. An incredible series that is surely to get its due credit with times. Loved it.

A series about the making of The Godfather by its producer Al Ruddy's perspective. Undoubtedly took many artistic liberties to tell the amazing true story, so many of the things I have seen, & read over the years, that gave credit to Coppola, this series gives those credits to Ruddy. Balances fact and fiction in such a lovable way. The real-life Mafia struggles juxtaposed against the backdrop of the film & it's making is really intriguing to watch. Acting performances are mind blowing! Matthew Goode, Juno Temple, Burn Gorman are obviously excellent, steals every scene but Miles Teller has really grown on me since Whiplash to this as Ruddy. The next big thing.. A Must Watch, if you love The Godfather Trilogy...

What a great way to celebrate the 51st anniversary of The Godfather, released on this day 1972.

Mrs. Chatterjee vs. Norway (2023)

This film could have been the best film coming out of Bollywood in a long time but it's not, and it's no less than a good film.

[7/10 · 20 March 2023]

This film could have been the best film coming out of Bollywood in a long time but it's not, and it's no less than a good film. Conveying a message that wasn't conveyed and shown from this perspective before in Indian films. Hopefully Norway will work on some of their policies and respect other foreign cultures and understand the differences...

Rani Mukherji delivers one of her best performances till date, if not the best. Choosing challenging characters in last few years which she can do justice by enacting them with emotions, expressions, body language, embracing her Bengali identity or voice or look perfectly in a different way than those who typically use it - for their characters chubby-Bengali-matured-woman look, stereotypically sexual driven Boudis, or disrespectful to own culture by wearing saree in an exposed fashion.

The film has many flaws but yet manages to connect with you, like the biggest turn off is the Dialogues. It's so bad, in real life Bengalis don't use Hindi, Bengali & English all at once to communicate amongst families. The people I've seen or known from West Bengal or Kolkata mostly use Bengali or English, hardly any Hindi and when it's established properly that the both husband & wife are Bengalis from West Bengal, then at least they don't need Hindi when they communicate between themselves or in their family. This cocktail of languages is so bad, that it feels like watching a TV Serial whenever they're switching between languages - one line in Bangla then two lines in Hindi with few words in English in between. This forcefulness of making it "Indian" wasn't necessary, it's awkward and weird. Pick one language and stick to that, why make a cocktail of all the languages! Should have picked Hindi, even though Rani with her Bangla could have easily executed the film perfectly. This switching of languages even affects Rani's performances, at least to me it makes her performance melodramatic. And Editing is one more department where the film doesn't do justice. The climax specially those last 20 mins is just so heartwarming, emotionally touching you deep. Jim Sarbh owns it. And since the language in the courtroom sequence is only in one language it doesn't feel irritating and draws your full attention.

It's no waste of money, worthy of your time & attention, didn't know about Sagarika Chakraborty and her tragic story, now I know. And I Respect.

Triangle of Sadness (2022)

Perhaps the best movie of this year. But I've seen "The Admirable Crichton (1957)"

[8/10 · 7 March 2023]

Perhaps the best movie of this year, Period. It will be hard to choose one between this and 'Everything Everywhere All at Once'. How just by showing with images and without any explanation or exposition you can evoke feelings & thoughts into minds. A film that takes a different approach to class-characterizations & class-differences. Portrays them all as nice, and describes people at the bottom aren't always genuine or generous. It doesn't follow the road that Parasite followed with same themes. Brilliantly written, always a big admire of screenplays written in Chapter format. Loved the climax and the entire chapter 'Island'. Even outstanding cinematography, instantly draws you into the film. Deservingly nominated for the Big three Oscars.

But I've seen "The Admirable Crichton (1957)", it's exactly the same plot. Let's just say Ruben Ostlund was "inspired" by it.

The Fabelmans (2022)

This is Steven Spielberg's "Cinema Paradiso"

[8/10 · 15 February 2023]

This is Steven Spielberg's "Cinema Paradiso". And this is my story, this is how I fell in love with cinema and its making. Through Camera, Through Photography... A beautiful movie about a moviemaker by the moviemaker himself for the moviemakers & movie lovers across globe. It tells the story of young Spielberg, who was born with it, he's fascinated by the movie camera, he could present any stories interestingly and all he needed was inspiration. The two most powerful moments in the film that will become cult moments, (1) that scene where Sammy aims the projector at his open palms using his hands as a temporary screen to watch the film more closely. (2) when Sammy notices his mother's affair with his uncle while cutting the film he shot, which he didn't notice when he was capturing, metaphorically saying ' you notice more in editing room than in production when you see them objectively with a different perspective(a sign of an amateur filmmaker) and its saying the camera captures everything '. This movie proves Spielberg wasn't only living his life but also viewing it as film all his life, finally revealing us his secrets from childhood and personal life. Writing, Cinematography, Acting, Production Design everything was so old school like classics.

A must watch for every picture-maker, movie lovers & Spielberg fans. And loved the last shot & movement, "it's interesting when the horizon is at the bottom or the top." Throughout the film it was in the middle which was boring but as soon as he met his idol he changed it to what he was taught.

Sardar Udham (2021)

Masterpiece. This is cinema. Shoojit Sircar Never Disappoints.

[8/10 · 14 February 2023]

Finally watched this after delaying it for the perfect moment, it was today. A true masterpiece. Shoojit Sircar never disappoints, one of all time great & favourite directors "for-the-reason". One of the finest nonlinear storytelling, great writing, nicely shot & great acting from everyone. Even those who played the British characters, it's rare that in a Bollywood movie they'll allow British actors or characters to shine. Vicky Kaushal's best performance after the great Masaan. And the final act is just truly mind blowing, those last 40mins was so uneasy & disturbing to watch. Brilliantly shot, staged & directed in such a way that felt real as if someone went back in time and put invisible cameras in between. The only thing that's bad or doesn't go well with the film is its editing, very odd, at times cutting between different angles abruptly, and stretched, could have been shortened.

Shoojit Sircar probably the best director in Bollywood today, best at biopics and someone who can make Bollywood movies without its hallmark songs/dances and this is what the industry needs. Truly deserved to be selected for Oscars from India and the jury didn't send it by saying "it has too much hatred for British" lol, and they call themselves Indians or filmmakers and give lectures in film schools. Still they expect British Govt to officially apologise for their acts, when the sense of ownership is lost in what's rightfully yours...

The Whale (2022)

This Is Cinema and This is Acting

[8/10 · 8 February 2023]

Has to be one of Darren Aronofsky's top-3 best films. An emotionally deeply touching story of a father. A beautiful & simple cinematography, very stage-like. A nice & perfect continuity editing and an outstanding acting by Brendan Fraser! This movie introduced me to this actor, what a performance !! Who holds the film together in a role that I hope will bring him the the Oscar, he deserves it. Also special mention to the climax of the film, the final minutes of the film which will bring tears to your eyes even if you're not an evolved movie-audience.

Don't miss this one. I'm going to check previous works of Brendan Fraser!

Pathaan (2023)

It's not a film more of an action-VFX-video experience & a ride.

[3/10 · 31 January 2023]

Expected an illogical cringe and Bollywood logically never fails to disappoint. John Abraham was the best thing in the entire show. It's less of a film more of a action-VFX-video experience & a ride. Because Films are consist of story-arc, storytelling, structure, character-arc, acting, editing, directing; only having some plot points and verbal exposition does not produce a good film. Even having actors with more craze globally than the best of the actors of all time can't help. The craze SRK/Salman has globally even Brando/Pacino/DeNiro didn't have when they were at peak of their careers. What they had was great acting skills, directors- who were taking cinema as art-form first then business-form and they had the skills of choosing scripts, characters they could justify and portray in a way that becomes cult & very mass friendly yet very uniquely distinctive. And even after ruling for 50+yrs they still looking to do the same. SRK's acting is equal to his choices of scripts/films, which is very pathetic. When was the last time you saw him doing justice to his 'actor-self', for me it was My Name Is Khan post this he has lost the magic of it. That scene with Salman he's very weird there, Salman was being normal, being himself to be precise. I guess SRK underperformed there to match Bhaijaan's standard there. Even though both are bad in expressions and delivery, more of cliches. And the songs are totally irrelevant, does nothing for the film just there to create controversy and to show-off the actor "Shah Rukh Khan" not Pathaan the main character of the movie.

Surely SRK doesn't read his scripts, a person who has done some of the cult-classics which is both art & entertainment can not do these for more than a decade. Talks about comeback, biggest cinema ever all that are good but nothing changed, did it? My suggestion- have a writer/filmmaker as your manager, pay him/her the same you're paying currently and let them choose the film, read the scripts. Having people with management degrees to manage you will only give you these types of business-driven video contents. Looking forward to disappoint again in June. 🤙🏻