siddv-59707 Reviews

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

One of the best theatre experiences this year!

[9/10 · 14 December 2023]

This is how monster movies should be done! The monster drives the central conflict in the movie, but humans are at the front and center and the story is firmly rooted in emotion while the monster is used to move along the plot. While the story itself isn't necessarily fresh, its the acting and sincerity of storytelling that results in a moving experience. And the backdrop of post-World War 2 Japan was an excellent choice which helped certain plot points and increased the intensity of the Godzilla crisis as experienced by the characters. The cinematography and shot choices with Godzilla are terrific and succeed in protraying it as an incredibly huge, invincible creature that is solely out for destruction. This is a legitimately scary monster, and for once, the stakes feel very high for a monster movie that shows so much mass destruction. This is surely a feat considering the plot is mainly focused on a deeply personal story of a group of few people. Certain scene choices, especially with the boat early on, reminded me of Jaws and the movie surely draws inspiration from it while presenting its monster. But unlike Jaws, it does not use its monster sparingly. In fact, it is introduced in full frame in the very first scene. Yet the sound design and camera angles make it a truly formidable villain. And the Imax viewing with its terrific sound just enhanced my viewing experience. My seat was shaking with each step that Godzilla took, and it put me smack in the center of all the action as it unfolded. This was my first Godzilla movie, and it turned out to be truly memorable and one of the best theatre experiences I have had this year!

May December (2023)

An understated, uncomfortable viewing experience

[9/10 · 11 December 2023]

This movie deals with a really interesting premise that's handled with delicateness and sincerity. The movie doesn't overtly tell the viewers much - so much is interpreted through subtexts and undercurrents in all the character interactions - and this understated approach manages to create an atmosphere of uncertainty where you are constantly trying to understand character motives. The movie does a good job of getting under your skin in certain scenes by conveying this feeling that there's a lot more just under the surface than what the characters are revealing to us. The acting is superb - both the female leads put on brilliant, unhinged performances in their own ways. The pacing might feel a bit off at times. But one of my favourite parts of the movie was perhaps its soundtrack, with the dissonant piano riff accentuating the unsettling nature of certain scenes, or the subtle emotional strings that accompany some of the more emotional beats. One could go back and rewatch this movie several times and get a new perspective on the drama each time, but the slow burn pace and thoughtfulness probably reserves it only for the more mellow, pensive evenings.

Goodbye (I) (2022)

Emotional and moving, but also tedious

[8/10 · 5 December 2022]

A really bittersweet movie which challenges the usual Indian mourning scene by poking a bit of fun at it and asking the right questions about the whole industry that thrives around its rituals. But it does so without taking any sides. In fact, the messaging seems to convey that while the younger generation is justified in questioning the logic behind such rituals, the so-called "blind beliefs" might not be flawed just because we do not fully understand them. It was an interesting and refreshing take from a film industry which usually seems to have a propaganda to portray older beliefs/practices in a negative light in an effort to appear "progressive" or "modern". The film keenly presents several different perspectives on a single family member's death, and how such an event might actually strengthen the bonds and bring together a family that has already drifted away from each other.

Acting-wise, everyone did a great job, but I really loved Amitabh Bachchan's performance here (though I can't really say he wins me over in all his movies). A particular scene where he talks to his wife's ashes before scattering them was visceral and brought me to tears - I don't know what grief he channeled into that scene, but it felt like he was genuinely crying and his agony touched my heart immensely. I really think he is a director's actor - in the capable hands of Vikas Bahl, he really shines through as a patriarch who is deeply moved by the death of his wife and the events that follow.

Now coming to the runtime of this film - it definitely felt very stretched. The last 30 minutes could have easily been trimmed and the whole movie could have benefitted from tighter editing.

But overall, I really liked this movie for its presentation of family bonds in the time of adversity. It made me wanna have many brothers and sisters and a dog and live in a nice villa somewhere in an Indian town haha!

Avatar (2009)

The most immersive spectacle!

[10/10 · 26 September 2022]

And it holds up so well to this day, I don't think I have seen a better looking film to this day! It was an absolute treat rewatching this in 3D in the biggest Imax theater my city has. In my opinion, this is probably the best use of 3D in any movie. All those copy cat movies that came after it in 2009 were just gimmicks in comparison. I never got a chance to watch this film in a theater when it originally released, and so I never appreciated it as much. But now that I am older and I can understand the emotional beats better too, I have redeemed myself.

The world building in the first half of the movie frequently gave me goosebumps. So much detail and so elegantly imagined! James Cameron and his whole team are freaking geniuses! I even loved the interactions and dynamics between all the humans when they aren't exploring that gorgeous forest. Great dialog and excellent pacing considering that the movie clocks in at just under 3 hours. My only minor gripe was that I felt the war sequences in the second half went on for a bit too long. But the action was so brilliantly designed and emotionally engaging that I can look over it. Combined with the underlying anti-imperialist messages, this is probably the most stunning spectacle put to screen! Imax and 3D were literally built for this! Take a bow James Cameron!