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Priscilla (2023)
Poignant tale
As someone who does not know too much about Elvis, as I am from the Eastern part of the world (but I still know of him that's how famous he is) this film was an effortless introduction to him as a person. The film being directed by Sofia Coppola is the reason I watched it in the first place, aided by the fact that Priscilla herself was involved in the making at some level which makes this film an authentic tale, at least from Priscilla's point of view. I breezed through the film completely engrossed by her being hopelessly sucked into Elvis's world. The film also reveals some of Elvis's troublesome behavior but never lingers upon it too much. I wonder why. Is this because Priscilla herself does not let herself dwell on these moments? Because she doesn't want the Elvis in real life to distort the image of Elvis in her head/heart? There were several moments where you wish she simply leaves him to start a fresh life, with someone her age where she can love someone and that other person loves her and no one else, wants to spend time with her, adores and cherishes her. But I suppose, we do not always want what's good for us, always curious and restless to find out what's on the other side. And having someone as Elvis pay attention to you at such a young age must have gotten straight to your head, if you were in her place. She was way more mature about it than another babbling fangirl, but it was impossible to not let it get to her head, even for Priscilla. She was exactly the kind, honest, even-tempered girl that would've made some normal upstanding man(who goes to work in the morning and comes back home every evening) an excellent wife, and held a career herself. I don't think even the most moral, pleasing, upstanding woman can make an honest husband out of a rockstar, whichever era you belonged to. The nature of the business is such. Madness is the name of the entertainment game, not safe and modest.
P. S: As I said earlier, I'm from the east and that scene where they burn the Autobiography of a Yogi book wounded me deeply. I suppose it's hard for someone from the West to understand it without knowing any of the context that you can only understand if you've grown up where I'm from. Spirituality is in the air, where I'm from, the land of spirituality. If it is only a bunch of words that make logical sense to you, but no living experience of it, it is of no use. It's not some mental gymnastics, it's about life and living, what is it that you are truly seeking from this life. I still feel Elvis's life would have been much more enhanced and meaningful had he had someone real guru (not that makeup guy who was trying to be his spiritual teacher what a joke) to guide him on the path in a real manner that actually, and not some philosophical hamster wheel discussion. The fact that Elvis had some inclination towards spirituality but no proper guru to guide him, really saddens me. What I take for granted since I was born where I am is far out of understanding for some people, who think material pleasures mean everything, really puts into perspective for me how grateful I am for being born as a practicing Hindu, rooted in my culture, to my people, to my land, that always keeps me balanced however high I may go in terms of material success.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022)
Great OTT watch
The film is great for showcasing how:
1. The living are much scarier than the dead
2. You should make the best of your destiny instead of wanting someone else's however great theirs might be.
Cobra Kai (2018)
All out
There is no BS with this show that's what I love most about this show, also dig how they incorporate moments from the karate kid movies so well. However it drives me nuts how I'm supposed to root for a guy that continually places a sport that he left in high school and some other kid over his own minor child who's literally dependent on him. What kind of screwed up redemption that is, I hope I'll never know. But thank god this is not real life, and since it was entertaining af, which is the sole purpose of any show/film (which some people in showbiz tend to forget and start taking themselves too seriously) i gladly give up my logics for a feel of that magic. (Logic is limiting to a certain extent i suppose) Just as common sense is uncommon, entertainment in the entertainment industry is uncommon so when you find one that went all out to give it to you, you go all in.
Hogu-ui Sarang (2015)
The good man
The titular character is so thoroughly good and kind in every circumstance that it just makes me want to let my guard down a bit, and be kind without hesitation. Think lesser when it comes to offering kindness. It truly is such a memorable character.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Greatest film written
I don't know why people even bother making movies when this film exists. Any writer and filmmaker worth their salt will not be able to sleep going mad trying to create what this film was able to achieve. The greatest written film ever made.
Never Have I Ever (2020)
Damn good stuff
This show deserves an award being better than its first season, which was already great. That is such a rare phenomenon. As a general rule, I do not watch TV shows for the simple fact that they stretch themselves for longer than necessary by being unnecessarily dramatic in a totally ungratifying manner that makes you go 'stop wasting my time'. Even sex education s2 could not help but resort to this. Never have i ever, on the other hand is so great because it has drama and not just for the sake of being dramatic. The plotlines never overstay their welcome, and it keeps flowing from one to the other in a smooth, streamlined fashion, that it should probably be a textbook on teen dramas.
Flipped (2010)
Perfect
I cannot believe they really made this little piece of perfection and send it out into the world, just for me to catch it. This movie is much, much more than the sum of its parts or the length of it for that matter. I always had and still do have an aversion to depiction of children in love, because they're usually cloying and that makes me squeamish. But this was just not that. At all. It really just plays out like the perfect encapsulation of a feeling, as if all these people who acted and worked for this were wheels of a train driving that feeling straight into me. How did all of these separate people manage to create this one particular wonderful feeling in me when it is so vague i find it hard to describe yet so concrete i cannot deny it seeping into me.
Drishyam 2 (2021)
Masterly crafted
One would not expect a crime thriller to be a comfort watch but this movie ends up being that for me, somehow. It's comforting to be in the presence of Georgekutty, because you know nothing will go wrong as long as he's there. He's the actual best. And the lengths he goes to though may have been stretched to a fault, yet the poetic justice in the planning being the punishment, never taking rest, is something that touched my heart. Although I want to add that such constant vigilance though may appear to be a chore and a punishment is actually a blessing in disguise and something that we all should implement as well. The world is full of dangers and surprises, and best way to survive is the Georgekutty way.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Like a rock song
I enjoyed it like a good rock song I jam to when I'm walking
Back to the Future (1985)
I love you more than any movie made in Hollywood
I love love love this film. This film is so very good. I can see myself revisiting it in the future, for sure. And I love Marty McFly. He's the best character to exist from America. I grew to be so fond of him. The biggest thing that this film makes one realize is that if you do something differently than what you're always doing take a risk, be braver, you can change the entire course of your future, and the future in general. Now, isn't that one wonderul story to tell?
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Makes the viewer feel inadequate
Like Hannibal Lecter says about the questionnaire that Clarice brought to him to understand him, 'You can't dissect me with a blunt knife' or something like that I do not think myself worthy of dissecting the genius that is this film. It was also quite gory in a generic way too. One can clearly see how it was surely a success at the box office as well. This film can be as personal and intriguing or as shallow as the viewer would like it to be. They don't make many films like these. The writing is truly inspired. One doesn't come across that very often, not in Hollywood or anywhere else for that matter.
Set It Up (2018)
Rom-com gold
The writing of this film was so fresh and surprising in all the best ways, especially considering that not a lot of innovation goes into making a film of this genre. This film was clearly made with a lot of love and good intentions and excellent penmanship. There were some exhilirating moments in the film that made for such a enjoyable girl night experience. Thank you so much for giving this film to the world. This is clearly an unabashed appreciation post because all I really wanted to say was 'thank you!'
Contagion (2011)
Ridiculously real
This film deserves a 10 on 10 just for that last scene on how the virus originated. It sent chills down my spine on how eerily accurate this film was in capturing what is now a reality that we're living in. The writing department deserves a standing ovation for the scenes surrounding the state's response to the pandemic, questions of morality and greed during times like these. I wish any one of the countries had given as much thought that this film's makers had given to what might happen during a global pandemic, because even that little bit of preparedness would have gone a long way in helping us now. Let us at least now be more environmentally conscious and perceptive.
All the Money in the World (2017)
Impactful film
We watch and consume endless amount of content on a daily basis. This film was so impactful that I can still remember it behind the retina of my eyes, the way that it made me cry for the extent of lack of humanity and how cruel people can be. The fact that this is actually a true story made it all the more real. The coldness of the grandfather to his grandson even after knowing how much cruelty he had suffered sent a shiver though my spine. it is only much after i was done watching the film that I could think rationally enough to appreciate the out of the park performance of Christopher Plummer. Michelle Williams as the mother of a teenager gave a solid performance that bolstered the film's authenticity. It's one of those films that you can never forget. I don't know if there could be a higher compliment than that.
The Big Short (2015)
Absolute gem of a film
The writers of this film are absolutely brilliant and I am sending the warmest of thoughts their way. This film provided an absolutely fantastic viewing experience to my father and I. We were spellbound by the absolute control the film took over our minds. This film offers an intense intellectual stimulation and understanding of events that are are so essential to understand and so supposedly banal that no one bothers to. The greatest victory of this film is finding the nerve that lets the viewer empathize with and be enthralled by what is supposed to be strictly confined to esoteric books and discussions about finance.
Se7en (1995)
I hoped for better
My expectations from this film were nil until I saw 'Directed by David Fincher' appear on screen. that's when my expectations skyrocketed. But did he live up to them? no, sir, I'm afraid not. You see, the minute I saw Gwyneth Paltrow I knew she'd die. Because what else is she doing in a film about two detectives trying to catch a serial killer. And I knew the writers of a David Fincher film would not place a female lead attached to the protagonist just to be his wife. And it didn't look like she was providing any moral support nor cause an epiphany in the male lead which would enable to solve the case. So she had to go. Also because, that's what happens in every single Tamil film on earth. I sorely hoped fincher would do better than that. But what does he do? He goes a step further and kills her while she's pregnant. because what's better than killing the hero's wife? Killing her while she was pregnant and him not even knowing that until after she's dead. Obviously. That's some below the belt stuff man. Not cool, man. In the last few minutes of the film, I was laughing at myself for how seriously I was taking something that would stop if I closed my phone. Well, thank god Fincher grew up and made some breathtaking stuff like Mindhunter, otherwise I would never forgive him.
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
call me by your name and I'll call you by mine
You know, whenever I'm reading or watching something, I'm already thinking of the words to put together to describe what I'm consuming, adding along sentences as I progress further through the work. This one totally messed with my process. It messes up all the lines that a movie is supposed to go through, that I just gave up and had to surrender my thought process. I was forced to enter this world. This slow European summer vacation. This movie is the personification of a summer afternoon siesta.
That final act by Timothee made me forget everything that I was thinking of saying about this film, and before that, the fine actor who played his father caused the same, with that subtle glorious speech of his. "Do not kill the sorrow, and along with it the joy".
This movie is one big mood. A silence. The silence is maddening, yet the silence is addictive. If only you allow it, it will enter your bloodstream.
The Lost City of Z (2016)
The unknown
The most profound theme that this film explores is battling the unknown. We do not know for certain what is going to happen to us, the next moment or the next year, yet we must go on. For what? That we cannot answer. We console this uncertainty by thinking we do this for our loved ones.
Another thing that really kept me interested in the film is the character of the protagonist, excellently portrayed by Mr.Hunnam, I must say. The protagonist seeks to find the lost city of with a fervent zeal. Why? Because he wants to call out the superiority his fellow English carry themselves with, by proving that the people that they've labelled as 'slaves' and 'uncivilized' are in fact far more advanced in civilization than they could ever imagine. He wants to once and for all, question the bigotry of the Church, of the English, by finding the lost city of Z, proving this to all the world. His ideals kept my resentment towards thr British stop me from watching this film. Whatever may have happened to him, he was a good man and a good man, and this I will always respect him for.
I want to put in by saying that, if you wanted to prove that the colonized are in fact much more civilized than the colonizers,i.e, your fellow Englishmen, you should have come to India instead of South America.
Interstellar (2014)
Inter-not-so-stellar
I dont think this movie was even meant to make a whole lot of sense. But it is still an avenue explorer, even an interesting one at that, if only it wasn't boring initially. The movie took a while to pick up pace. At the end, when father and daughter meet, the fact that she always believed in him, even when he wasn't there, knew that he would come back, even though he didn't for a 100 years, moved me to tears. It is a well made movie, for sure.
Doctor Strange (2016)
marvelous movie magic
Stan lee, man, how you getting all your ideas man, please do tell. oh, but the magician doesn't reveal his secrets. or sorcerer, in this case. you've spinned this tale, that really does have a true basis, because i've learnt and read about levitation and other such mystical powers in the ancient yogic practices of india, especially in the himalayan region is famous for such gurus. you took that, and spun a tale that is out of this world, sparking children's imagination though yours. now more than ever, i am grateful for your existence. special mention to the vfx department, oh man, you're effort is glowing across screens around the world. and someone please give a medal to the casting director of marvel studios, please? i mean, benedict cumberbatch fits so totally and intrinsically, owning every aspect of doctor stephen strange, the sorcerer supreme. you've outdone yourself, doctor. the only reason i had knock off a star is because the first time i watched it, i found the introduction so cheesy(i mean, getting injured in an accident and going to the himalayas, really) that i had to stop and go watch the departed to restore my intellect. but i stuck around the second time, and boy, was it worth it. 'marvel'ous movie magic, indeed. ;)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
We are the guardians of the galaxy
Who knew a group consisting of a half human, a gamora, a raccoon, a drax, and a tree would create a ride worth hanging on to, and an experience worth delving into. Do i need mention the sheer brilliance of the characterizations and the well executed spiritful banter between the misfits? Also, special mention to the awesomeness of raccoon. Bradley, you're the last person i expected this from. Only makes us love you more. Also, marvel studios, congratulations on once again proving that we will gobble up anything you throw at us. You made us teary eyed for a freaking tree man, what else do you want? I felt so emotional when he said "we are groot" meaning he included them as a part of himself. Thank you for giving us yet another film which has a soul. Like all your other films do. And pulling us into your world, one movie at a time.
Ant-Man (2015)
small surprise
I did not honestly expect this movie to be so visually stunning and the whole shrinking and expanding looks so good on screen! one heck of an amazing superpower. and boy, was it hilarious. Michael pena is a comic legend. his jukebox style story narration had me in stitches, it was too good to handle! overall, the movie is ideal for taking little kids, they would have a lot of fun with the awesome visuals, and the adults would have a great time with the humor and again the visuals! so basically, everybody who watches this movie, especially together, since there is no romance scenes which would have made it awkward, the entire family, from kids to grandparents would have fun watching this movie. what more could a film achieve? stellar job, marvel!
Dil Chahta Hai (2001)
Smiling right now
I have such a wide smile on my face right now as I finish watching this movie. This makes me so happy! Such an amazing movie. Thank the gods it's a happy ending!
We all deserve one. Now i know exactly which movie to go to when I need to make myself feel better. :D
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India (2018)
Made in India
The struggles that our fellow countrymen go through on a daily basis is sometimes so easy to forget, staying in a metropolitan, sitting in front of our devices, binge watching, and Instagram surfing. Just to be heard, just to get their basic rights, which they should've gotten without asking, but for which they have to go through hell to receive. Until and unless we appreciate working men and women of this great nation, and empower them, because all they need is people to help them up, if not that, at the least not step on their progress, we will not go anywhere as a country. Show some appreciation to every person who has put some thought and effort behind the things that they have done. Look at the people around you, your cleaning maids, your carpenter, plumber, tailor, and appreciate their work when they done a good job. Because artisans and workers can only flourish in a society that supports them and lets them grow. After watching this movie, I looked at the dress I'm wearing, and was wondering how much effort must have gone behind stitching the flower on my skirt, using four different colors of thread. And that is the success of this movie.
Taxiwaala (2018)
Could've wrapped it up smarter
You know that "voila" moment when you wrap up a present neatly, and tie the ribbon with a flourish? That moment is missing in 'Taxiwaala'. Like the character 'Sisira' who is struck between life and death, this movie is also struck somewhere between being a good film and a great film. The whole emotional drama aspect in the second part of the movie got too routine for my liking. If it was more smart rather than emotional, it would've been a great film. Nevertheless, the screams and laughs that this movie elicited must be duly credited for. The hilarity, in the form of Shiva, Babai and Hollywood, is the soul of this cinema that held it together, not letting it fall apart. Special mention to the actor who played 'Hollywood'. Did not get the feeling that this was a movie as long as you were there. Also special mentions to the writer, DOP, and director in that order.