School of Rock (2003)

Genre: Comedy

Theme: Rock Music

Undercurrent: Self-belief, Team work

Language: English

School of Rock is an adventure film about a wannabe rock star Dewey (by Jack Black). He is an extremely positive person with lots of confidence upon himself and his music but fails too often to be taken seriously. He lives upon the generosity of his friend/former band mate Ned (by Mike White) and his girlfriend. Dewey steals a substitute teaching job from his friend and uses the talented students to form a band to win a local contest called 'Battle of Bands'. Here is Dewey, the opportunist who takes everything possible to enforce his will on his life.

This must be the role that Jack Black is born for. He lives it, literally. The fun never stops. The energy is vibrant and everywhere. There isn't a moment in the movie where the music or the vibe stopped. There is music, there is comedy that clicks, the jokes are funny, the sentiments are just enough, casting is good and the acting is awesome. The conversations are so well written that one doesn't feel the cliche moments taking off at any time. Screenplay by Mike White is simple yet very effective. All the kids are given roles that fit their age, thus keeping the 'cheering to innocence' part of the movie alive. This must have been a cult hit.

The classes called 'Rock Appreciation' and 'Rock History' show the profound respect that the makers have for music. To have such a scene for so long might be a director's vision but a producer's risk. All must be credited for the boldness and sincerity in what they believed is the subject of the movie. The risk is worth it and it helps connect the audience to the passion of the protagonist. We should have more such respect for the subjects in every movie, that helps understand the background better. 

Although the pre-climax is filled with cliche challenges, the music given by the band covers it up towards the end. The movie rocks full of smart humour that is enlivened by the performance of Jack Black. Being a rock artist himself, Jack Black must have felt the character to the heart as he eases through the general expressions and body language to great comedy timing and some personal touches in each scene that make a lot of difference each time. The Oscars may have overseen his work, as they do with most comedians, but that is their loss. This is comedy at its best.

Bad Ma Ra Khahad Bord (1999)

Genre: Symbolist
Theme: A rural landscape in Iran
Undercurrent: Contrasts of urban and village living
Language: Persian
Watched it with English subtitles

Behzad Dourani (as Engineer ) is a broadcast journalist and the lead assigned to cover an unusual funeral ceremony in a remote Kurdish village hundreds of miles outside of Tehran. He keeps his identity hidden so as to not appear like a person waiting for death in the community. As the Engineer lives in this remote village, Abbas Kiarostami (the director) takes us through the landscape in a journey that is slow and enchanting. The Engineer moves from his urban life to embrace a shy rural life, that is beautiful and protective of itself. This is symbolically shown in his flirting with the girl while she milks the cow in the dark. This contrast is shown through out and is used in a subtle way to show the vast differences in lifestyles and thinking, which both amazes and endeared me. 

The movie also moves by a first-person narration. The entire story is how the Engineer sees everything. But the director urges us to see the big tree on the side of the road, the curvy lengthy roads and the dry landscape in detail through narration and technique. The director uses unpredictability and mystery everywhere as nothing is certain. The humor comes from the clash of lifestyles, from the unknown and his way of being in a world he is clueless about. The plot is way too simple but the writing sticks strongly to a thriller style suspense over everything - even leaving some questions unanswered at the end because such is the way of life as we see it around us. 

The Engineer has to drive every single time to a cemetery to be able to use his cell phone and connect to his world, that is the city. Every time this happens, he passes over poultry or cattle. Each scene he lives has hills filled with crops, the friendliness of a sensitive village boy, woman bearing her 10th child casually, the fights between a couple who run a tea shop, food being sent over by everyone to the dying woman, women walking to the funeral in large numbers , kicking the tortoise around and so on. We also have the life perspective of a kind doctor which tells us of our inappreciativeness of nature around us and the beauty that we live in, which is exactly what the movie has opened up for all. My favorite scene is the conversation of the Engineer and the Doctor. The superb performance of Behzad Dourani brilliantly portrays the director's view while the rest of the cast is all of village people which can be felt strongly by their shyness in front of the camera which made it feel like a documentary with a thin plot. The movie is like a folk poem where the romance is all in the eyes that see the movie. This is a wonderful narration by subtle story-telling and conveying by symbols which is rarely explored.

Neadekvatnye lyudi (2010)

Genre: Romedy

Theme: Love

Undercurrent: Self improvement

Language: Russian

Watched it: On Youtube with English subtitles

30 year old Vitaly (Ilya Lyubimov) is a single guy trying to start a decent life, a life different from his normality. As he moves to Moscow to get over his guilty past, he befriends Kristina (by Ingrid Olerinskaya), a 20 year old girl. He also happens to be the find for his nymphomaniacal boss Marina (by Yuliya Takshina). As Vitaly and Kristina realize their love for each other to come over the hurdle of their age gap, they understand how they are different and embrace it. 

This movie moves upon conversations. The plot is neither rich nor does it have any special points of interest. All the scenes are shot in limited spaces - Vitaly's apartment, Kristina's apartment, Marina's office room, Vitaly's desk, a small pub, some shots of the office, one at a bar and 2 on road. This movie is on a shoe-string budget which can be seen at many places - the inconsistency with lighting, colorist's faults, inadequate music, lack of good background music, mistakes in recording etc., but the movie is a good treat. It was an enjoyable and happy watch. 

The innocence and quirkiness of a teenager are always happy to watch if one keeps out their attitude problems. As Kristina learns to interact and be positive about the world around her, Vitaly tries to forget some of his past and mend his ways to be a better person. Both become key to each other in this process and this blossoms into love. This change is so beautifully presented and well constructed that at any point, we just feel exactly what the line is - never a bit more, never a bit less - just that fine line from friendship to love. This is done keeping the insecurities and strengths of the lead pair intact which makes us feel for them and appreciate their growth. Screenplay, editing and direction are the highlights of this wonderful movie that keeps the elements of Russian art intact. 

As each character moves about to different changes through the line - as a mother appreciates her daughter, a psychologist understanding his patient, a girl appreciating people, a man finding love, a colleague moving through depression and so on, the elements merge into the story beautifully. This has been a feature that is common with most Russian dramas and is very endearing. My favorite scene is the last between mother and daughter - as the mother cries and moves her fears aside, her young daughter opens her wings into the world. To show change as it happens, the director uses subtle techniques with light, placing of characters, movement and body language. These are hard to depict as the actors just scrape through except the woman who played the mother's role, she stood way above everyone despite the brief role. While the innocence from her age carried Ingrid Olerinskaya half-way, she performed satisfactorily but the challenging role of Vitaly was a bit too much for Ilya Lyubimov as he failed to portray enough seriousness in many places, often being rigid at sensitive parts. The chemistry between them is missing in some places but is managed by using camera angles and nice dialogues. 

As the movie is made on a $100,000 budget, which is what some short films spend, it projects the talent of Roman Karimov (who made a brief cameo as a barman). And to do so in the budget, he has donned many caps including music, writing, and direction. I am eager to see what this talent can deliver, given better budget and technology. This movie reminds me a lot of Gautham Menon's works. 

Creed (2015)

Genre: Sports Drama

Theme: Fighting against odds

Undercurrent: Accepting oneself

Language: English

Watched it at a multiplex

After 'The Expendables', Sylvester Stallone is written off as a spent force. But Creed (call it Rocky 7) proved otherwise by superb direction from Ryan Coogler and cinematography/camera work by Maryse Alberti. I was so happy to see Stallone deliver emotion and raw pain so beautifully - you can feel it and sympathize with him instantly. Rocky is back but the punches here are from Adonis "Hollywood Donnie" Creed (played by Michael B. Jordan). Like the first Rocky, this movie also has a sweet love story that explores the softer side of what is otherwise anger, work-out and ferocity. Bianca (by Tessa Thompson), as an ambitious singer, probably signifies a changing role of leading women since the time of Rocky. She also stands along with the theme of positivity in pursuing a career in music despite issues with hearing. The movie's feel is a rip-off in all ways from the original Rocky and that is what is expected of it. Just as in the first Rocky, "Conlan won the fight, but Donnie won the night" says the commentator at the end of the match. 

Donnie is an ambitious youngster who is brash. He fights against half his identity but finds his passion in the same. He want to know his father and boxing, and reaches out to Rocky Balboa who is now left alone after the death of his wife and friends. This part of the movie is set up slowly, almost as a drag. As the personality unfolds later and the dynamics kick in, the drag seems worthy. It was courageous of the writer to believe in the strength of his characters to take such a time building them in a sports drama - like a full length drama, almost. 

Donnie finds love in Bianca and a mentor in Rocky who shields, guides and trains him. He throws around him the right people and the Rocky attitude. This has to be seen by the personality of Donnie in the final bout. Special mention must go to the fight sequence shot in a single scene, written by Ryan Coogler and Aaron Covington. It felt raw and took me right into the ring - spectacular. How did the cameraman get the scene so perfectly? I am also surprised at how authentic it looked despite being a hard experiment.

Alongside Donnie who learns to embrace his identity, Rocky is a man in pain whose ever-positive attitude has changed. He must learn to fight a different battle with cancer. As he fights his cancer, one to which his wife succumbed to, he gets to be a better man. There is a happier smile on him by the end and that is good to watch. The movie's finish at the steps of Philadelphia Art Museum is nostalgic and is my favorite. It is Rocky's pain that I felt most and his joy was what I cheered for. Stallone always excelled in portraying pain within but here he takes it to another level. Rocky is back very strongly. 

Maheshinte Prathikaram (2016)

Genre: Comedy

Theme: Love

Undercurrent: Revenge

Language: Malayalam

Watched it in a multiplex with English subtitles

If you see yourself through your youthful days, how many times will you laugh or smirk at least. Are there moments of pain from a break-up that are washed out by fresh love? When did you first discover the artist in you and what have you done with that art? Do you have good friends? Are you really serious about promises? Can you forgive the girl who cheated on you with a whole heart? If the answer to the above are true, you are almost like photographer-lover boy Mahesh Bhavana (played by Fahadh Faasil), our protagonist. The only difference is that you wouldn't have probably taken a humiliating beating for no wrong of yours. Even if you did, you wouldn't have been egoistic enough to say that you will walk bare feet till you avenge it. Even if you are crazy enough to do so, have you taken kung-fu classes to do so? If you watch the movie, you will know how Mahesh Bhavana takes all this to the next level. 

The storyline is simple, as simple as the characters and the place Idukki. The movie starts with a song that says how beautiful Idukki is and the cinematographer Shyju Khalid and the colorist excels in blending the colours and beauty of this quaint village in the hills with the story excellently. You would feel fresh but not from out of the context of daily life in a village. Good music with some sweet lyrics set up the love stories very well. There isn't a moment in the movie one is bored and all the credit goes to the editor (Saiju Sreedharan), scriptwriter (Shyam Pushkaran) and director (Dileesh Pothan) of the movie. Costumes by Sameera Sanish probably had an easy job making them pitch-perfect to each occasion and character. The tight teamwork by all the departments has succeeded in elevating the story to a good movie and not as a link-up of pretty shots or short films as is the trend today. 

Fahadh Faasil's failure in Bangalore Days disappointed me. I went with not much expectations on the lead, I was wrong and pleasantly surprised. Here is a guy who is capable of acting at elevated levels with ease, some one who is headed straight to the level of Mohan Lal. He fits the character so well that at no time can you see him make a mistake - every look, move and expression works out very well. Despite his relatively small frame, hands and feet, he has done these raw action scenes convincingly. I just kept looking at the sync between his body and his face features - as shoulders droop when his face goes down slowly and his back arches with it along with improvisations like looking away and not straight down and so on - brilliant work. This is followed by some amazing comedy timing from him. He is well assisted by Alencier Ley (Baby) and Soubin Shahir (Crispin) who produced enough dialogue and situation based comedy to match that of the towering performance from Fahadh Faasil. Aparna Balamurali (as Jimcy), Anushree (as Soumya) and K J Antony (as Mahesh's father) were good in their limited roles. The energy brought by Aparna to Jimcy's character helped the second half stand up to the first half as it is not easy to watch two different love stories back-to-back. 

My favorite scene is that of Mahesh getting inspired from his father's work as he develops a wonderful picture of a bat flying towards banana flowers that he photographed by patiently sitting in a banana grove for hours in the night - it was both surprising and sweet. The specialty of the movie is all in its ability to produce those little smiles and gentle humour throughout without losing strength in the main character. The drawback is also nearly that, the movie just moves around the main character whose arc is simple but distinctive while the rest play supporting roles. All of these generate so many types of comedy that you will feel fresh and laughing throughout - be it farce, sentiment, manners, satire, general humour and romantic comedy. Such a whole set of comedy is a big plus for the movie, a wonderful work by Shyam Pushkaran. A big applause should go to the effort taken to use only the elements of everyday life that can be formed from the main plot to generate that humour. As the story takes 5 unexpected turns, there is plenty of room to create plots for all types of comedy. Every bit is what we do or see in our daily life and there is nothing too artificial about it except a couple of farce scenes. The surprising thing is that it worked so well, despite trying so much in so little, that shows in Hyderabad have been running full since its release but Hyderabad's language is not Malayalam. As Dileesh Pothan appears in a hilarious cameo (the pic above) - "chin up, shoulders down, chin down, eyes open, ready", smile. 

The River Why (2010)

Genre: Coming of age
Theme: Fly-fishing
Undercurrent: Relationships
Language: English
Watched it over the internet at 1080p

I always wonder how screenwriters believe that they can convert a good novel into a film. In a book, the author has the advantage of time, the audience's imagination and the kind of readers who are willing to spend days to get to the feeling. The last part is the most crucial for novels like 'The River Why' by David J. Duncan, who is a conservationist and an outdoors person. It takes time to connect with nature and a lot of patience to understand that connection. By staying true to the pace of the novel and that feeling, the director and editors have made a gamble that I appreciate. For the first 20 minutes, the movie moves at a brisk pace only to set up the slow style of fly-fishing in scenic locations - minutes seem hours, but never boring.

Leaving a family of fishing-greats, Gus Overston (by Zac Gilford) finds his spiritual self in the woods by living and fishing solo. He lives in a secluded cabin to pursue fly-fishing with great passion. Occasionally visited by outsiders, and his romantic interest Eddy (by Amber Heard), his interactions with the world and with himself in this journey make a deeply philosophical movie that needs lot of patience to appreciate. The climax twist, which is my favorite scene too, is very special as it elevates Gus beyond a good fisherman and into a league of irrational men who have felt the heart of adventure and life. The act of fishing is a self-contemplative passion where the silent journey is the reward than the destination itself. At times, it reminded me of 'The Old Man and the Sea' by Ernest Hemingway. 

The beauty of such a movie relies heavily on its photography. As it is to be shot near water, deep woods and in shade many times, the task was not easy. Cinematography by Karsten Gopinath and the camera crew takes us to amazing places all over Oregon. Such is the impact of it that I felt like going off for months to a place like that because the scenery is amazing. Such commendable work is associated with a mediocre plot where the family ties go no where. Music seems too repetitive and is just about acceptable. Among the actors, except the lead, the rest just fade away. Overall, this movie is a good watch because of the honesty and respect given to the sport of fly-fishing. The character development of Gus makes an excellent coming-of-age movie that will be as memorable as the efforts put in to understand it.

Anari (1959)

Genre: Drama
Theme: Love
Language: Hindi
Watched it on Youtube

A naive orphan hero Raj Kumar (by Raj Kapoor) decides to stay honest rather than fall for the cunnings of the world. In doing so, he is called Anari (simpleton in Hindi). Although ridiculed by many, he earns the motherly affection of his landlady Mrs. D'Sa (by Lalita Pawar) and the young love of Aarti (by Nutan). In being so, he fails to retain a job in the world due to his honesty and good nature but wins the good-will of a wealthy businessman Seth Ramnath Sohanlal (by Motilal) who is the guardian of Aarti. The rich-poor divide plays in and the plot thickens with the death of Mrs. D'Sa due to poisoning for which Sohanlal is to be blamed for. But money power bends the law to make Raj Kumar the murderer of Mrs. D'Sa that he so loved. Aarti rebukes her uncle only in vain. Unable to bear losing to Raj Kumar's honesty, the egoist Seth admits to his mistake in court. The movie ends with Raj Kumar and Aarti living in Mrs. D'Sa's house, possibly along with her ghost. 

The play is a duel between two characters - one filled with love, innocence and honesty while the other is filled with enterprise, shrewdness and practicality. This is a movie that shows the Indian philosophy of virtue over enterprise, a big puller of masses. Simplicity is shown as the ultimate personality trait for lovable women. The story writer has no basis to establish the love story properly, just relying on a few scenes of integrity and naivety of Raj Kumar to amuse Aarti. The jodi is thus perfect as per old Indian cinema that tries to cater to whims of people's perceptions rather than tell stories that mould them. The director Hrishikesh Mukherjee just falls flat in exploring his lead or in daring to increase the depth in his characters. Despite resources, the movie fails to stand up to anything substantial but went on to become a superhit. 

This movie stands for the wonderful songs composed by Shankar Jaikishan and lyrics given by Shailendra/Hasrat Jaipuri. Each song is penned, composed and sung carefully to suit the scene almost giving it a feel of a musical (most Indian films are so). The songs 'Kisi ke muskurahto pe..' and 'Sab kuch seekha humne..', both sung by Mukesh and penned by Shailendra have become evergreen classics that are relevant and very popular to this day. The first song is also my favorite part of the movie. 

As much as the music, the movie's plot is enriched by the presence of two ladies who captivate the audiences with their wonderfully dramatic portrayals. Nutan's grace and quick facial movements have made the movie bearable as Raj Kumar's linear portrayal is way too boring. Mrs. D'Sa on the other hand frequently breaks into very strong emotion, all in close-up shots. But the character is so loving and portrayed with so much conviction that it seems believable and true despite all the glitches. Background music is used frequently with heavy dramatic effects with thunder, violin etc.. Here are some shots of Nutan whom I have loved through out the movie: 

Such strength in female characters is a typical Raj Kapoor mark film which helped bridge the difference between art and commercial movies in India, for a while at least. This is a simple love story where the impetus is on virtues of good and bad - all characters are thus set as black or white which doesn't help the setup realize its potential.

Dayereh (2001)

Genre: Social Drama

Theme: Gender Inequality

Undercurrent: Social Stigma

Language: Persian (from Iran)
Titles: The Circle (English) and Le Cercle (French)

The story is of the wrath faced by 7 women in the Islamic Republic of Iran. This is a story which shows that women are legally and socially abused in Iran in ways that are so many, that the birth of a girl-child is seen as a catastrophe. Life as a woman is dependent on a man's company for as little as to go out or buy a ticket. The story is bleak and grim, just as much as the climax is which strongly shows the world the current state of millions of women in Iran.

This is a more of a guerilla documentary that is made as a collage of linked events all ending in the jail. The story is the center of the picture and it is all there is to talk about. The plight of women is highlighted very well with almost each scene carrying some gag on women. The amount of pressure shown makes us breathless, even to believe of the possibility. Honestly, it is not very far from the plight of women in India - just that the law protects women here in India while the society's perceptions are horrifically very similar. 

Most of the scenes feature noisy roads and busy places, yet women are not secure. There are prostitution, extra-marital relationships, plural marriages, eve-teasing, physical attacks and female foeticide, but the women are helpless against them. Not wearing a hijab, smoking  a cigarette, PDAs and moving unchaperoned are crimes that can get women to see the hard side of law. This goes for girls as young as 13 years. That is the crux of the movie. 

Surprisingly, Iran's girl/boy ratio is 1.03 which is much healthier than most states in India. Also, the number of women pursuing education is higher than the number of men. Strangely though, the job scenario speaks otherwise. Also, women played a crucial role in overthrowing most outdated regimes and have played an active role in revolutions. Iranian women are in general no pushovers but the segregation of beaches, activities, jobs etc. have taken away many opportunities for women. The fact that they follow Islamic law strongly contradicts with the general progress women are making across the world. But when we make a set of some of the most dramatic happenings in a place, they seem way too horrific than what is real. I suspect the same from this movie as this has neither an account of a general life nor an in-depth study of any of the characters in the film. 

Technical departments have worked well to depict a simple and regular state of affairs. The production team must be applauded for their work as each shot was made in broad open roads. This is a tough ask dealing with women and a country with a strong censorship on everything. Performance of lead actors are just believable, as no character stands out due to a very limited portrayal of each. The innocent-faced youngster Nargess Mamizadeh (as Nargess) is the poster girl for the film but struggles to emote. Fatemeh Nagavi's role as the mother is harrowing as her acting is very dramatic and suits the heavy weight of the scene very well - she is the pick of the movie for me.

My favorite scene is that of Pari (by Fareshteh Sadre Orafaee) sitting across in black while her friend Elham sits in white - a contra scene that depicts the two sides of how women are perceived despite them coming from the same background. It also significantly highlights the denial of help to her friend as Elham sits away from Pari who is in dire need of help. Here, Elham is seen to represent the women in mainstream while Pari represents those who are labeled and separated. As Elham asks Pari not to smoke citing that it is a hospital (a way of depicting lack of empathy), a helpless Pari just storms out. 

Every feminist must watch this movie. Please understand that it is written and directed by men, and hence there is a sympathetic angle from where everything starts rather than a direct understanding of fear and oppression. This is like a watcher writing about a deer that is chased by a hunter. Surely, the deer's view of the chase is more authentic but this is all we can get for now. One must be mentally prepared for some grimness to watch this movie. 

Kid Svensk (2007)

Genre: Coming-of-age
Theme: Adolescence
Undercurrent: Reconciliation
Language: Finnish/Swedish
English title: That special summer
Watched: On Youtube

A smart and spontaneous pre-teen girl  Kirsi aka Kid (by Miia Saarinen) and her mother, Ester  (by Milka Ahlroth), understand each other in a challenging time of their lives. Having lost her father (most likely by drowning), the Ruotsalainen family is broken. Ester has lost her drive and has gone into a shell. The pre-teen girl feels alone and embarrassed of her mother. How they find happiness and reconcile to it forms the story.

Dr. Nanna Huolman, the writer-director of the movie, has scripted a well researched and honest account of what adolescence is like. The crossover of it with the struggle of a personal loss has been presented brilliantly. Kirsi is insecure with her mother, often annoyed at her lack of zeal. She turns to shoplifting, stealing and becomes a snob. In between, she also finds friendship and love with her more rational and sensitive childhood friend Jamppe (by Jim Rautiainen).

The script takes the hot seat in the movie. Shot in very few locations that are repetitive, the onus of carrying the movie was fully on the interactions that are shown within the main cast. The movie runs with a strong essence of childish sexuality that borders innocence, but was always held behind the struggle for the acceptance of self. To stand on such a line takes effort, as there are scenes of children curious about each other's bodily changes up to touching each other. And also scenes where the girl is shouting at her mother, while lying down on the road and crying aloud. To keep both the lines together in the child but separate in the story to ensure smooth going is special. Sexuality is shown as a discovery and an important realization for pre-teens/early teens, that goes all through their vibe, metallic music and thought through the age. So are misunderstanding, ungratefulness and insecurity with the family and related associations. The fact that I could understand a movie that is rooted in between cultures (Finnish and Swedish) far alien to me shows the universal appeal of the subject. The picture above is a scene where Kirsi tears off some flowers to express her frustration at Jamppe's disapproval of their dare, which she has fully enjoyed but he couldn't. The scene from the frame above stood out special as her mood shifts so suddenly that is typical of a teenager, one that decides on whether she is laughing in a bed of flowers or tearing them apart in tears. The understanding from each scene is even more special as I have seen this without the guiding light of background music. In fact, I have watched this movie without any sound due to a technical problem but still it was a very nice experience.

My favorite scene is that of Kirsi reuniting with her mother in the lake. Her realization of mom's value at the border of suicide and infinite fear is also natural and universal. She also accepts her Finnish village background and her mom's love interests at that very instant, magically. That is the downside of the film. One of the more important part of this is for Kirsi to feel what is around her, embrace the people and culture to respect it. She is totally capable of that as is shown by her experiences with the radio and her sharp writing skills. That is all left as a subsidiary to mom's love and that it is. Mother is also warmer at the end by giving her daughter the recorder and a surprise party. Happy ending is a very important trait of all coming-of-age movies as the audiences deeply fall for it.

The performances of all the artists are good, enough to evoke the emotion that the director wanted. I particularly like the weakness portrayed by Milka Ahlroth in the mother's role. For example, the frame on the left is from a scene where she is hesitant of taking the phone, afraid of her inability to understand or speak Swedish. The shot requires her to emote through her body which she does so perfectly. Miia Sarainen needed more expression from her face that could go well with her superb body language. At times, the character is lost as she doesn't look up into the camera. The rest of the cast is strong and did very well indeed. The movie is a delightful watch for those who love the genre.

The Giant Mechanical Man (2012)

Genre: Dramedy

Theme: Lifestyle

Undercurrent: Courage

Language: English

Watched it on the internet 720p

In the modern age filled with achievers and the quest to be like them, life seems fake. To find oneself at a slow pace or to express through a new art is ridiculed. People in late 20s or 30s who are finding their path or just satisfied with the little they have are labeled as underachievers or dumb, often with new age artists, dreamers and introverts. There is so much pressure from the society when the 'direction' is missing, that a full life is judged to be useless or immature making many feel insecure and lost. Lee Kirk's beautiful film speaks rightly and clearly about this, and also about the common assumptions of success. For some people love to be, let them be. Lot of people would actually be if there was lesser pressure, and that will keep them honest and more lively, try to feel that within one self rather than running foolishly after ambitions that have more to do with the society than self. 

The movie is a smart satire on how sensitive and honest people suffer the wrath of expectations of a materialistic world.  Janice (by Jenna Fischer) is lost in herself in the drab jobs that doesn't connect her - she is too shy and unsure to take control of her life. Tim (by Chris Messina) is a street artist who plays 'The Giant Mechanical Man' on roads, expressing his view of the grim world and trying to help people empathize with the inner-pain of what is lost through each person's lifestyle. When such people meet, they immediately connect through honesty and silence too. The soul of the movie starts functioning immediately but is immediately lost to the silly Doug (by Topher Grace) who at no time is in any way a worthy opponent of true love. His character is of a self-enforced extrovert and a motivational speaker who preaches exactly the opposite of what the lead characters are and is such an easy push-off. The lack of a proper antagonist simply dries out the last 30 minutes of the film.  

Despite the fact that there is so much to cheer for and that there is such a wonderful setup, the movie is wasted. Except the lead artists who did very well, particularly Chris Messina, the rest of the cast is just way too loud and had no real sense or connection to any of the movie's emotions. Sister sentiment between Jill (by Malin Ackerman) and Janice just falls flat as Jill is just annoying and hard to bear in every scene she is in and that is because of the dialogues and the hasty presentation.

My favorite scene is that of Janice seeing Tim for the first time and understanding his work as he does robotic movements standing as the giant silver-faced man with an American flag in the background - a bond develops that is not used to affirm Janice's knowledge of perhaps the most important side of Tim which I feel is critical to establish a love story. One can relate to the lead characters as those standing on the sidelines silently watching, unsure of what to do. Still, they are truthful about it and lead a life on which they are slowly trying to get some grip, at their own pace. Although their conversations, misunderstandings and love is all sweet to watch, their shyness and mutual affinities are a great chance to establish scenes that  help them understand each other and get them closer but it just doesn't happen - isn't it a crime to waste such a wonderful subject? This is an earnest movie that fails to go beyond the two beautiful characters to set up a story. Although the technical departments have all done a good job, they simply had nothing to carry.

Deadpool (2016)

Genre: Comic Anti-hero

Theme: Redefining Self

Undercurrent: Revenge, Love

Watched at a multiplex

Since Kick-Ass (2010) showed up, the geeks and anti-heroes are much more cooler than superheroes. Here comes a hero whose face is “like Freddy Krueger face-fucked a topographical map of Utah”, gets shot in his anus aka a-hole and is ass-fucked with a strap-on dildo by his girlfriend. Here is Pool, Dead Pool.

There is nothing new in the story - a science project goes bad, the superhero-zombie escapes and is now after the villain for cure/revenge. And somewhere down there is a hot chick who is just waiting for the good guy's love, gets kidnapped and then rescued at the end. The script demanded some spice - add 2,3 low-budget x-men and CGI shots of car blasts and flying body parts. Ta-da, that is it. The titles itself say so as the actors are not credited, just their roles as 'A Hot Chick' &c. are so - everyone knew what they were aiming. 

But the movie works, absolutely rocks solid with Tarantino-like-gore and juvenile humour that has been under-explored for long. The movie stays true to the comic character and has zero to preach. There is literally nothing to take from the movie except having a decent time laughing to those crude jokes. For those who aren't amused by such, this movie is a pain, for me it was relief. There is no expectation from Deadpool - he is indestructible and ruthless, he will catch and kill the villain for sure. His girl will be fine too, it would be a debacle if Deadpool ends the movie in tears - it has got to be some adult joke. I just wanted Deadpool to keep talking and he did just enough before I went numb to penis jokes. The music was full of beats that built up heroism and that is all. 

My favorite scene is that of Deadpool conveying his emotions to his girlfriend who is down while his imaginary unicorn and other characters play with her. So typical, so much unexpected - absolute fun. The movie starts with the Indian song "Mera joota hai japani.." played in a taxi-cab. Deadpool makes Spiderman look like Mickey Mouse. 

Countryman (1982)

Genre: Adventure

Undercurrent: Rastafarian Philosophy

Language: English with a strong Jamaican accent

Special Mention: The film uses Bob Marley's scores and is dedicated to him

Watched it on Youtube

The story revolves around a modest fisherman called the Countryman who lives peacefully as a part of the forest, ocean, swamp and a small fishing hamlet called Hellshire, all in Jamaica. The character is real - he actually lives his life similarly in the real world. The story uses this Rastafarian Countryman only to exaggerate his personality to magical powers and super fighting skills. In reality, he is a simple fisherman who owns a small boat, his shorts and his world, and those alone.

The best scene of the film features for a few minutes the sprinting of this Jamaican with a perfect body and stance. Some of the world's greatest track athletes are from there and that is no coincidence. The Countryman is against Babylon, worships nature and wishes to seek superior realization from smoking Ganja. He believes that his will can command anything and has learned the art of living with nature. He had to face the wrath of the military, mercenaries and Obeah (black magic) in the process of defending a young couple from being murdered as CIA spies. This he does so with his raw natural strength, honesty and the mystical powers he has attained from nature. The cult following for the philosophy and the Countryman's natural movement in the terrain gave an amazing newness to an otherwise silly movie. The technical team - be it editing, photography or sound, is good but is poorly used. Except the Countryman's presence as a hero that commands respect and the Jamaican feel that goes with the music, nothing in the movie is worth our time.

Room (2015)

Genre: Motherhood

Undercurrent: Hope and guilt

Special mention: Adapted from the novel 'Room'(2010) by Emma Donoghue

Language: English

As the child Jack (by Jacob Tremblay) rolled in a big carpet behind a huge truck, my heartbeat increased like it was the climax but it was just one half of a setup for a bigger part later. As Jack takes his first steps on a new floor, a new world literally, I felt like cheering for him. As Joy "Ma" Newsome (by Brie Larson) is being questioned in the interview, I wanted to just push things away and tell her that it is alright - you were awesome - motherhood is not a curse upon women. I felt through each frame what I was supposed to, and it was intense and wonderful. The director Lenny Abrahamson and the screenplay writer Emma Donoghue were wonderful in captivating the audience. I am surprised at the finesse of the technical team who have done just enough to muster up everyone to take the amazing ride and enjoy it from the first scene onwards. 

Both Jacob Tremblay and Brie larson are amazing in their roles being absolutely successful in their depiction despite the complexities involved. I am actually bored a bit with modern method acting and the larger-than-life heroes: here is a refreshingly creative side of acting where the actors feel the emotions and make you a part of it, despite it being almost impossible to learn or live it through. There is also a surprisingly wonderful chemistry between Ma and Jack that seems very real. At times, the movie felt like Interstellar where an inner me is in a dialogue with the amazing new world outside, and it feels like a new birth. 

Despite very good music, the story, screenplay and people compel way too much weight for us to take notice of the rest of the work. Good use of sunlight and properties were used along with good effects from the colorist that helped convey the mood of the time better. Rather than preach, the movie just shows the strength of hope and strength from motherhood. It also continues on to express some complex emotions we only read in books like a child's view of a never-ending world inside a room that was his everything, his love for his childhood things in spite of the amazing world outside and the attachments that people form with each other that help them stand up within. 

Usually, I refrain from writing my reviews immediately after watching a movie just so that the effects of being carried away won't spill on to my writing but here is a movie that just wants me to. I wouldn't be able to write about except by my feel or I will have to write the entire novel to make you feel it. Also, I must admit that I too felt like Jack some times and like Ma, only that these were way more intense. That connection established a special movement through out the film. My only negative is that at the outcome, motherhood seems like a burden. There is nothing that points otherwise and how natural it is in general, not even in the relationship between Ma and Grand Ma. That is excusable given the unique situation of the setup. It also shows how singularly absorbing some relationships can be and that is a bit scary given all the options that women have today, almost as much as getting locked up in the Room for 7 years.  

My favorite scene is that of Ma running towards Jack as he tries to get out of the car. It was elating and reassuring as I wouldn't have been able to take it well otherwise. The expression in the eyes of Ma as she runs towards her child need special mention. For a change, the show belongs to the main parts of film-making - director, screenplay, story and actors and that alone. They have all stolen the show. 

"When I was small, I only knew small things. But now I'm five, I know everything!"

"One evening as the sun went down and the jungle fires were burning, down the track came a hobo hiking, and he said, boys, I'm not turning; I'm headed for a land that's far away beside the crystal fountains so come with me, we'll go and see The Big Rock Candy Mountains. In the Big Rock Candy Mountains, there's a land that's fair and bright..."

Shizukanaru Kettō (1949)

English Title: The Quite Duel

Language: Japanese

Theme: Suffering

Undercurrent: Love, Courage

Watched it on Youtube (B/W)

Having lost in the infomercial style of story telling, Akira Kurosawa's movies rediscover the passionate drama I am so fond of. The first 10 minutes of the movie goes in silence while a doctor performs a surgery on a prisoner during WWII - a downpour, leaking roof, sleeplessness, sweat, flies and other odds distract him to cut himself and thereby contract syphilis from the patient. He then fights out himself to do what is right and quietly fights towards a better life. His sacrifices, struggles, care and the perceptions of people around him form the crux of a very important story. 

The mise-en-scene here are plants in and around the doctor's office. The film carries the fine light effects of Kurosawa, his time lapses and lengthy shots. The way Mifune handled the character is commendable, especially the scene where he shows his despair. But despite Mifune's brilliant work, he lacked the strength to carry such a strong character forward basically because he is too rigid in many scenes, often over-doing melodrama. A lesser actor and director pair may win an Oscar for it but this is a sub-standard performance from this super team. The entire movie rests on the young Dr. Kyoji. 

I have a feeling that the doctor with Syphilis is a representation of post-war Japan but I am not sure. Because the Japanese feel that Kurosawa's work has strong historical metaphors, this seems possible. Regardless, courage at the face of adversity is an important and laudable quality. Certain dialogues, some of which are way too heavy (easy to compensate with acting but didn't), add tons of weight to scenes with despair, like "Because I don't like losing.. and I am a doctor..". The quality with which the various aspects of the issue are covered makes the story interesting but the script makes the suffering a burdening melodrama that the cast can't really carry. The saving grace is Miki Sanjo (as Misao) who had an extremely strong presence that made her pain carry out through her character's scripting perfectly. The reaction of each part, like Dr. Kyoji's attempt to kiss her are so perfectly directed that it thrills me. It brought a similar reaction in me, which helped me connect to the lengthy single shot of Dr. Kyoji's suffering within. Such is the mastery of the greats as they pull us inside. 

Public perception of the character is taken up by the wannabe nurse Ms. Minegishi who carries her role much better after the arc of maturity. Showing her character as coming of age made the movie connect to the audience as they change with the nurse's view of it all. The doctor's decisions and integrity help him raise above the character of the honest baby-faced nurse, and that is a commendable story to write. The screenplay lacked the variations and creativity of Kurosawa's works like Drunken Angel (1948), his earlier work. The story telling seemed too straight, characters moving in predictable straight lines with little or no variation is boring. Still, this is one of the most meaningful work on suffering, especially by professionals. The courage, sacrifice, kindness and work ethic of Dr. Kyoji stand out as the attributes that made the hero, while suffering is shown (by the last dialogue given by his father played by Takashi Shimura) as the source to his fame a saint among men. 

Technically, each scene is brilliantly placed but the details of the hospital are often missing as the place looks mostly empty. The fact that the hero's character doesn't change or does anything special after the 10th minute is a loss. Editing is ok, while music is sometimes very annoying and did not go well with some scenes. 

My favorite scene is that of the final meeting between Dr. Kyoji and Misao. Each part of it is such well written and well directed that I felt Kurosawa everywhere. He played with my emotion for quite some time only to finally end it as a painful sacrifice, and such situations hurt. Irresponsibility and self-developed ignorance causes much more pain and harm. The pain and suffering are so much felt from each part that is affecting his life. This film stands more as a documentary on despair and hope.

Premam (2015)

Genre: Nostalgic Love
Undercurrent: Friendship, Youth
Language: Malayalam
Watched: Online 1080p, with English subtitles

Premam is a movie of actors, music, lyrics, creative bits of direction, details and photography. No scene or shot in this film is new, yet it evokes a freshness that you seldom associate. I am not big into Malayalam films, so the evolution is foreign to me but the strength of the movie stands out through what is felt within us. Nivin Pauly's (as George) three characters are well played and seemed quite easy to a person of his caliber. He seems to be a strong method actor and his general style in life-like characters stand out each time. The best performance is of debutant Sai Pallavi (as Malar) who elevated her well written role to a level beyond every other character of the movie. She is a package full of surprises, be it her dance, expression or her ease infront of the camera.

Here is a picture of a coy smiling teacher looking at a student she is in love with (top left in this pic). To the right is a bold college student, a rowdy literally, flirting with his teacher. The lower half of the pic shows audience's reaction to Shruti Hassan's saree and style in the Tamil remake compared to Sai Pallavi's modest presentation. I think the character of Malar got a cult following in Kerala.

It seems natural to expect Kerala's actors to be awesome. To see the improvisation from Sai Pallavi, watch the deft change of her expressions at each shot (Check out the song Malare). When a scene is made of many combined shots, expressing quickly in a short frame is essential as it is hard to live up to the often dramatic-cheesy lyrics. To do that consistently over so many frames is a special performance.

Also, as a mass coming-to-age film, the Pauly swagger is awesome - black shirt with cooling glasses, moustache, beard, lungi and an attitude of an invincible super-hero that only a college don can have! But he is a rowdy who dances, cries, has a failed teenage love story, is afraid of his lecturers/principal when he faces them and a temperamental bully - way too realistic and seemingly complex for such a simple movie's character but the hero has to carry just 1 or 2 moods at a time and he does well. I am surprised that he just played it casually and Malar's role just made it work. I wonder if that can drive girls to the movie like Malar pulling nostalgia of each man out there strongly. The rest of the crew and story is adorable and is more like a collage of good short-films than a movie. The intertwines and the current is almost inexistent as the flow is only with the feel and not with the story.

Anything shot in Kerala is refreshingly beautiful, probably because we can't feel their summer heat or their incessant monsoon from a film. In each shot, a small witty punch or a new angle is present along with some feeling - friendship, love, flirting, tease or so. The comedy attempt from the lecturers is below par. The punch line 'the second film in the history of world cinema with nothing new' is apt for it but wouldn't completely agree. Although, the recipe is the same - the making and the output are an absolutely fresh treat. Post-production work is excellent, especially sound editing for a movie with so much background melodies. For the wit, lyrics, music, casting, acting and that sense of nostalgia, I liked Premam very much.

My favorite scene is easily where George unknowingly calls on Malar, his teacher, to rag her. That is because an exact thing happened to me with a very pretty young lecturer we had in my engineering days. Quite surprisingly, the feelings and the reactions are exactly the same except that none of us fell for her to make our Premam.

Well Done Abba! (2009)

Genre: Political Satire

Undercurrent: Humour from personal relationships

Language: Hindi 

Watched it on: Youtube 720p

The story is an amalgamation of various short-stories from multiple sources - this is a story of how a determined and courages father-daughter duo outsmarts a corrupt system to their advantage. It makes a smart play and is gripping but the required changes for on-screen work are lacking. For example, a lot of loose ends like the status of the rest of the village's wells, the troubles faced by MPDO, horny engineer and the team etc are all missing. Such is hard to take from a film that depends on the script. The characters of Salma and Rehman Ali have no connection with the main plot, nor as a basis of comparison with the rest. To add a twin to the hero is particularly useless in the movie - something the script must have easily revealed. Some social angles like marrying Sakina off to sheikhs, expectations from a bride for a conservative family, public urination, husband controlling female sarpanch Balamma etc. are all part of a village setting that acts credibility as some shady elements of life we see around us. These elements help complete a linear corruption plot by adding those tit-bits of general living in villages around me. To resist from  getting into religion is a big plus as the story doesn't need it that much. 

Watch out for what is covered in this important shot (pic above): Dry grass, dry leaves, dusty arid land, Solitary tree, Palm tree, Scrub/bush vegetation, a distant farm, a distant hill and granite posts here and there - a perfect capture of Telangana terrain. A big plus point is the drab photography that captured the arid land and the small Telangana village atmosphere to perfection. Dry lands, dusty roads, wall paintings of government schemes, thorny and scrub type of vegetation, stylish window designs for dargahs and dull colouring of everything except sarees are typically Telangana like. It was refreshingly honest and nostalgic to watch. To add to it, most of the picture uses sunlight for all cinematographic elements, sans tricks, which helped add more to the earthy plot. The feel is truly kept perfect. Editing and screenplay are excellent, as in the movie goes at a slow and steady pace through out - a very relaxed watch. Technically, the movie is honest and thus brilliant - much better than most Bollywood flicks. 

Boman Irani's portrayal of Armaan Ali is half-artificial. Despite what every one is saying, his attempt is way too much constructed and looked out of ordinary. His Hyderabadi style of Urdu-laced Hindi failed in the accent part. Although he was incredible with facial expressions, his body language failed it as the director chose to use such shots quite frequently. Surprisingly, Minissha Lamba (as Muskaan) bettered my expectations in her role. Further, she would probably do it better now as it missed any improvisations from her part but still lived up. For example, look at their expression in the pic to the left: a cautious Armaan Ali and the fiery Muskaan listen to people - just this freeze is enough to express their characters. The rest of the cast just scaped through except Rajit Kapoor, Ravi Kishan and Rajendra Gupta who lived up to their short roles well. Talents like Sonali Kulkarni, Yeshpal Sharma, Salim Ghouse and Anupam Shyam are wasted in very insignificant roles. The undercurrent works well for the love story and father-daughter relationship.

My favorite scene is a composite of angles at an important part of the love current in the film. As Muskaan tries to defend the righteousness of the crippled hero Arif Ali while being bullied by Salma and Rehman Ali, Armaan Ali is more concerned about the social reputation of his daughter. While Arif appreciates the concern of Muskaan whom he dislikes previously, Salma and Rehman Ali celebrate their victory in winning the battle by belittling everyone around. Although each of the 4 characters moves only tangentially to one another, they end up forming a strong point and twist to the important tale as two tangents meet - thus forming love in a way appreciated by the audiences too for its sheer righteousness and keeps everyone on one side. Still, it is such a common scene that is written beautifully and shot very well too. 

As I have reviewed this as a film that takes some thought and social responsibility to enjoy fully, this Shyam Benegal's pic falls short of some basic expectations. It is entertaining, more as a stage drama to me than as a movie, except for photography/cinematography.