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Poor Things (2023)
One of the most creative films of recent times, "Poor Things" is a win-win on all fronts.
"Poor Things" is perhaps the best film from 2023. It's such a challenge to choose between it and "Oppenheimer" as the best of '23. Had been waiting to watch it for such a long time, and the wait had been worth it, every second. As a lover of Victorian literature, this film will remain a memorable one for me and definitely demands a rewatch, which I will in due course of time. It's like a love child of the "Fallen Woman" fictions of Thomas Hardy & the works of H. G Wells/Isaac Asimov. It also brings to light the evolution of the New Woman in the Victorian society. Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) is the New Woman, a woman aware and in control of her freedom, her choices, and her body.
Like any other Yorgos Lanthimos film, "Poor Things" revels in its weirdness and strange plot elements, but the fanstasy/sci-fi world that Lanthimos creates is a vast expanse of creative imagination upon which the story of freedom for Bella Baxter flourishes. Lanthimos' vision is unparalleled, the sets that he uses, the props, the visual effects, the intermingling of fantasy, sci-fi and Victorian drama could have turned out as outlandish but it never does in this case. Every scene is handled with care and lends a purpose to the storytelling. The screenplay by Tony McNamara also takes a stand for freedom of women. The sets and the costumes enriches the world that Lanthimos had envisioned. The music uplifts the mood and tempo of the film while the film is beautifully shot by Robbie Ryan.
And, Emma Stone inhabits Lanthimos' world, owning every scene she is in with a display of a range of emotions with which she had awed the world in "La La Land". As Bella Baxter, she delivers a no holds barred performance, a tour de force act that supersedes her work in "La La Land' for which she had won an Oscar. The character of Bella is way more complex than Mia's in "La La Land". Playing the part of a grown woman, with the brain of a child, was no easy feat and Emma excels in it. The character is childlike at first and subsequently goes through many stages of evolution during which she gets to be aware of her body and bodily needs, she grows to like her freedom from being caged in her creator's world or from being restrained by the whims and will of a philander, with whom she had gone off on a sexual adventure. She begins to take interest in philosophy, questions the distinctive roles of men and women in society, pays heed to socialism, gets devastated by the poverty and hunger in Egypt, learns to own herself as the master of production, champions the belief that no one should be restrained from progressing, improving, and learning, and takes up a stand against patriarchy that prohibited women from being owners of themselves. Emma lets her heart out in all these areas of the film, dances with glee, and wins the heart of the audience.
Barbie (2023)
Life in plastic, it stops short of being fantastic
The real power of cinema came to the forefront as two films went head to head against one another this Friday. One was based on a childhood icon that attained the status of a cultural phenomenon over the years as evident from the massive craze around it and the other was based on an icon in the realm of science whose invention changed the course of the world and was directed by a man who has emerged as a phenomena himself in the world of cinema. The former celebrates girl power and inclusivity while the latter is largely a man's world built on a critique of warfare and corrupt politics. To address the elephant in the room, "Oppenheimer" beats "Barbie" on all fronts without having to put up much of a fight, irrespective of what the box office figures might denote.
That said, "Barbie" is a good film, a fun watch, that could have been so much more. The first half was a joyride providing all the fun that the film must have intended to provide during the course of its runtime. It was a job well done by the art directors and set designers as they enabled in creating a vibrant, colourful world without any trace of morbidity. The Barbie houses, the beach, the house of the Weird Barbie, the roads, the Netherlands-like fields, the sea - they were created with a perfection that one can only dream of, only to let you sink and immerse yourselves in the colours that Gerwig's vision could have borrowed straight of the rainbow. To conceptualize and execute such a world is an extraordinary accomplishment with the sets perfectly complementing the colourful lives of our Barbies. The Barbies come from all walks of life, hold important positions, and stay at the frontline of Barbie life - a contrast to the human world where a bigshot at a top private firm claims to Ken that they don the mask of inclusivity so that they do not have to deal with a backlash. At the center of all these Barbies is Margot Robbie's Stereotypical Barbie who is ever joyful and unfettered by emotions like grief or anxiety. She is the paragon of the beauty as it was once envisioned, hence the stereotype about her. The Kens have nothing much to do in this world other than bicker over their vulnerabilities. All was well until the real world began messing with the Barbie world and our protagonist is hit by concerning thoughts like death. Depression takes root in her mind and she has to embark on a journey to the real world to not only fix her own life but also that of her owner. "Barbie" should have stopped here or should have taken an alternate route to the denouement as the second half just steers out of control and every theme seemed to being heavily hammered into youe mind as if the script had lost confidence in the viewer to effortlessly let those ideas in. The last 30 minutes felt stretched out of control except for the incredibly done Ken song - one of my favourite moments from the film. Gerwig had let the viewers have most of the fun in the first hour but the script lost the steam as it trudged to the finish line. Gerwig is worthy appreciation for her vision, for the world she has accomplished in this film, for the infinite ideas she has established - feminism to motherhood to inclusivity to bending all gender stereotypes. She has been sensitive and empathetic in her handling of depression. If only she had not taken the approach of a moral parable in the second half this film could have been so much better.
"Barbie" packs in a stellar cast with every single one of them investing the best of their qualities in the project. Robbie looks absolutely pretty as she should have in this role and handles joy, sadness, existential crisis with the capability that she as an actor has always possessed. Issa Rae as President Barbie and Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie are two other standouts. But the real star of the show is Ryan Gosling - his Ken-ergy is infectious and will keep you in splits throughout. Just look at his incredible comedic chops when Ken visits the human world. You just can't have Ken-ough of Gosling's Ken. "La La Land" showed that he could dance really well, a skill he has put effectively to use in the Ken song too.
In the end, Gerwig's film is a pretty looking tribute to a pretty cultural phenomena. It could have had a little more of the "muchness" (as the Mad Hatter would say in "Alice in Wonderland") in the fun department. It dazzles throughout but the baggage of its heavy-handedness drags it down to an extent. Alas!
Oppenheimer (2023)
"Oppenheimer" and the power of cinema
There's a point in the second half, right after the interval when an eye piercing flash, golden flames, followed by an earth shattering sound send tremors through the behemoth theatre where I watched this film. All eyes glued to the screen, some sighing out of the wonder that they had just witnessed. That recreation of a milestone moment in US and world history that changed the course of the World War II and the world order in general has been able handled by the brilliant hands of Christopher Nolan. Those five minutes or so truly stand out as one of the most epic moments in cinema history and in the Nolan universe in general.
Nolan's collaboration with a long-term associate Cillian Murphy is a stuff of cinematic brilliance. Murphy, who had proven himself as a reputable actor through his performances in the television giant "Peaku Blinders" and in shorter roles in films like "Dunkirk" and "Inception", was the perfect choice for the protagonist in the eponymous film. He executes every scene, every emotion with a sheer brilliance that we have come to expect of him. Murphy effectively brings to the screen a brilliant mind, an enigma to his associates, a man torn between responsibilities to his country and to mankind, a man willing to rip off all strength from Nazi Germany using the atom bombs but unsure whether using them on Japan serves the cause any longer, a man who has to wear the medal of a scientific genius and America's hero but be bigger down by an aching sense of guilt over the immediate and long-term catastrophic effect that his invention has led to. An Oscar nomination and a potential win is on the cards.
It has been rightly pointed out again and again that underneath all the science and physics and time travel, Nolan's ventures have an emotional core, tied to a guilt-ridden or guilt-driven protagonist. Nolan has mounted "Oppenheimer" on a massive scale but he never let the emotions get suppressed under the grandeur. There are scenes that will shake your emotional core. He is ably supported by a plethora of talented artists: Hoyte van Hoytema's black and white and colour frames facilitated in building up a top-notch ambience for the project; Ludwig Göransson's score took the film to a different level, his music is haunting with an inherent sense of urgency, anxiety-inducing, and prophetic of an imminent catastrophe; the sound designers took the film to greater heights befitting a story on the father of the atom bomb. Nolan is known for using practical effects and he mounts those effects exceptionally in the Trinity testing scene at Los Alamos. It has been evident now and again that he is a creative genius and with "Oppenheimer" he delivers a groundbreaking film cementing his status further. He also took full control of the screenplay this time and it doesn't falter for a moment. Three hours went by without a twitch. Nolan has hardly made a film with a linear narrative, a rule he doesn't break in "Oppenheimer" and Thank God he didn't as a chronological narration would have defeated everything that the screenplay and the editing of this film have achieved.
The film rides high on Murphy and Nolan's shoulders but it would be unfair to not give a shout out to the supporting cast. Robert Downey Jr. In an unrecognisable make-up is viciously good as a bureaucrat willing to make it big in the US Senate and makes waves, particularly in the last act. Emily Blunt is effortlessly brilliant in the few scenes that she has and so is Florence Pugh. The latter casts a stronger impact in her limited screentime. Matt Damon does well as an officer in the US Army and also gets to deliver some comic relief. The rest of the supporting cast gave their best throughout.
"Oppenheimer" is not about the science of it all. You won't get to see the actual creation of the atom bombs or their application on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. You get to see the world around its creation, application and consequence through the lenses of Robert Oppenheimer. The science and horror of it all and the resultant consequence that US politics has on the creator of these bombs become palpable through the exceptional direction of Nolan and the cast and crew. It is a team effort that didn't go wrong.
Aftersun (2022)
Paul Mescal is outstanding in this poignant, heartbreaking, empathetic drama
A divorced father, battling against finance and relationship induced depression, takes his adolescent daughter on a vacation to Turkey on the week he turns 31 and tries to find happiness in every moment he is with his daughter out there while capturing the entire trip in a video camera to relive every second of this trip when they are not together and to leave it as an inheritance for his daughter as a symbol of the bond that they share. The film will break your heart. It is a subtle exploration of a father-daughter relation and at the same time takes a highly poignant and empathetic approach to the subject of depression.
Paul Mescal will leave you in pieces with his heartfelt performance of the father who wants to ensure his daughter that no matter what he is always at her side, her confidante, her support system, a shoulder for her to cry on, a person who would always love her in any circumstance and would never abandon her. Frankie Corio has such an endearing screen presence and she pulls in a subtle act as the 11-year old Sophie. Not to forget, the music by Oliver Coates creates enough suspense complementing the film's ambience and the characters' mood.
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
13 years of wait - Worth every second, worth every penny
"Avatar: The Way of Water" proves, like its predecessor, that what groundbreaking VFX looks like and how that special effects can be used not merely as a prop only for visual treat but also to facilitate a world building for the characters to grow up and develop their arc. The CGI in the "Avatar" films do not merely serve the purpose of creating a razzle dazzle on screen but also to build an immersive experience that will soak you into the space that these characters inhabit. You have to be a part of Pandora to relate to these characters and Cameron goes leaps and bounds in infusing emotions into the Na'Vi characters whose every blink, sorrow, joy is not just brought about by the skill of the actors behind the blue skin but also a contribution of a revolutionary CGI that cuts through the blue skin and lets those emotions have an uninhibited reach into the audience's mind.
The transition from land to water was not done haphazardly. Cameron takes it slow and as our characters learn the nitty gritties of this new world we learn with them the ways of the new clan. The creatures do not just come and go as fantastical beasts in this new world, rather we spend enough them to emotionally connect with them (just like Loak or Kiri in this film). As Loak and Kiri and Tuk go on a journey with these creatures, we are pulled into this journey with a magnetic pull that you cannot resist. As in the first part, Cameron once again delivers strong environmental message not through heavy-handed dialogues but through the actions which are a part and parcel of the greater narrative. We have message against depleting resources, against whaling and killing of protected species and speaks wholly in favour of environmental conservation.
The actors are all brilliant, be it the recurring actors - Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, or Sigourney Weaver - or the new actors Cliff Curtis to Kate Winslet to the child actors playing the offsprings of Jake and Neytiri. In particular, Zoe and Sigourney are outstanding.
The story is simple. But simple doesn't mean lacking or bad. Cameron loves keeping his plots simple but the storytelling technique leads up to an immersive experience, you will laugh, cheer, applaud, and cry. Yes, it is long clocking 192 minutes. The first half could have done with some cuts but never for once it will make you raise an eyebrow or look at your watch.
You cannot also ignore the sound designers, sound mixers, the production designers and music composers and the cinematographer Russell Carpenter, all of whom gave their best to make the 13 years long wait worth every minute, worth every penny. And yes Cameron gets the emotions right this time too.
House of the Dragon: We Light the Way (2022)
The Best Episode Till Now
What's the connection between a royal wedding and brilliant storytelling, I am still unaware of but House of the Dragon carries forward the legacy of Game of Thrones effectively and reaches its crescendo in its fifth episode which marks the finale episode for the superior talents of Milky Alcock and Emily Carey. The five episodes that we had with them have been an awesome journey and they have now become an inseparable part of the series - absent but ever present. Coming to this episode, it was flawlessly written and directed, every moment at the wedding feast filled to the core with tension and definitely gives us a well tied up conclusion. The board has been set well and let the dance begin now.
The Handmaid's Tale: Morning (2022)
A good start with a major continuity issue
Barring a major continuity gap from season 4, this first episode of the new season of The Handmaid's Tale shows a lot of promise. Firstly it doesn't seem to be beating around the bush like it's previous seasons (barring season one) had. It also seemed to steer the story forward and laid all the cards on the table for the season to go ahead. But in doing so the writers seem to have forgotten that they had already disclosed Fred's death to Serena in the previous season's finale when June had sent her the ring and the finger. Other than that the episode went well, the cinematography was top-notch like always, and the performances too were great especially Yvonne who I presume will be overshadowing everyone else this time.
House of the Dragon: The Rogue Prince (2022)
Content-driven and Cinematic
This prequel has taken the script, character development, dialogues, and the performances to a new level. And it is also setting the stage for an impending battle that is surely going to be fiery. Paddy Considine to Matt Smith to Milky Alcock to Rhys Ifans to Eve Best to Steve Toussaint to Emily Carey, each have been exceptional in putting up a comprehensive display of acting prowess and in bringing the characters alive on screen. I, in particular, liked the introduction to Lady Laena, bringing the necessary smiles with her innocence. Also through dialogues and onscreen portrayal we are getting step by step development of the characters of Syrax and Caraxes, both of whom are to play important roles later on in the drama. The opening credit with new visuals and the original "Game of Thrones" theme added a new flavour to the show.
House of the Dragon (2022)
Started As It Should Have - Fiesty and Fiery
Fire, Blood, Scheming and Plotting, Violence, Dragons, Solid Characters defined the journey of Game of Thrones (I am not entirely counting out the final season). #HouseOfTheDragon opens strong, like we have come to expect of anything #gameofthrones. There are strolls in the gardens, bickering council members, scheming women, death, flying and screeching dragons - all of which blend well into the events of the season opener. The actors from Paddy Considine to Matt Smith to Rhys Ifans to Milky Alcock to Eve Best shine throughout the first episode.
House of the Dragon: The Heirs of the Dragon (2022)
Matches up to Game of Thrones Pilot Episode
Well what an impressive start to the series. Miguel Sapochnik directs drama as finely as he handles big action sequences. There was lot of drama, lot of conversation, plotting and scheming right in the first episode, and a hint at violence about to come. The dragons are yet to be introduced in details but the appearances of Syrax and Caraxes are brilliant.
Game of Thrones: Dragonstone (2017)
Dialogues Take the Story Forward, More of a Character Revelation Episode
Season 6 ended with a bang leaving the viewers with an anticipation of what follows in the following season. The first episode does meet the expectations to some extent. The conversations involving Jon and Sansa, Cersei and Jaime, Cersei and Euron meant a lot in developing the setting of the play. It gave us insight into what each of the characters were up to. It has been quite sometime that we didn't see long conversations on the show. One cannot expect a battle of the Bastards or Blackwater or Hardhome in every episode but going by the trailers it seems that the show is going to catch up pace soon and cater to the action oriented stuff of the show. The music and the cinematography has been perfect, undoubtedly. 8/10
Jurassic World (2015)
When Dinosaurs Ruled and They Still Rule: Nostalgia, Bigger, Not the Biggest, Brighter,Not the brightest, The Best Sequel to the 1993 film
Jurassic World doesn't come closer to the first film but Spielberg's JP will definitely look at Jurassic World with pride. It is indeed the most fitting sequel. It's clear that the corporate sector and humans in general haven't learned from their mistakes. They have created a new hybrid to increase the visitor count to the park. In the process, they have compromised human safety and thoughts of how devastating the consequences would be. That's what JW uses as the primal theme revealing the consequences of the violation of the natural order. The Indominius Rex, a product of human intelligence and progress turns back on it's creators and anything that crosses it's path. Now, it's up to Owen Grady and Claire to contain and restrain the 'killing machine'.
Acting: Chris Pratt fits into the skin of Owen Grady. He gives a serious and intense performance. He doesn't make the scenes involving him training the Velociraptors cheesy.
Bryce Dallas Howard is a good actress. She prove it in "The Help" and she has done it again. She is convincing as the serious corporate woman struggling to keep her foot firmly on the floor and her evolution into an action heroine is entertaining.
Though Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson are fine but Tim and Lex were far better. The latter two had the best scene in the franchise involving the raptors in the kitchen.
Direction: Trevorrow goes close to Spielberg in his direction of the film. He took up a linear plot and gave it a fine execution. Hats off to him for providing Jurassic Park with the most fitting sequel.
Story: Though the story was far better in the first film, yet the script in JW shines and entertains. It rests firmly on the screenplay that succeeds in entertaining the audiences. The second half was epic and the climax was grand and applause worthy (best in the franchise). Definitely worth the wait, the hype and the money spent.
Technical Aspects: The background score is effective as always and carries a feeling of nostalgia with it. The CGI and the animatronics have been well blended. The editing was tight. The only complaint the running time could have been at least 15 minutes longer.
Acting: 6.5/10 Direction: 7/10 Story and Screenplay: 6/10+ 8/10= 7/10 Music: 10/10 Technique: 9.5/10
Don 2 (2011)
Mind Blowing action, Farhan's strong control on script and Powerpacked performance from SRK. Truly the "KING IS BACK".
Don 2 is perhaps the best Christmas film in the last 5 years. It's slick,stylish and high on acting and visual effects. When it's SRK and Farhan together, miracles are bound to happen and it well happens for Don 2 is the best Christmas gift that Bollywood could offer and it is definitely an emblem of the acting skills of SRK whose kingship is proved. ACTING: SRK is the man who reigns supreme in this film and leaves a strong impression on the audiences mind with his stellar performance. His smile, dialogue delivery and every expression deserves a bow. Priyanka looked beautiful and does well in the second half. Her chemistry with SRK is electrifying.She deserves an applause for well balancing herself as a woman in love and hatred with the same man. Boman Irani is excellent as ever and in negative role he is always a treat to watch. Kunak Kapoor is impressive and Lara Dutta looks gorgeous. Hrithik gives a stunning performance in his cameo. His ball dance withPriyanka was a visual delight.
DIRECTION: Farhan handles the scenes well and never lets the adrenaline rush or the script to fall flat. He keeps the audiences glued to their seat and this versatile man gives as a slick action thriller which is far better than Race,Dhoom,Dhoom 2 and even SRK's Ra.One.
SCRIPT: The script is well written and every scene is well handled. Dialogues are brilliant and none of the scene fall flat. No unnecessary toilet humour and songs have made the film even more appealing.
MUSIC: The song Zaraa Dil Ko Thaam Lo is well sung by Vishal Dadlani and well shot. Background score and Hain Ye Mayaa was fabulous.
TECHNIQUE: Don 2's description is incomplete without commenting on it's cinematography and special effect.The film's visuals is better than MI-4,Ra.One,Robot,Krissh.It's stunning and well shot. Thailand and Berlin and Zurich looked picturesque. The special effects add a special flavour to the film which makes it even more delicious.
ACTING: 9.5/10 { 8 in general, 1.5 extra for SRK} DIRECTION: 7.5/10 SCRIPT: 7/10 MUSIC: 7/10 TECHNIQUE: 9.5/10 Overall I rate the film 9.5 out of 10.
Rockstar (2011)
Rockstar is hardly rocking. It's just a love story under the disguise of the title Rockstar.
Rockstar is an A.R Rahman and Anil Mehta(cinematographer)film. Ya, Ranbir the entitled rock star, Jordan is hardly seen as a rock star in the film as for most parts he is seen hankering after his girl friend,Heer(Nargis Fakhri)while the latter either reciprocates or rejects his love.So first of all the film's title doesn't seem apt in this case. As far as the rock star effect is concerned Imtiaz should have taken some inspiration from Rock On! but ALAS! Imtiaz's originality becomes the biggest flaw of the film that had a promising premise. Rockstar begins on a feel good note but after all the friendly moments between JJ and Heer gets over the film derails leaving the audience to bear the high dosage of a boring and disjointed script. Secondly, the running time (160 mins or so)is not new in Bollywood but Rockstar sadly seemed to be deliberately stretched that can leave you sleeping.
But the saving grace of the film is Rahman's soulful compositions about which there is no complaint. But recalling the lyrics of the songs become difficult. Sadda Haq is rocking and well choreographed and so is Hawaa Hawaa while Kun Faya Kun is soulful and Katiyaa Karoon is fun. Anil Mehta manages to hold the audiences intact with breath taking views of Kashmir and Prague.
However music and cinematography cannot conceal the loop holes in the plot as the treatment of the script was too amateurish something unexpected from Ali who gave us brilliant Films like JAB WE MET and LOVE AAJ KAL.Sadly, Imtiaz annoys this time.
Ranbir Kapoor's performance shows a lot of earnestness but emotions hardly connect with the audience.While he is brilliant in most parts but at times his performance drops heavily.
Nargis Fakhri was a disaster.She looks stunning but where is the acting. Dialogues seemed to have been forced through her. Shammi Kapoor was stunning.The rest of the cast was just okay.
Characterization seemed to be a big problem in Rockstar. While developing Ranbir's JJ as a modern Devdas Ali ignored Heer completely and both JJ's and Heer's character lacked the effect that Aditya,Geet,Jai,Meera or even Harleen Kaur had created.
Overall the film is a decent or average watch. It hardly connects. A story trying to be Devdas fails in it's attempt.
ACTING: 6/10
DIRECTION: 4/10
STORY: 4/10
MUSIC: 7.5/10
CINEMATOGRAPHY: 7.5/10 Overall I rate the film 5.5 out of 10.
Ra.One (2011)
A Visual Treat. Deserves being a Super Hit.
Ra.One marks the dawn of new age cinema in Bollywood which had tried the sci-fi genre with Krissh and Koi Mil Gaya but nothing comes closer to the visual delight called Ra.One. SRK as G.One and Shekhar was good though his role as Shekhar could have been extended. Kareena looks gorgeous and delivers the strongest performance in the film whether going foul mouthed or wowing everyone with Chammak Challo dance. Arjun Rampal does well in his short role. Aman Verma makes an impressive debut. Tom Wu makes the perfect Ra.One avatar. He should have been given more screen time in the villain's robes. Among the cameos Rajnikanth impresses while Sanjay Dutt did some justice to his role but Priyanka was a big bore. Vishal-Shekhar has hit the bull's eye with the music. Chammak Challo to Criminal to the soulful Dildaara to the fast paced Raftaarein Ra.One's music is brilliant. Anubhav Sinha has done a good job. While he kept us glued to our seats in the 1st half but post interval seemed too rushed and the climax disappointing. The director deserves a thumbs up for drawing out the parallels between Raavan and Ra.One something which Mani Ratnam failed in his magnum opus film "Raavan". Lastly, Ra.One's biggest plus point is the VFX's and the well portrayed stunts. Superb technology makes it a visual treat. It overshadows the loopholes in the plot. London never looked better before in any Bollywood film. Ra.One is a complete entertainer and you won't be disappointed unless you demand a story that would exercise your brains. Acting: 7/10 Direction: 5.5/10 Story: 4.5/10 Music: 7/10 Technique: 9/10