sudhakaranakhilan Reviews

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

The wolrd of Oppenheimer

[8/10 · 3 December 2023]

I didn't read American Prometheus so I can't barely argue the difference when the book turned into a film. As a Nolan enthusiast, I love his works entirely, and Oppenheimer is not an exception. I love the way of portraying someone's story in that Non-linear mode where each time the audience gets the curiosity of knowing what comes next. The main thing is the ambiguity that arose between Oppenheimer and Einstein at the beginning. We are so keen to know what they talked about. It refers to the coinage of Rosebud in Citizen Kane. This is my second watching (the first one was surely from theatres but not from IMAX) and I downloaded the highest quality available to experience once more the visual and sound technical prowess. I think of the day getting an Academy Award to both Nolan and Murphy for their respective contributions to this film.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

The Infinite Love

[8/10 · 25 October 2023]

I do not see this film as a lesbian love story rather I want to add this one to a 'pure' romance. Maybe purity for others stands on the side of typical love angle, especially between opposite sex but when we go across through movies and other literary works we can see a lot of creations depicting same-sex love and their matters. Nowadays it seems to be a common thing around the society. But don't forget we can't eradicate conservatives, they are still active. Apart from let's come to the plot of the movie. The title itself is a classical symbol of the subject that the movie is going to discuss. "Portrait of a Lady on Fire" looks like the first lines of a poem, which can be a romantic poem when considering the term 'portrait' or in another sense it can be turned into a tragic one when considering the term 'fire'. Anyway, I felt those two terms contradictory. The movie itself is like a portrait. I've read about the technical aspect about the movie, ie the director shot the film in 8k format to get that original visual imagery entirely. There is little locations are there, a huge house and seaside are the main location but when we look every time the ambience of the location got changed according to the mood of the characters. I wish the movie must shot in IMAX format. (Anyway that's expensive, right?). Celine's frames are alike Marienne's portraits. There is an internal bonding between the painter and the subject. Here the subject is Heloise, the lady who is the material for the portrait. Their progression into affection is shown so nicely which is like smooth flowing of a river. They loved each other. They shares bed. They kisses. Sometimes the audience feels jealous about their affair. At the end when Heloise ask Marienne to draw her portrait, Marienne looks at a mirror and draws her reflection on the 28 page of the book that Heloise is reading. She draw when shifts the books position to horizontal mode which denotes the 8 of the 28 change to the symbol of infinity which means 2 of their love is infinite. What a brilliant poetical representation! At the ultimate scene, at opera house when Marienne looks at the Heloise, she doesn't look back rather she is about to cry whether the audience gets doubts that she looks emotion because of Marienne or the play that is happening there. Somehow, I feel like the memories of Marienne drew her when she get into that play which is playing at the Opera house.

Fitzcarraldo (1982)

A Great Visual Treatment

[8/10 · 23 October 2023]

I was thinking about the time when the movie was shot. (Exactly, the film was released in 1982). However, what astounds me about the visual challenge that was put on Herzog. To bring a 300-plus ton steamship to a mountain is something, which cannot be, imagine until today. Fitzcarraldo bring us to the great visual imagery of storytelling. Expedition or somehow discovery to find new places are the best things done by the humanity. We all know about Colombus's discovery of America. Here Fitzcarraldo (the original name is Fitzgerald but the indigenous people can't pronounce that name) is in search to find a new way to access rich rubber territory in the amazon Basin. The sheer adventure of Fitzcarraldo is the basic plot of the movie. He wants to build an Opera house in Iquitos and want to bring a famous artist (name's forgotten) to inaugurate and show the premier. He went through many business but nothing helps him to achieve his dream. He finds out rubber business is worth and thus he get into it. That journey or that expedition was surely a tough one, but he goes for it along with the Captain of the ship, the Engine driver, the cook and some other warriors (they knew that tribals or indeginous people will attack them). At some point on the journey all other get away from the ship and atlast Captain, Engineman and cook only left. Later things get change when a group of indegeneous people came on their way. At the beginning they all believe that those people will attack them but later they helped Fitzcarraldo and team to lift the steamship up to the mountain. That upliftment is the visual beauty that I told earlier. It was such a brilliant sequence to watch. When I read about the documentary Burden of Dream, I feel wondered about the process of filmmaking for the particular scene. The time were no CGI's are there the director doesn't use any miniature for the shooting. The original steamship was lifted to the mountain. In the context, the film can be listed to Adventure genre and the filmmaking is also an adventurous motif from the veteran Werner Herzog and team.

Adaminte Variyellu (1983)

The Best one

[8/10 · 14 October 2023]

I am cursing myself for not watching this film early. As a film enthusiast and a movie buff, I should have watched this brilliant film from my favorite director K G George, but somehow it didn't happen, and now I cracked it. No more words to say, It's omnipotent. I don't want to add this to the best feminist film apart from that I just add this to the best film. Adaminte Variyellu broke some of the conventional patterns of storytelling. The film goes simultaneously into the life of three characters, female characters directly but can see some other female representations. Alice, Vasanthy, and Ammini are the respective characters. Alice belongs to an elite family but her marital life is not very happy, Vasanthy is a government employee alike Alice her family life is not happy, Ammini is a servant in Alice's house. She has to leave the house because she was impregnated by Mamachan, Alice's husband. These are the basic things about the three characters. Apart from them, I want to point to the other three characters but I do not remember their names. One is Alice's daughter, she reaches puberty when the film progresses. Mamachan sends his son to a well-reputed school but his daughter is studying in a local school. Why should girls study? Is the ideology of Mamachan. At Vasanthy's house, there is her mother-in-law who always complains about her daughter-in-law. We can see her at the sit-out every time, looking into a newspaper or reciting some divine books. She is an exact example of a patriarchal community. Whether her son doesn't have a job, she supports him and stands against Vasanthy along with him. The third person is the other servant in Alice's house. She is an experienced maid, who is well experienced and knows everything (in the sense of the approach of the owners to them). She understood Alice's daughter's puberty for the first time. She also advises Ammini when she is impregnated by Mamachan. I also like the end of the film. Alice's and Vasanthy's life went into tragedy but Ammini is seeking and arising for freedom. She influences all of the other ladies to break the chain that is locked around them. She shows signs of positivity. I feel happy to see the vintage K G George at the end of the film where all the ladies don't bother about the camera. The director himself was amused by this and that was seen clearly on his face.

Purusha Pretham (2023)

Style must changed

[8/10 · 26 March 2023]

Krishand, the upcoming promising director once again mesmerized me with his new outcome, Purusha Pretham (Male Ghost). Unlike Vrithaakrithiyilulla Chathuram, Aavasavyooham Krishand changes his path into a neo-noir like crime, drama, or comedy thriller. I love the way of his narrative style and storytelling pattern. The movie talks about the life of a policeman named Sebastian (not only about his own story but also there lies the lives of entire police officers) who is on an investigation or quest to find out the traces and background of an unidentified dead body. Initially, that was not his intention but when the character of Darshana Rajendran comes he was insisted on doing so. The film also projects the inefficiency of the police departments while carrying such kind of issue. Great applause for the wonderful performance from Alexander Prasanth who did the role of Sebastian. Along with him, I love the acting of Jagadeesh who is well fitted in the character of a civil police officer, Dileep. Not only these two guys all the other characters justified their roles pretty well. When it comes to the technical side of the movie I feel strange about the disparate framing of the shots. The character is placed at one corner of the frame and other areas are completely vacant. I feel awful at the initial moment but when the movie goes nothing bothered me at all. The background score comes at regular intervals and feels some kind of rap mode in me. Comic scenes are not used intentionally but the humor revolving around those characters makes me laugh at some points. I like the film because of the disparate way of portrayal. A good, experimental one and surely a study material for the novices who are about to come to the industry.

Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam (2022)

When sleep matters...

[8/10 · 8 February 2023]

Director Lijo Jose Pellissery is always searching for a variety of plots and themes for his next ventures. All of his films differ from each other in that path. His latest one, Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam was screened in the 2022 IFFK and receives wonderful acclamations. Now the film is out in theatres and is wrapped with positive responses. Veteran actor Mammootty's production banner's first production venture was Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam. But the film that came out for the first time through Mammootty Kampany in theaters was Rorschach. Likewise, the title of the film talks about the nap. The nap of a theatre artist named James and the routine of a local Tamilian named Sundaram was the element in the film. The structure of the script lies in the category of Magical realism. We had seen that kind of writing pattern in his previous film, Churuli. We can tie this film into the perspective of a character dimension contrast. While James taking a nap and awake as Sundaram and Sundaram taking a nap and awake back to James was the exact idea behind the film. The period between those two naps was the subject of the film. When we examine the film in detail we find that kind of confusing and somehow ambiguous underlying plot which is like a dream or a thing that is going to happen. There lies the open-end description of the film. The frames are like wallpaper because the shots are static which smoothly allows James to incarnate Sundaram. The ambient sounds like old film dialogues, devotional songs from the temple, radio songs, etc played a wonderful job to enhance the movie. All actors justified their characters the most. Lijo spends a lot of effort to find new faces for his characters and here also we can find strange faces. But it's quite unbelievable that a familiar face doing strange things throughout the film and that was Mammootty, who portrays both James and Sundaram. Yet another Lijo magic that feels like a nap done by James and others which fell us into a deep sleep encircled with a beautiful dream. And that dream is Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam.

Peaky Blinders (2013–2022)

Vivid path of Shelby Family

[8/10 · 7 February 2023]

It has been a long time since Thomas Shelby becomes a brand. We have already seen filmgoers and fans imitate Shelby's dress pattern and much more. I'm talking about the British series Peaky Blinders which was telecasted through BBC. The sixth season of the series was come out in the past year. It gets brilliant reception like previous seasons. Let's move to the Gangster family in Birmingham on the verge of the last season which is about to come in the next year. The first season of the Peaky Blinders series was released in 2014. It didn't get much acceptance in the first couple of episodes but later after the 3rd and the 4th episodes the show or the season got the reception and became a success. The creator of the series Steven Knight talks about the real life of Peaky Blinders who were bookmakers, gamblers, and gangsters in 1880-1910 Birmingham city in England. Steven Knight was the maker of brilliant movies like Locke and Serenity and through Peaky Blinders, he just continued that successful making. Scarecrow in Dark Knight, Robert Fischer in Inception, Shivering soldier in Dunkirk, Robert Oppenheimer in the upcoming project Oppenheimer, and all the characters were done by Christopher Nolan's favorite actor Cillian Murphy, who did the part of Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders. This is one of the best performances from Cillian Murphy. Along with Murphy there were Paul Anderson, Sophie Rundle, Helen McCrory, Finn Cole, Natasha O'Keffee, etc were the members of the Peaky Blinders aka Shelby Family. Along with them, the Academy Award winner Adrien Brody, Academy Award nominee Tom Hardy, Sam Niell, Sam Claflin, etc were done a key role in the series. Apart from being a gangster film, Peaky Blinders can be attributed to a drama flick. The film not only travels along with Thomas Shelby but also with other characters. The first season introduces Shelby family to us. The second season shows the growth of Shelby's business enterprise outside Birmingham city. The third season portrays Thomas Shelby's intense bonding with Alfie Solomons (Tom Hardy), another businessman in Camden town. The fourth season reveals the revenge of Luca Changretta (Adrien Brody) on the Shelby family. The fifth season shows Thomas Shelby's shift as a politician and he becomes M. P. The sixth one portrays Thomas' murder of Micheal Gray (who was the son of Aunt Polly) and his existential crisis while doing so. Like this, each season has its own key elements but the visual representation and detailing of the elements gave a pivotal account throughout the series. The series' color pattern was a little bit dark in approach which flavors the total atmosphere of Birmingham city in the 1900s. The theme music, Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds was an exquisite one that gave an adrenaline rush. The series is not a thrilling one like Breaking Bad, Money Heist, and Squid Game, not a fantasy flick like Game of Thrones or Harry Potter series, and not an ambiguous one like Dark or Westworld. It is something a different kind of dramatic version which is wrapped in a gangster story. You cannot easily enter into the Shelby family and it will take much time for that. When you enter, it is very difficult to get out of there.

Qala (2022)

Question of existence in artists

[7/10 · 2 January 2023]

We had seen a lot of movies that talked about the existential and identity crisis of artists. The news about the depression of artists and sportspersons was a common issue in the past and it's happening now a day too. The new movie Qala by Anvitha Dutt talks about this matter. Anvitha Dutt, as we all knew her as a lyricist and this is her second directorial venture. She also penned for the film. We can say this film is a musical one in the peripheral but it exposes a dramatic side along with it. The fear and doubts of Qala have been inherited in her from her old days. Qala wants to be a singer but other things across the way bother her more than pursuing her passion. In the final part when she holds everything and becomes a stalwart in her career she feels nullness and believes that she doesn't deserve anything. The portrayal of the movie looks disparate because the idea of existential crisis had been seen in a movie like Kaagaz Ke Phool by Guru Dutt. We can see two visions in this film.

Qala's mother epitomes the vision of a misogynistic approach and on the other side Qala always stands along with the feminist vision. That vision of Qala connects the film with the current political scenario rather than the film talking about the pre-independence period. Tripthii Dimri produced something brilliant through Qala. Along with her Swastika Mukherjee, Babil Khan (late Irfaan Khan's son), etc were nice to their parts. Another peculiar factor in this film is its picturesque frames. Thanks to the cinematographer Siddharth Diwan and Production Designer Meena Agarwal for this. Yup, it is a musical film so the music might be good and Amith Trivedi didn't disappoint us. The film is released through Netflix and it is streaming on it successfully.

Emancipation (2022)

Struggle to get into the mark like his predecessors

[6/10 · 31 December 2022]

The monologue made by Peter in the last portion of the movie details the struggles faced by the Blacks in America. The photograph 'Whipped Peter' was solid evidence in history that traces blacks' dilemmas when they were treated as slaves. Inspired by the photograph and the life of Gordon aka Peter, Antoine Fagua made the movie Emancipation with Will Smith in the lead role. Let's talk about the film. The struggles and fights of Black people in America were always subject matter for art and literature. The movies like Selma, Fences, Get Out, 12 Years a Slave, etc talked and discussed their issues brilliantly. And now Emancipation added to the list. As we said Emancipation was made based on a true story. In the photo 'Whipped Peter' we see a black slave named Gordon with a scourged back and his struggles and survival was the main plot of the film. The protagonist in the film Peter (Will Smith) who had been working as a slave for Captain John Lyons was sold to Jim Fassel. Jim Fassel assigned him to do the job of the construction of a railway track. There were a lot of slaves who are working there and Peter is the latest one. Because of the torture, Peter along with some other slaves escapes from there to reach another place where Lincoln's army camped. That is the main plot the movie discusses. The film got released in theatres on December 2 and now it is streaming on AppleTV+. The majority of the portion in the movie is shot in Black and white but some parts have a special kind of color pattern. The main thing about the movie is the brilliant performance of Will Smith. He bagged the 2021 Oscar for his performance in King Richard and I think this performance is also worth another academy award for him. Along with Smith or somehow above him, Ben Foster who did the character of Jim Fassel was also exceptional. The scene where Jim talks about how he gets angry and puts blacks as slaves marked the biggest performance from a supporting character. The director who made Training Day, Equilizer, The Magnificient Seven, etc didn't come to the mark through this movie. There find something lacking in the entirety of the movie when compared with the above-said films. This movie follows the same path as the movies that we mentioned earlier. The theme is racism which was already talked about and discussed many times and thus the film failed to bring something new out of the theme. We can't find the inner dilemmas of Peter rather we find a heroic version of him that is not convincing and stood apart from the biographical element. The survival content in the film seems so negligible when compare to Inaurittu's film The Revenant. The film smells like a fresh one for the audience who didn't see those films and I'm afraid that the count might be so trifling.

Weekend (1967)

Continuing the explanation

[7/10 · 26 December 2022]

Godard, the name that wrote, talked, read, and criticized the most blended with the connotation of anarchism and rebel views. This is the simplest way of representing the veteran filmmaker. The man who created a new path in the french film world. We are going to talk about his 1967 product, Weekend. I'm not able to answer if you ask what is the peculiarity of this film even though it got released after 55 years. I think this film will be examined and discussed in the future for sure because of the content that the film delivers. We can't attribute this film to a single film because it points out a lot of things that a single film can hold. Like Godard's ideology, the movie stands out in the characterization of anarchist concepts. Godard dilutes the visuals of the man turning into an animal, the man standing as an apolitical creature, and the struggle of man's existential crisis. We can't find good in any of the characters. All characters are selfish. That's why the daughter kills her own mother, and the wife and husband are waiting for a moment to kill each other. The film failed to convey the total idea for me even on the 3rd watch. I feel something lacks in the entirety of the movie. More than the subject I wondered about the film's way of depiction. I'm repeating what others talking and that is the 10-minute-long tracking shot of the traffic jam. A lot of ideas are conveyed through that single shot. The director failed to keep that momentum throughout the movie. The 360-degree shot of the pianist scene is also mesmerizing. The sexual description at the beginning of the movie resembles Bergman's Persona and that attempt from Godard is not a good one. Throughout the movie, Godard tried to tell many things but all those things blend into a single idea and that is the inhumanness in humans. When that politics relies upon bourgeois politics then the film got in touch with communist interpretations. History also says that Godard became a Marxist-Leninist even after this movie. The man who takes films politically rather than taking political films doesn't end up with the exploration of this movie even today after the demise.

Kaapa (2022)

Throw the burden of novel's visual pattern

[6/10 · 25 December 2022]

I think Prithviraj intentionally joins with Shaji Kailas again after Kaduva only because of Dhothi and Fight. He loves to do it with him again. Kaduva was a commercial success flick and thus KAAPA is going on the same path. KAAPA is the cinematic version of G R Indhugopan's novel Shangumukhi. The novelist is also penned for the movie. When Shangumukhi turns to KAAPA does it do nicely? Let's discuss that. The first face that comes into our mind when we hear the title KAAPA is cinematographer cum director Venu. Venu is supposed to direct the film. But due to unknown reasons, Venu quit the project and then Shaji Kailas comes on board. The film completely deviated from the writing pattern that we read in the novel. The appearance of Kotta Madhu was changed even to fit Prithviraj when it comes to the film. KAAPA actually feels like me when a story gets to cut its first and last act shows the middle portion to us and that middle portion seems to be the totality of the movie. So we can say that KAAPA lies in between Shangumukhi. We can't see Kotta Madhu's actual characterization rather we see him fighting with his enemies like a supernatural. Later when Madhu's wife gets into the ground the cinema veils its curtain. So I expect a prequel and a sequel for the movie. Anand and his wife come to Trivandrum for a job, when Anand realizes that His wife, Binu's brother was killed in a gang war thus Binu's name was enlisted in the KAAPA list. He tries to remove her name. On that journey, he knows Binu's brother's enemy is Kotta Madhu and finds more information about him. From then on, we just go along with Kotta Madhu, his past and present endeavors and dilemmas. Typical Shaji Kailas fights were seen at some points in the movie but that doesn't seem to fit into the atmosphere. The emotional backup and depth of the character don't quite convincing. But I feel a disparate travel in the filmography of Shaji Kailas. Shots were beautiful as always in Shaji Kailas's works. Jomon T John's cinematography also looks good. Dawn Vincent's background score was nice but not powerful. Prithviraj corrects his acting through dialogue delivery. His pronunciation of Trivandrum slang was so perfect. Asif Ali, Anna Ben, Aparna Balamurali, Jagadeesh, Dileesh Pothan, Nandu, etc justified their characters. The film will disappoint those who come up with the novel's visual graph and pattern. Those who came without that in their mind, then surely it will entertain you.

Declaration (2022)

Content driven film

[7/10 · 25 December 2022]

The first Malayalam film which was premiered in the competition section of the prestigious Locarno Film Festival. An Indian film that premiered there after 17 years. These are the acclamation for the new film of Mahesh Narayanan's Ariyippu - Declaration. The film was also seen at the International Film Festival of Kerala in the competition section and received great appreciation. The film is now streaming on Netflix and let's talk about the movie. Malayalam Cinema got a new dimension through Mahesh's first directorial movie Take Off. Mahesh begins his career as an editor and when he wore the shirt of a director we get class films like Take Off, C U Soon, Malik, etc. Mahesh is the writer, director, co-producer, and co-editor of this film. Kunchako Boban and Divya Prabha are the lead actors. Ariyippu is not everyone's cup of tea. The film goes at a very slow pace and it details everything so profoundly. Mahesh shifts the camera to a gloves factory in Noida and he just portrays the lives revolving there. The office, Hareesh (Boban) - Reshmi (Divya) house, and the outskirts of Noida were the main locations. Hareesh and Divya are a couple and they are working in that gloves factory. They are about to leave for the Middle East for better job opportunities so they are doing their temporary job there. They are waiting for their Visa. At that moment the film got its deviation when some kind of a problem beheads Hareesh and Divya. From then on the audience get into a lot of assumptions and conclusions along with Hareesh. When all the problems get solved there remains something that is ambiguous for us. Mahesh builds the character arc of Hareesh and Divya so deeply. We can find different dimensions in each character. Reshmi is a normal, simple woman who gave predominant consideration to human values and emotions on the other side Hareesh is some sort of selfish and has a misogynistic approach internally. Both of them look forward to their issue in two different ways. Their divergent visions are the basic element of values and politics that the movie urges. Migration is an important theme in many of Mahesh's works. We find that in his debut movie, Take Off. We can see the intensity of that theme in Ariyippu too. Along with the life of Hareesh and Reshmi, the film also gives consideration to the things (corruption) that happen in the gloves factory. That portion of the film gives a documentary type that looks so real in the context. The cinematography in the movie is like a brilliant kind of work because it stood along with the actual path of the movie. We can't find colorful visuals, or beautiful frames rather the ordinary lives of people were roughly captured in that intensity throughout the film. Hats off to Sanu John Varghese, the cinematographer. We can find the top-notch performance of director brilliance when some areas seem to be more dramatic but look so ordinary when it comes to execution. Kunchako Boban, who consequently looks for different roles so fits into the character of Hareesh. Divya Prabha, we had seen her as a supporting actress but delivered an exceptional piece of acting through Reshmi and I think there are more Reshmis left in her acting career. The film also declares Malayalam films are far away better than other industries because of the wonderful content.

Freddy (2022)

Above-Average attempt

[6/10 · 20 December 2022]

When this movie got released in theatres my friend suggests to watch it but due to some personal reasons, I can't watch it from there. Now it's streaming on Disney Hotstar and I got the opportunity to watch it. I have watched this movie without any prejudice in mind. But there is been a hidden hint of director brilliance at the opening credits and it shows what might be the movie about. The beginning of the movie recalls me of Gehraiyaan, Haseen Dilruba, or that kind of film because those films point to infidelity, cheating, etc. But later the film got changed its pace and deliver some sort of thrilling effect on it. More than a thrilling effect the film forwards an engaging factor. The director provides that engaging effect within a handful of minimal characters. The depiction of the film is revenge and that seems quite normal but powerful. The major positivity of the film is the acting of Karthik Aryan. We have been finding him comical in his previous films but here his total appearance got changed and that's why his performance is. He delivered Freddy in a mature manner. Khainaaz, which was done by Aliya F is also brilliant at her part. We can find an ultimate villainess shade in her. When it comes to the technical side I feel cinematography is something way ahead of the line. For example, at the turning point of the film when Freddy understands he was cheated by Kainaaz, he feels desperate and angry, and that desperation and anger were shown by the DoP by adding a different kind of reddish tone when he lay down on the floor at his apartment. The background score of Clinton Cerejo was intriguing but the placement of the songs is unwanted. When it comes to the drawback of the film, I felt that the director failed to convince me how can a person who is shy and also introverted have the courage to do such kind of things. And also when Freddy finds the issues of Kainaaz why don't they both go to the Police station to file a complaint against her husband? Why they chose the path of murder? I urge some kind of clarity for that. The basic element of the film relies on the emotion of sympathy when a person is being cheated by someone. And on the other side feels angry towards the one who cheated him. That is the emotion carried by the director through the entire flowing of the film. I expect some sort of twist at the climax but nothing happened and that seems quite okay. Apart from those negativities, I feel Freddy is an above-average attempt. What is your take on this? I suggest this film and I'm sure it will not disappoint you.

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Again a visual stunner

[7/10 · 19 December 2022]

There is no other film in the history of cinema that awaited so long for the sequel. The film's release was delayed for various reasons, but people don't lose attention to it. I'm talking about the biggie and you knew it already. There is no need for an introduction to the veteran filmmaker James Cameron. We were stunned by his early works like Titanic, and Terminator, and when he came with the first part of Avatar, we were just out of control because of the visual images and the new way of visual representation. We wondered about Pandora and the blue people. After 13 years when the sequel comes up with a bang, we just feel the same kind of thing likewise the first part. Cameron once again produced something out-of-the-box visual magic with the assistance of new technology. In the first part, we saw the magic of the forest and now it's about the like sorcery blended in the sea (water). Avatar - The way of water primarily focused on the character detailing rather than the first part something came out of freshness because we all need an introduction to Pandora and its inhabitants. When it comes to the sequel we already knew about it and that's why Cameron specifically focused on the character arc. The movie clearly shows the detailed aspects of the characters Jake Sully, his wife Neytiri, their children Neteyam, Tuk, Lo'ak, and also Kiri, Ronal, Tonowari even the villain Quaritch too. The story is not at all a fresh one but the way of execution is unbelievable. Migration was the basic element of the first part but here it is expatriation. Jake Sully and his family become refugees because of the coming back of the sky people. So they are forced to move to the other part of Pandora. The people residing in that part were sea people. They live and develop their life according to the sea. They gave shelter to Sully and his family and trained them to communion with the sea. Then James Cameron invites us into the beauty and mystery of the sea and that was a splendid visual treatment. In the end, all are united to fight against the sky people. I'm not going to spoil much more. Kate Winslet bags a record beating Tom Cruise by holding her breath underwater for continuous 7:14 minutes. Tom did it for Mission Impossible and Kate's record-breaking was viral news. Cameron setups new types of equipment for the underwater shoot. As we said early the visuals are splendidly more in 3D which illuminates people to expect the next 3 parts. But there is nothing hooking at the end portion of the film about the upcoming parts. I expect a scene after the end credits (it is usual). But aside from when I rethink that kind of a hook, I feel that there is no need for such a thing for the audience to wait for the next parts.

Roy (III) (2022)

Simplest but not much intriguing

[6/10 · 13 December 2022]

The writer/director of this film Sunil Ibrahim is well known for his works which blended the psychological and unparalleled mindset of human beings into some extraordinary depictions. When we trace back to his earlier films like Chapters and Arikil Oraal we can find this kind of freshness and relate those films with some of the films from Hollywood and Korea. I just thought about the movie Arikil Oraal, which has some faraway resemblance to David Fincher's Seven. Anyway, this kind of narrative pattern and plot orientation is so alien to the Malayalam film industry and thus to the audience and that's why Sunil has some kind of importance. His latest one Roy also follows the same path where the protagonist has some sort of mental disorder. The film simultaneously blends with reality and dreams which confuses the audience in one way or the other. The structural enlargement of the movie is quite odd, in the sense it's going too slow and the viewers find it difficult to get into the core of the movie. When we enter into the actual premise then we feel ordinary in the way of approaching and establishing the things that we mentioned earlier. The thriller effect is not much intriguing and the accompanying background score is ineffective. The simplest kind of narration was the kinetic approach but that kind of making didn't worth it when it amalgamated with the totality of the movie.

Nirmalyam (1973)

A courageous attempt

[8/10 · 4 December 2022]

This is the first time I'm watching this movie and there was a longing for me to watch Nirmalyam. I heard about this movie while I look into films seriously and I have gone through a lot of books that talk about the political aspect of this movie. It is the time of the end of long waiting and the waiting is worth it completely. M T Vasudevan Nair is a legend in the Malayalam Literary Field and he is so known as a writer here for decades. He is so acquainted with each and every Malayalee human being. His works are classics and it is immortal. Let's talk about Nirmalyam which is the debut film of M T Vasudevan Nair as a director. We can't find any immature kind of making in this film even though MT is a debutant the subject that the film arises has that kind of significance and sharpness in the current social scenario. In a direct way, the film is something an atheistic view of society and in another way, it showcases the problems associated with the lower section of society. Poverty, Unemployment, casteism, etc are some of the main elements that the movie discussed. The film completely opposes the idea of temple, diety, or idols and criticizes it in full-on power. The climax of the movie is something extraordinary thing that is very rare to attempt by any other filmmaker but MT has that vision and doesn't afraid of anybody or anything. Nirmalyam arises a lot of questions which is unanswered till now.

Ela Veezha Poonchira (2022)

Have flaws but the Visual back-up lifts

[6/10 · 28 November 2022]

I only watched the film because of Shahi Kabeer, because I felt the guarantee that he would provide something fresh. I got that freshness, but Ila Veezha Poonjira doesn't go up to my expectation. Shahi's previous films as a writer, Joseph and Nayattu were brilliant works but when he wore the shirt of a director he misses something. Ila Veezha Poonjira is a slow-paced dramatic film encircled around the character of Madhu who is a policeman. The personal dilemma of Madhu is placed in a hill station named Poonjira. The place, Poonjira, is covered beautifully by the photographer and we get the depth of the place from each and every frame. The mystery around the place resembles the mystery inside Madhu's character. One major flaw of the movie belongs to the technical aspect. While capturing live sound some of the dialogues are not clear and which is very difficult to understand. The are no subtitles while I watch the movie so it was very hard to follow the dialogue. Another flaw that felt about the movie is that it ends so quickly. The main content of the plot reveal only at the end portion and that revelation only sustains quite for few times. The dramatic sequence wrapped up so speedily. Covering these minute flaws, Ila Veezha Poonjira provides some wonderful visual treatment and some kind of frozen atmosphere.

Natchathiram Nagargirathu (2022)

Decent attempt

[7/10 · 24 November 2022]

Pa. Ranjith's films are always a matter of some political dimensions to discuss. Every film either he directed or produced deals with issues related to Dalit politics and casteism. NN is also about that political spectrum. The subject is something we had already discussed and talked but the execution of the film stands different. The initial scene of the movie projects the entire concept, ie, Love and Caste. The film is built in a new-gen format which means there comes a lot of characters which is alien to the so-called normal society. We can see queer people, a transwoman, and a lesbian couple in the movie which is something a progressive thought. I feel like the theatre group simply symbolizes the future world that everyone intends to come. The theatre group is all set to execute a new play and the master of the group selects love as the subject for the play. Love that connects with the current social scenario. The movie also talks about the issue of honor killing which is so prevalent in society. While the master put forward this subject to everybody in the group all come up with their own views about the subject. That comments from them resemble the attitude of people toward this issue. We can see many types of dimensions that flavored a strong backup to the movie. The film is something a good attempt but not to be considered a brilliant one from Pa. Ranjith.

Scarface (1983)

Pacino at his best

[8/10 · 24 November 2022]

I can't see Al Pacino here in Scarface because Tony Montana steals the show entirely. I think each and every frame of the movie is assigned to Tony and that assignment didn't go wrong. Scarface is a cult - classic, which is actually an action-oriented, violent flick but seems so different from its predecessor, which was released ten years before, The Godfather. Obviously, these two films are two in their content and execution but one thing common in both films is the presence of the star, Al Pacino. Micheal Corleone and Tony Montana are two different characters with different visions and approaches. Micheal is so intellectual, calm, and soft-spoken (mostly) but Tony is arrogant, uneducated, and has his balls and words at the most which he doesn't break at all. Scarface also points out the Cuban migration to the US which was a strong political movement that happened at that time. Tony is a Cuban citizen, he came here to the US as a migrant then worked as a drug dealer and turned into a big bully in the drug market. In specific, the rise and fall of Tony Montana is the base element of the movie. We can see lots of shades in the character of Tony aside from the points we mentioned earlier. He doesn't know how to be romantic and that's why he can't receive Elvira's love. But he is so much fond of his family, especially his sister, Gina. It's very difficult to understand his affection towards Gina because it has so many layers to it. It can be a normal brother-sister relationship, or some sort of revenge on his mom (because she rejects Tony's money at some part of the movie and she says she doesn't need him), or it might be an incestuous kind of thing. Anyway, at the end portion, Gina promulgates the point of the incestuous attitude of Tony but Tony seems strange in her attitude. So it is quite confusing. Tony is also very much fond of kids and says this to Elvira many times. That fondness was the reason for him to spare the government official from being blasted by his Bolivian counterpart, Soso. We can find out many divisions of Tony's characteristics which is also a detailed topic to discuss. Through Tony, Al Pacino conquers Scarface.

Love on the Run (1979)

Leashing Antoine series with Love on the Run

[8/10 · 22 November 2022]

Let's talk about Love on the Run by Francois Truffaut only because I didn't see the prequels of this movie. I read it somewhere that, this is the fifth part of the Antoine Doinel series and this is a fresh thing for me. I love Truffaut's works, The Bride who wore Black and The Story of Adele H were some of his cult products I always intend to watch these movies again and again. He is a legendary director that's why I am always keen to watch his movies. Love on the Run, as I early said, talks about the life of Antoine Doinel, who is about to separate from his wife. He is on the verge of divorce and has a 9-year-old boy. The film starts with a love-making scene (where the credits are super-imposed) with his 'new' lover Sabine. While he spends the night with her, he doesn't want to live in that apartment completely with her. He gets off to work only after getting ready from his own house. The director indirectly depicts Antoine's character as a partial lover. If he puts his belongings in Sabine's apartment he would get the feeling that he is supposed to live there with Sabine. Antoine doesn't want that. Sabine shows her displeasure to him because of this action. Antoine is distracted by his failed love. His divorce didn't affect him directly but his inner conflicts (through flashbacks) invite him to the good old days with his ex-wife, Christine. He also saw his ex-girlfriend, Colette on a train which brings him back to his teenage times. Antoine is so obsessed with love. He is detached from his family, from his mother moved to jail as a delinquent. In this middle-aged time, he doesn't even know where his mom was cremated. Finally, Antoine finds true love with Sabine and they are on a voyage to new life.

Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey (2022)

Victorious Jaya

[7/10 · 8 November 2022]

At the initial moment I felt like the title of the movie directly invite me to the old school days because it was heard at the end portion of the Indian National Anthem. The film also refers to that. But when we swirl deep into the meaning of the title, it looks more evident and clear. The story of a local, simple and as well as a village girl named Jaya, her protest against some of the unwritten notion which put on her. Her hitting towards her husband not only struck alone to him but also points fingers towards entire section of the society. When it comes to Jaya, she points to her father and mother where the base of all matters arose from her family.

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

A French classic

[8/10 · 8 July 2022]

While I read some of the books related to world cinema I was just stuck on one name because of the pronunciation of it. That name is Carl Theodor Dryer and it was quite alien to me because I was just introduced to world cinemas at that time. When checking his filmography The Passion of Joan of Arc stood at the top position and it is surely a classical work. The film is a silent one, just passed a year since the first talkie enter the cinematic field (The Jazz Singer) but this film has its soul in it. Dryer adapted the story from the transcript of Joan of Arc and he just fits it into the story which has cinematic appeal. The movie is like a congested one in the sense it has a lot of close-up shots which are repetitive in the course of the movie's progression. Dryer framed up the characters in particular spaces without any movement for them and did their performance within that space. The film starts with the trial of Joan by the church and then it shifts to the crucifixion or burnt up of her (in another way from the Passion of Christ). In the end, the movie changes its track and goes into a speedy mood. This is a worth classic and good study material for those who dreamt about cinemas.

American Psycho (2000)

Patrick Bateman after Norman Bates

[7/10 · 8 July 2022]

Toxic Masculinity, this term can be attributed to the title of American Psycho because the movie talks about the narcissistic, chauvinist, and even psychic character of the protagonist (don't know whether he is the protagonist or the antagonist). It's about the life arc of Patrick Bateman, who is leading a business life, a man who is always conscious about his appearance and outfits turn into a man with the above said 'qualities'. The film is going in a steady, clean way where Patrick Bateman is there in 99 percent of the scenes. It's all about the character change of Batemen when he is with his colleagues and when he is with prostitutes. He is so obsessed with sex, even wild or rough sex and he loves to make his counter gets hurt. The movie is shaped through that characterization and the ultimate progress of that characterization reveals the climax of the movie. That is the shocking moment in the movie. Christian Bale did a brilliant job while portraying Patrick Bateman and I feel horrified by that performance. Mary Harron, the director, explicitly uses the image of sex throughout the film without any hesitation. She along with the writer perfectly constructed the character of Bateman, which is an inspiration for novice writers.

Paka (River of Blood) (2021)

Rawness encircled in a river

[7/10 · 7 July 2022]

The main reason I watched Paka was only because of one man, Anurag Kashyap who is onboard as one of the movie's producers. The trailer gives me a glimpse of what might be the core and the movie's treatment. Paka is a raw movie, that seems to be an alien thing to the Malayalam film industry (some of Lijo Jose Pellissery's movies are exceptional) and looks like an art-house thriller product. It has some sort of reference from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet where the subject revolves around the love affair of Jhonny and Anna both of them from two rival families. They look forward to the unity of their families through their marriage. But something disastrous is going to happen when the protagonist's father's younger brother comes to the place after a long term of imprisonment. The tagline or the subtitle of the movie is River of Blood and it is so suitable for the movie because the river plays an important role in the movie. Every moment or the hypes in the film are connected with the river. We can experience and entertain through a small remote village in the outskirts of Kerala where the majority of the people are illiterate and doing simple jobs. So we can see some sort of wild nature in each and everyone which pleases the entirety of the movie. Most of the actors are new ones but that doesn't reflect while they performing their particular characters. The most important thing that I found special in the movie is the sound design. We can feel the minimal usage of background score in the movie because the sound of nature got its prominence here. The entire graph of the movie can be judged through the progression of the sound. As I early said, the story takes place in a remote village, so the beauty and the visual imagery have gained something important which gave us attention to the movie. When we look out the river seems to be a little one and the director doesn't intend to shoot the river with a wide lens but the situations happening around shows us the violent as well as raw nature of the river. Director Nithin Lukose's debut attempt was a good one and he can do better with his next one.

Licorice Pizza (2021)

Deviation from the KEY part

[5/10 · 25 June 2022]

Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza has got three nominations for the 94th Academy Awards; Best Feature Film, Best Achievement in Direction, and Best Achievement in ScreenPlay (Original Screenplay). I just have something slightly different from the perspective of the Academy's decision because this is a good film but can't be the best film in 2021. I have that kind of admiration for Anderson and his works but this one does not seem pleasing to me. The setting of the film is good but I feel something negative about the making of it. Gary's love for Alana is like a top-most romantic visualization that we can see in Before Trilogy (there they are at the same age but here it is not like that) but the director includes many other things into the movement of the film which I believe that doesn't have enough convenience to fit in the plot. I like some of the moments like someone saying, "I'll not pray because I'm an atheist" and also the deficiency of gas which shocked the 70s in America. The political references like the election campaign also have some sort of impact but the director deliberately removed the key element of the movie which is the love between Alana and Gary. Anyway, this might be my mistake but for me, the film doesn't engage me at all. This time I think Paul Thomas Anderson disappoints me.