Film Review- The Sheep Detectives

 A fascinating film about some talking sheep, who solve a murder mystery.

Creatively written and directed, The sheep are the real sleuths in this whodunit involving their shepherd, Hugh Jackman. The usual suspects are lined up, and a twist in the tail nails the perpetrator, just in time.

Enjoyable for its novelty of plot, it is actually based on a novel. Great photography, dialogues and sheep! With a few messages for humans too, about prejudice, casting people out of the flock, exploring new frontiers and so on.

What Plays Can Teach Us

 Why is Shakespeare famous? Due to his plays. And why are plays important, especially today where everything seems screen-based- so much that you sometimes wonder if you are really alive, and pinch yourself to be sure.

I would think that plays are a unique art form. Film of course is easier to do and store, and distribute. And it has an important role to play in entertainment and education. But there is an immediate connect with the characters in a well-enacted play, that is magnetic, and irreplaceable. 

Pic above- a wonderful play I saw at Pune recently, called The Greatest Show on Earth. 

Last three or four years, I saw many plays. In Bangalore, I was lucky to have watched Naseeruddin Shah in two (he was mesmerising), and Vinay Pathak in one (funnily, called The Last Lear, after Shakespeare's King Lear). In Pune, I saw a few Marathi plays, with some good actors and directors- both male and female. 

Some classic Marathi plays were remade into films as well. I liked Natasamrat with Nana Patekar in it, and Katyar Kaaljaat Ghusli with Shankar Mahadevan and Sachin playing the major roles. 

I think the subject comes through more forcefully in a play than in a film. I would strongly recommend that you try them out, if you haven't. You won't regret it.

Book Review of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

 Brilliant material for a play. I first saw the movie, and by chance, found the book last week. The movie was very good, starred Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (he was a prof.). The play is of course the raw material, and is worth a read.

The whole story unfolds in the home of the couple, where another young couple (a professor and his wife) are invited to get to know each other. And they get personal, and skeletons tumble out, one by one. Of ambition, or lack of it, and extra-marital flings by the professor's wife, and a gold-digger (the younger husband).

By the way, the play has nothing to do with Virginia Woolf, the author. Just a song the characters sing.. that says, Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Kalki - Film Review

 A Big B- I mean, a big bore.

What a waste of talent. A bad script can spoil anything, and this film is a living example. Prabhas, who was so good in Bahubali, looks forced into amateurish gimmicks that don't work. You are left wondering what's happening, why and when it will end. That hope is dashed, because it goes on for 3 hours, almost a night without end.

Why would anyone want to live in The Complex? It's inexplicable, and outright laughable. The Supreme - whatever that means- what is he trying to achieve? You don't empathise with any character, perhaps with the couple who lay down their lives trying to protect Deepika. At least the woman does. They are the only ones who show some normal human qualities. The others are too jaded, or artificial, or both. Going through the motions, mostly, and for too long. The sets are colourless, and depressing too. If the future is so bad, I would be happy not to be a part of it.

Outright silly most of the time, the film appears like a video game some kid is playing on a big screen instead of his console/mobile.

Give it a miss if you don't want a massive headache. Well, carry a couple of aspirins if you decide to ignore my advice!

Film Review- Hindustani 2

 I saw a movie in a theatre after a while. It was not bad, but I was left with a feeling it could have been better.

It's about a vigilante who plays cat and mouse with the CBI, and outwits the son of an officer who had earlier failed to catch him. There is obviously a lot of action -some of it unbelievable- and chases across Indian states/towns.

The gripping part of the story is actually what the protagonists (a group of youngsters) discover within their own families- a story of corruption of some kind, at the urging of the main character-the vigilante.

Somewhat predictable in the storyline after the first couple of instances, it may have helped if fewer instances had been covered in some detail rather than so many. Also, the length of the movie could have been shorter by at least 15 minutes, as I always say about a lot of Indian films.

The first in the series was better, in my view. This is not bad, if you like Kamal Haasan. I actually prefer Rajnikanth in roles where there's a lot of action. He is somehow, more believable as an avenger!

Oppenheimer - A Review of the Film

 Nice film. The pluses-

Serious plot about an important invention. 

Good acting, except the guy who played Einstein. Didn't like him, or his hairstyle.

Scenes which were underplayed. The Bomb blast, and a few others.

The persecution of communist suspects! Realistically depicted.

Some great names like Niels Bohr, and a few other greats are seen personified- knew them only from text books before this.

The Minuses-

The length seemed like eternity. Easily reducible by at least 20 minutes without losing anything.

Overdramatic scenes with lots of background music. Felt like a pub for youngsters.. my favourite ones are quiet!

The scientific community is beholden to politicians, is the message I got. Even in the US. Or Germany, or Russia.

Kantara - Film Review

 An awesome movie, and a must-see, if you haven't watched it. Saw it (with Hindi dubbing), in Indore.

It is rare for a Hindi film-goer to come across such a film. So rooted in local culture and mythology. Yes, this is also larger than life in parts, where the supernatural element enters the plot. But utterly believable traditions of rural life in India.

The plot never slackens, and the mother's character is really delightful-what a contrast from the Nirupa Roy-style mom of Hindi movies! The hero, his cronies and the villain are well-played. The forest officer character is also portrayed really well. Since I don't know the actors, can't name them.

It's a brilliant screenplay, edited to perfection. No major songs except in the background. The Wow sound that emanates from the Daivi -possessed form, is a great value-add, and makes that character/form memorable, apart from the make-up.

Difficult to describe, but it's an experience you don't want to miss. Rishabh Shetty, hats off!

Gangubai Kathiawadi- Film Review

 I was not impressed. The narration drags, in spite of a potentially interesting tale. Some good editing may have been able to spruce it up, maybe.

The story itself has a great conceptual base. That of prostitutes being treated as outcastes, in spite of them satisfying a demand created by the rest of society. If there is no demand, a product does not sell. That part of the logic is flawless. Also, it's not called the oldest profession for nothing. Maybe those who cannot get a partner for some reason can visit a prostitute to satisfy their urge. 

The sequences towards the end when a sympathetic journalist visits and tries to bring the issue into limelight are quite interesting, and lift the movie up from being a complete drag. Sanjay Leela Bhansali's obsession with using a single set for most of the film also is a reason for the repetitive visual feel. 

All in all, a 2.5 on 5. View it if you are a fan of Alia Bhat.

Film Review- Thappad

It's a resounding slap to the patriarchy, and shows that men are not the only ones who propagate it. It's also the women who train their sons to perpetuate it, and their daughters to accept it and move on.

Very hard-hitting, but very understated. It's unusual to see a Hindi film without over-the-top acting, unnecessary frills or masala elements, and yet remain gripping in every scene. The discussion of the issue on hand is a moment of realisation that the heroine has, and her only supporters (apart from the lawyer who is supposed to as part of her job) seem to be her father, and her neighbour (Dia Mirza after long).

In the face of almost everyone trying to ask her to compromise, she does not. And in the process, inspires other women (including her lawyer) to introspect about patriarchy in their own lives, and do something about it. Taapsee Pannu rocks. I liked one particular dialogue of hers, when she says that as a young student, she had dreamt of only two things in life- respect and happiness, and even today, desires the same two things. The supporting cast is excellent, to the last man/woman/girl.

Inspiring, a must-watch, and even if it succeeds in changing a few lives because of watching it, completely worthwhile.

The Art of Getting Offended

Of all the skills needed to survive today (2020), the one of paramount importance is knowing how to get offended. You don't always have to lead a riot, though that can grab headlines in national media for a few hours to a few days. But you must do it right, and therefore, there is a market for Skill-building courses involving this skill. Entrepreneurship, e-commerce and food delivery are passe.

There is no need to impress upon you why this skill is important. If you don't get offended these days, you are a nobody. You may think you are something great like a Social Media Influencer with thousands of followers, but if you don't get offended regularly, you will lose all those followers. The only other way to get loyal followers is to get into scandals regularly. But getting offended is easier. Let me explain.

You can get offended by almost anything. That's a huge advantage. If the name of a new film is not to your liking, you can get offended. If the film shows your profession in a bad light (even if fictionally), you can still get offended. If the director does not apologise for the imaginary slights, you can get offended. Even if he does, you can get offended by his insincerity in apologising. You get the point?

If someone tells a joke involving gender, ethnicity, nationality, eating habits, accent, what-have-you, you can get offended. Humorists and cartoonists (the ones that are out of jail) will have a tough time because of you too- an added plus for getting offended.

If you are offended by this blog post, it would have served a purpose-of educating you as to the importance of the whole thing.

Darbar- A Review of the Rajnikant Film

Rajni does it again. This man is amazing on screen, no matter what the story of the film is- It could be sci-fi, as in Robot, or a simple cop and robber story, he dominates everything in sight with sheer presence!

And so it is with his latest, Darbar. The story is almost incidental to showcasing the man. It's not a bad story, but the editing and fast-paced movement keeps you engaged for most part. The daughter and his sidekick are the only others who have a substantial role, not even his love interest. The songs and lyrics are a weak point, but luckily don't take away too much from the main plot. Dialogues are good.

Sunil Shetty does not have a lot to do, and does it competently. Watch it if you are a Rajni fan. If not, it's up to you.As a student of film acting, just to learn what an actor can achieve, it's a lesson. He makes it look so easy..it's not, at his age, I am quite sure.

Mardaani 2- a Review

Not many films are made involving serious crime detection. This one is an exception, and also because it has a female protagonist at the helm of affairs. What starts out as a rape case turns out to have many twists, including a 'supari' (hired) assassin, who is inured to crime, and thinks nothing of either killing, or raping, and is extremely creative, and daring.

His identity is revealed at the beginning, so it's the cat and mouse game between him and the female cop that sustains interest. Alfred Hitchcock used this approach successfully in his films- focus on the how he got caught rather than on Who did it.

It works, because the film is gripping. I had only one small problem. The protagonist relied too much on her hunches, and did not give enough thought to where the killer could be found when some signs pointed towards her immediate surroundings. No mention of any fingerprints, surprisingly, when they may have helped solve the crime much earlier.

The acting is good, on both sides. The direction by Gopi Puthran, even better.

Review of Good News- Hindi Film

They have got it right- that's the good news. The direction is competent.

In India, usually good news means either a marriage, or a pregnancy. In this case, it is the latter..at least, attempts to get there, and the twists that follow. I really liked Diljit Dosanjh in this one, he brings the liveliness required in an otherwise serious film. He is hilarious in some scenes.

The gender roles are brought out quite well, including the insensitivity of the male mostly, and the more emotional side of the female, and the ups and downs keep the story interesting. The dialogue is very good, and helps engage us with the characters, who are set up better than in most films of recent origin. First time I saw Kiara here, and she does her job well. Akshay's role is almost villainish, and he is good at playing it. Kareena too. The supporting actors add to the story, including the doctor and his wife, and their self-promotion video. :)

After Vicky Donor and the film that tackled impotence, another one that tackles a related subject- IVF. My only quibble is, that it puts down adoption. Will someone make a movie about that, please?

Marjaavaan- Film Review

It's a miracle that I am alive, after watching this. A horrible mish-mash of various films, jerkily put together. Mind-numbing mix of Deewar without Amitabh (first scene and last scene), Alfred Hitchcock (telling you whodunit in the beginning scene), and a lot more, it tests your patience from beginning till end.

Probably the only original thing is the dwarf (if you ignore the Kamal Haasan role as a dwarf, that is) played by Ritesh Deshmukh. The master-stroke is to select non-actors who can't act to save their life for the lead roles. Nasser is probably the only one who can.

The story is also a hotch-potch (if the above weren't enough) of various Southern-Dons-in-Mumbai from Thalapathi to Once Upon a Time in Mumbai with a bit of Satya thrown in for good measure. Add the crappy way in which the mindless stuff is stitched together, and you have a total disaster.

Ideally, the title should have been Bheja Fry, to indicate what it might do to your brain. The songs are an assault on the senses, in case you want to know more.

Saand Ki Aankh or Bull's Eye - A Review

This is another endearing film on a genre which seems within the grasp of Indian film-makers. Mostly, they are doing a good job of small-town heroes involved in sport- and most of these are women sportspeople. Mary Kom comes to mind, and Dangal. There was also a Dhoni biopic that I did not see.

This one (about shooters) is well-made, and well-acted in. One thing that struck me is that in almost all movies now, the villain is one of our own, not the "other"- larger than life guy with a den and a moll on his arm. It is men and women who represent patriarchy, oppression or false expectations. Prakash Jha as Tau is the perfect villain- patriarchy in its purest form- in this film. He seeks to maintain the old order-and fails.

Bhumi Pednekar and Taapsee Pannu have both acted in several good films, and here they both do a Sanjeev Kumar with panache- act old! Their individual acts and chemistry with each other make the film a delight. The supporting cast is adequate for their job.

Insights about rural India (and urban India by contrast, and Maharajas) abound, if you are looking for them. Seems like a directorial debut, and a good one.

Review of Marathi Film Half Ticket (Tikit)

This is an amazing film about two kids in a poverty-stricken family who live in a slum. Yet, they smile a lot, enjoy life eating Crow's eggs (and naming themselves after them too) and making small money from collecting coal dropped by wagons. They also have a friend, Tutti Frutti, who is older, but understands them perfectly.

Their life changes when a pizza shop opens in the neighbourhood. They have a Don Quixotic desire to eat a pizza, and try many failed shenanigans. Finally, an unexpected turn of events gets them what they wanted.

Very interestingly conceived, directed, and acted in, all three main actors- the mother, and the two boys- deserve an award. They may have got them too, as this is a 2016 film. The director deserves one too, for an excellent film. See it on Netflix/Amazon. It's on one of them, I forget which.

Dream Girl (New)- Film Review

I am quite happy that the "middle-of-the-road" cinema is still alive. Rather tired of the hyped other stuff (signs that I am old?)- maybe due to an overdose of bad films in recent times. The plot is king here-a deftly arranged and directed one.

This film has shades of Gol Maal by Hrishikesh Mukherjee with switched identities-only, here the confusion is much more. Many people simultaneously loving a "girl" at the other end of a phone line is the basic plot. The dialogue is clever, and raises quite a few laughs.

Mostly depending on Ayushmaan (he has gone places, from Dum Laga Ke Haisha onwards till here) and Annu Kapoor, some of the other characters- like the poet-policeman (Vijay Raaz?), Dadi, and the Sardar friend, have done very well. Nushrat Bharucha is adequate in a male-dominated story. But then, Gol Maal was also male-dominated, with Utpal Dutt and Amol Palekar stealing the show.

Go watch it for fun. The music is bad, but inconsequential to the film. The lecture at the end was also unnecessary, I thought..got too may lectures in life, maybe?

The Narrow Path- Malayalam Film Review

This is a 2016 film which could be one of the lowest budget films I have seen. Mostly, the action happens in one small house and its terrace. But it is also one of the most unusual, because it is gripping.

The hero is not fair and handsome, by any stretch, but he acts like he is a natural. Actually, there are two heroes- a son and a father. Both are great for their roles. It's about a son who has to care for his partly paralysed father, and the possibility that he may have to forego his love because of the situation. The dilemma keeps the movie going.

Wonderfully narrated story, direction and editing. I saw it on Amazon Prime, and you should too (anywhere), if you like good cinema. Subtitled where I saw it.

Again brings home the point that the story can be the lifeline of a film- Race 3 guys, are you listening?

Batla House

Not many good films in this genre are made in India. This one's quite realistic-maybe because it is inspired by a real incident- and topical, because terrorism/shooting of all kinds is going up all across the world.

Except for the fact that John Abraham has almost the same expression throughout the film (Mrunal Thakur outperforms him by miles in her much briefer role), the movie is well-written for the screen. I would have preferred it ten minutes shorter to make it even more crisp, but it is quite riveting, and doesn't wander from its main theme.

Some minor blips apart, it is good to watch.

Judgemental Hai Kya- Film Review

I liked the film. That does not mean you will like it. It's that kind of film (isn't all art?). It is quirky, with an uneven pace (probably deliberate, and may be because mental imbalance is one of the subjects it deals with through its main character), and is full of switches between the present and the past- flashbacks, if you will.

Still, I give it full marks for keeping the suspense going, and for interspersing the serious plot with comedy in the form of some of the supporting characters- Kangana's boyfriend (who is not sure of his status- ha, ha), the two cops (Satish Kaushik is one), and Jimmy Shergill, who is not into comedy, but is a refreshing add-on.

The idea of using characters from the Ramayana, is great, and the sets of the rehearsals for the Modern Ramayana were brilliant pieces of art. Weaving in Duniya mein logon ko (the song) is also a nice touch, and so is the intro to the art of dubbing for films-we rarely get a look at the post-production activities that go into film-making.

It has lots of good things, if you are not too judgemental!