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'Sara'S' review: Anchored by a powerful script, this simple film breaks the conventions of the feel-good template

Jude Anthany Joseph's third feature, after Ohm Shanti Oshana and Oru Muthassi Gadha, released on Prime Video at midnight today. This seemingly feel-good film, also seemingly made in limited spaces and with a shoestring budget, tackles a concept and issue never tested before in Malayalam cinema  circles. In Sara'S, we follow the life of Sara Vincent (Anna Ben), a young, bubbly, yet unapologetic filmmaker who struggles to make it big in the industry. She continuously assists male directors and is in the scripting works of her dream film. Sara has decided, from her school days, that she would not bear any kids. This is when she meets Jeevan (Sunny Wayne); her relationship with him subsequently brings her ideology and decision into a confrontation with the established norms of society, family and child-rearing.  Anna Ben in Sara'S The best aspect in which Sara'S has excelled, without doubt, is its hard-hitting taut script. Debutant Akshay Hareesh deserves praise for managin...

The Red Phallus- ostracism in traditional Bhutan

The Red Phallus, Bhutanese director Tashi Gyeltsen's directorial venture, depicts the tale of an innocent teenage girl as she faces ostracism and harsh remarks from a traditional society. The film, which had traveled to international film festivals like Cannes, Berlin and Locarno, recently had its' screening at the 3rd Guwahati International Film Festival. Sangay, portrayed by Tshering Euden, is the daughter of an atsara, an   individual of high class who dons masks of clowns to entertain audiences in Bhutan's villages. He also earns a living by crafting phalluses out of wood, considered spiritually and traditionally relevant by the traditional village society. It is in this conservative background, that we are introduced to Sangay. The sequence which introduces Sangay sums up the entire film and the girl's life. As she walks down the green pastures, above which looms dark, ominous clouds, to cross a narrow bridge, she is followed by a posse of masked atsaras c...

Joker- a visceral tale of a loner on the path to madness

Sometimes the society one lives in is the biggest villain. The structures, the people, the very system that dictates how things work, become the catalyst in a man's slow descent into madness, into dilemma. It may be   this year's  Joker,  Todd Phillips' retelling of the legend of the infamous comic book super-villain and arch-nemesis of the Caped Crusader, that best works in depicting this socially relevant and prominent issue, after Martin Scorsese's masterpiece, Taxi Driver. Here's Reviewer's review of the film. In the sprawling city of Gotham, we first see Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) painting his face to work as a party clown. But we are sure that the smile he paints on his face is just a facade, his real life is in the deep recesses of the above mentioned sprawling Gotham city, where he is only one in the hoardes of people who struggle to find jobs and meet their ends.   His attempts to be a stand-up comic is a complete failure- people view ...

De Niro, Pacino and Pesci - all assemble in the new poster for 'The Irishman'

Undoubtedly, Scorsese's next, The Irishman, is the most anticipated film of the year. It is indeed exciting that cinephiles can once again enjoy the craftsmanship of the genius that created cinematic wonders like Goodfellas, The Departed and Casino. The Irishman also falls under the genre synonymous with the director- gangster crime. On Monday, Netflix, The Irishman' s official distributor, released the poster of the film, which unites the likes of Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. The Irishman is based on the memoir by Charles Brandt, I Heard You Paint Houses, which chronicles the life of mob hitman Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran, who served for the Bufalino crime family. Robert De Niro will star as the eponymous criminal, while Joe Pesci, who returns from his retirement, portrays Russel Bufalino, the head of the crime family. Al Pacino will play Jimmy Hoffa, the trade union leader who mysteriously went missing and was later declared "legally dead...

Parasite - a socially relevant and engaging masterpiece

As the man behind some of South Korea's best films, Bong Joon-ho has become the face of the country's movie industry in international fora. His films have garnered praise and accolades from both critics and audience alike. When Parasite , Joon-Ho's latest creation, bagged the prestigious Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, eyes turned once again to the growing Korean movie industry. Here's Reviewer © 's review on Parasite. The Kim family lives in a shabby basement, in the midst of the literal recesses of the city, living their lives shadowed by the glory and pomp of the mighty city. The family siphons their neighbor's Wi-Fi, they eat lavishly from community centres- their life serves poetic justice to the title of the film. In the first few minutes, we are introduced to the crux of the story. The son in the family, Kim Ki-woo's friend Min-Hyuk suggests that Ki-woo take his place as English mentor for the daughter of the rich and powerful...

Andy Serkis to direct Venom 2

Andy Serkis has made his mark felt in Hollywood as the person who made the art of motion-capture recognizable among the audience. His iconic roles as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings series, King Kong in Peter Jackson's King Kong, and Caesar in the rebooted Planet of the Apes franchise have turned Serkis into the industry's most beloved mo-cap artist. He also had played acclaimed roles in the British ventures such as Longford (2006) and Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2010), which garnered him Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Serkis also portrayed the antagonistic Ulysses Klaue in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing the roles in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and Black Panther (2018). Andy Serkis Only two films old in his directorial sojourn, the latest news to come from H-Town concerns this rookie himself. Sony Pictures has roped in Andy Serkis to direct Venom 2, the sequel to 2018's Venom. Ruben Fleischer's Venom was one of 2018's bigge...

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum: Keanu Reeves is the chased in this stunning action thriller

The Keanussance is upon us. Considerably, one of the best action star of our time, Keanu Reeves continues to impress his fans and audiences with his on-screen and off-screen charisma. In the height of his career resurgence, Lionsgate came out with the third installment of the critically acclaimed action franchise, John Wick , starring the Canadian star. After the first two successful installments, the third feature promised fans of the actor and the franchise a gripping and bloody two hours. Here's what the Reviewer ©  felt on John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum. After the unsanctioned killing of Santino D'Antonio, a high ranking member of the High Table, skilled assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is declared "excommunicado", stripping him of his privileges. Adding to his woes, a $14 million bounty is put on Wick's head, sending the most dangerous and ruthless assassins in the world on the hunt for Wick. John has to wriggle himself out of peril's way,...

The Lion King- a visually extravagant remake that lacks the spirit of the original

Disney's fascination with the live action retellings of its' classic animated films continues with presumably great success, turning the venture into one of the movie production giant's most lucrative businesses. 2019 would appear, for most, to be Disney's most profitable years, with it's colossal blockbuster releases, Marvel's Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel  and Pixar's Toy Story 4 shaking the cash registers and grossing over a billion dollars. In it's latest in the series of live action re-imaginations of previous animated classics, Disney released the photorealistic remake of the 1991 animated musical classic, The Lion King. With Jon Favreau, who previously helmed 2016's The Jungle Book, returning to direct the film and a stellar voice cast signing up to voice the iconic characters, once could only expect the gigantic way in which the movie would attract huge footfalls. Here's Reviewer's review of The Lion King. Honestly, there...