Recently Seen Movies - 12 - Page 112

Zakhm (web series) - I personally didn't find it riveting for my taste even though that was already expected based on the articles describing a plotline that comes straight out of romantic FFs/SSs/OSs which are anyways time-consuming and imaginary pollution for my mind lol. I felt GM did try his best but the storyline was bit boring that I FFed a lot of the episodes. The FL's poker-faced, IMO. Whole story-line was boring and felt while GM attempted his best in certain scenes, felt he was checked out in this web series. 

Jugjugg Jeeyo

Meh movie. It was too dramatic and absurd for my taste. Would have been palatable if Varun and Kiara actually had a romantic meet cute instead of their creepy love story. Never marry the boy who leeches onto you in school. Never marry the boy you rejected five times. Some parts had a mature outlook toward divorce. But 90% of it was meh. 

Cobalt Blue

What was the point of this depressing story? What were Prateik Babbar's motives? When did he have a relationship with Anuja? Was that relationship real or a figment of Anuja's fantasy? I get why Tanay was upset - but Anuja is his sister + she had no idea he was in love with Prateik Babbar. Couldn't he be a supportive sibling? I get why Anuja has to leave - she is being forced to marry and give up hockey. But why does Tanay run away too like a pathetic loser? Queer stories with blue in the title are just absurd. Too artsy and bizarre. Give me 'The Half of It' or a 'Love, Simon' or a 'Happiest Season' or 'Imagine me and You' or even 'Bros' [which I haven't seen yet, but looks great.] I don't like melancholic LGBTQ movies. 

Fried Green Tomatoes

If you're going to watch a movie about a brother and sister falling for the same person, it is this one. Ruth is Buddy's girlfriend. But Buddy dies in a tragic accident. Buddy's little sister Idgie grows up and falls for Ruth. The movie portrays Ruth and Idgie's relationship as a friendship (there is subtext), but the book is a love story.

Overall, this is a feel-good uplifting story about love, friendship, and community. It also is a dissection of the rural south which isn't always what we assume it to be. 

Carrie Pilby 

Apparently this movie is based on a book, I had no idea. Carrie is a 19 year old genius who had graduated from Harvard and is trying to make sense of her life and is avoiding falling into her anti-social tendencies. Big relate. Not the genius part, just the anti-social thing. 😆

The movie was great until the teacher-student relationship reveal (the student is also a minor here). Big yikes. It's a cute movie but I would have liked closure to the elephant in the room. They just gonna disclose the illicit relationship and leave it hanging? 

3.5/5

Modern Love S2

Some bitter, and some sweet love stories make for easy breezy viewing. I loved Modern Love: Mumbai where the city was a character in the love stories. I did miss that aura of familiarity in the western version. 

Originally posted by: return_to_hades

Delhi Crime S2

I had assumed Delhi Crime was a limited series. It was created to narrate a specific story. So I was skeptical when S2 was announced. It felt like they were stretching the popularity. 

But season 2 gives the characters another gripping case to show their mettle and grow in. Although not as riveting as S1, S2 is a taut 5-episode engaging thriller. We see the characters go through professional and personal struggles. We see both the heroic and slimy sides of police work. 

PS: The first few frames where they show the first break-in - I was like this is a woman burglar. The eyes, the movement, very female. Did anyone else feel the same? 

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Take a bow, Aaron Sorkin. You know how to create a political drama. Two hours of mostly courtroom scenes just flew by. I was glued to the screen. The entire ensemble cast does a phenomenal job. 

yup, I also had noticed that. 

Ammu ( Telugu )

Aishwarya Lakshmi starrer movie belongs to the same genre of Thappad and Darling. 

Ammu's parents arranges her marriage with their neighbour Ravi who happens to be a police officer. What seems to be blissful marriage initially turns to be a nightmare later. How will she react to the horrible experiences from the husband is the main premise.

There are few disturbing scenes in the movie . No matter how many movies were made with similar topic these stories has to be told. 

Movie is definitely one time watch. The performance of Aiswarya lakshmi and the male lead is good . There are two scenes which stood out ,one is the conversation between Ammu and her mother,other is the conversation between begger and Ammu.

28 days haunted -  What a disappointment it turned out to be, seriously I’m angry at myself for wasting all my time watching that crap 😡 😡 
It was soo bad and scripted it looked like more of parody then a horror documentary 😭

Sardar Udham

This movie deserved every accolade it got. Vicky Kaushal gives a haunting performance as Udham Singh. Even when he is not saying a word, the pain in his eyes, his steely resolve, and his determination, it's all so beautifully portrayed. 

I was not ready for that climax. It really cut me. I know what happened at Jalianwala Bagh. I've read about it so many times in history textbooks. But I couldn't have imagined the brutality and gore. Movie depictions tend to gloss over the massacre - perhaps to manage audience reactions/avoid adult ratings for violence. But I am glad Shoojit Sircar didn't hold back. I think we all need a reminder of the atrocities of colonization and the bloodshed before our freedom. 

The movie also shed light on how many Sikhs fought and died in WWI and WWII for the British, a fact often forgotten by many. Some of the details were new to me to like the illegal immigration pipeline through Russia, the relationship between some elements of HSRA and IRA, and the solidarity with labor movements. 

I am usually critical of non-linear narratives and feel Bollywood movies are indulgent with their run times. But I have no problems with the editing or narrative style on this one. The narrative works and despite the two-plus hour length - I couldn't find much that should have been chopped. The climax could perhaps have been crisper - but seeing the trauma Udham endured is absolutely necessary for the film to linger with you and remind you not to take freedom for granted.

Also, the excuse of anti-British sentiment for not sending the film to the Oscars is such a load of bull. Unlike RRR which is bullish and resorts to British caricatures - Sardar Udham makes a clear distinction between colonizers and civilians. On multiple occasions, Udham Singh clarifies that he doesn't hate the British only the colonizing powers that commit atrocities. 

It was also refreshing to see a movie without caricatures and stereotypes about Punjabis or British. 

Thallumala

Despite of all the hype ,I didn't watch this Malayalam action flick in theatre because I was never a fan of action films. But this film changed my opinion. Thallumala means chain of fights , and this movie literally justify the title. Though Tovino and Kalyani priyadarshan are the main leads, we will end up in loving other characters as well. The fact is no one is a villian or hero in this movie. It is  about the anger and ego of youngsters and how they end up in fighting even for silly matters. This is one of the colourful Malayalam movie I watched after a very long time.

If you are a fan of action movies,who is not bothered about the story this is must watch. I become a fan of Shine Tom Chacko's Reji. What a subtle change of emotions in that wedding related song.