-
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
This month marks the 75th anniversary of one of the greatest films of all time, It’s a Wonderful Life (1946). No better time to watch it for the first time. This movie has been a must-watch during the Christmas season for many around the world. I found it to be worth every bit of praise it has garnered, in fact, I cried in joy and gratitude in the climax scene, and I am not the sentimental type. I watched the classic film on Plex Live TV (there may be a free version in your region), the remastered colour version was stunning. It gets my highest rating of Delicious. Don’t miss…
-
Jai Bhim (2021)
Once in a blue moon, Kollywood produces a Tamil cinema that transcends the usual cliché, one well crafted & thus worthy of our pride. Jai Bhim (ஜெய் பீம்) by Director T. J. Gnanavel and starring Suriya is the latest to be added to that short line-up. Apart from the significant social issue described (which has been extensively covered in the media), as a cinema, it offers measured acting (which is a surprise) from Suriya, master story-telling with the right order of suspense and reveals, a brilliant cast crew, attention to detail (a rarity), and a brisk pace to keep you engaged throughout. Released on Amazon Prime Video, the film gets…
-
Two Distant Strangers (2020)
Two Distant Strangers (2020) is an Academy (Oscar) awards nominated short film that you shouldn’t miss. It uses a time-loop format to show the rough treatment meted to African Americans by law enforcement in the USA, to produce a very engaging film that will remain with you for a long time. Available on Netflix. A young man Carter James (Joey Bada$$) wakes up in bed next to a beautiful miss Perri (Zaria) in a two-storey nice apartment in downtown New York. As he walks out, he faces danger for his life in the form of an NYPD officer Merk (Andrew Howard). This repeats over and over again from Carter’s waking…
-
Wadjda (2012)
What a simple yet inspirational film this was! The first feature film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia, that too by a female Saudi director in her debut film: Wadjda (2012). It was about a little girl who wants to buy a cycle and race with it against her neighbour’s boy. In a conservative society like Saudi, this was not so easy. The film traces her journey. Wadjda is a 10-year girl living in Riyadh with her mother who works in a school that requires a long commute and her father visits them once in a while. She is friends with a boy named Abdullah of the same age next door.…
-
Notorious (1946)
If I tell you a film that was made 75 years ago, that too, a spy drama will be a fantastic watch even today, you will find it hard to believe. But, it certainly was how I felt when I watched Alfred Hitchcock‘s Notorious (1946) – the movie kept me thoroughly engaged – every frame remains relevant and hasn’t got outdated – a timeless classic of the genre. Immediately after World War II, in 1946, a wealthy American is convicted as a Nazi spy and his daughter feels abandoned. Noticing that she unlike her father is a patriot, an American intelligence agency recruits her to infiltrate a German secret mission…
-
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
After seeing 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) I have been wanting to see the other films of the legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick. Today I saw his earlier film Dr. Strangelove (1964), a satirical comedy made during the height of cold-war tensions between USSR and USA. Even if you are unable to step into the prevailing public fears of the day, this movie will be thoroughly enjoyable. A must-watch for every movie-lover and to understand the craziness that prevailed within the two super-powers during the 60s. This film can make you laugh in every frame while keeping you scared throughout. The story is about a US Air Force general who has…
-
Newton (2017)
Newton (2017) was a brilliant film and I am glad it was made. A must-watch for everyone who believes in democracy or wants to understand the true India. It was recommended to me in the last three years many times but I kept missing it till today. It is available on Amazon Prime Video. The film is about Newton Kumar (played by Rajkummar Rao), a bright and young Government clerk who is sent as the presiding officer to conduct the Parliament elections in the remote jungles of Dandakaranya in Chattisgarh infested with Naxals. The memory of the scores of security forces who were killed by the insurgents in 2010 is…
-
3-Iron (2004)
In recent years, South Korea has been making many wonderful films like The Host (2006), Okja (2017), Cart (2014), Miss Granny (2014) which was remade as Oh! Baby (2019) and then Parasite (2019) winning the oscars. Earlier this month I read the news of a South Korean director Kim Ki-duk passing away due to COVID-19. I wanted to watch his films and started with the 3-Iron (2004). This is an age-old story of a beautiful lady being held captive and ill-treated her husband, who later falls in love with a kind stranger (the hero). What is different in 3-Iron, is the way the director has handled this story and delivered an unique film. Here Tae-Suk, is…
