Here’s what I can say with absolute certainty – In The Heights is a perfect entertainer this summer, especially if you’re planning to watch a film at the theatre after the lockdown.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, it is an energetic, vibrant and fun film that promises to beat the summer heat.
In The Heights is a musical drama centred around the lives of immigrants in search for a better life.
In a tight-knit community that functions like a family, each member works hard to create opportunities and push the boundaries that have controlled their circumstances for too long.
Each day they strive to get out of the rut, in hopes of living the American dream, a sueñito for a better life!
The dance sequences as well as the choreography by Christopher Scott are dazzling and a joy to watch. The songs by Lin Manuel Miranda are catchy, but not really as memorable as Hamilton.
Production designer, Nelson Coates has done a brilliant job of bringing an entire New York neighborhood to life on camera with colors, set design, dreamy/summery locations while retaining the authenticity of the story. Keep an eye out for the movement of not only the dancers, but props too!
What works very well for In The Heights is an authentic Latino voice – from the story taking place in a Dominican neighborhood in Washington Heights, to the dialogues as well as the lyrics mixed with English and Spanish.
In the Heights is successful in establishing a strong distinct voice.
The film is a visual treat for cinema lovers with smooth screenplay, likeable characters that are carefully developed and etched out with backstories to keep you engaged.
It keeps it real with conversations about societal pressures, stereotypes, constraints and desires to break away from the barriers that limit our growth.
The flaws lies mainly with the story which is very predictable, and the movie feels way too bloated. At 142 minutes, In the Heights is too long and sometimes unnecessarily so, with song sequences feeling redundant or unnecessary.
And while musicals by structure are a long project, the original musical play and the movie has significant changes, reduction or complete excision of scenes because of adaptation purposes.
After the disturbing year we have all had, In The Heights serves as a mood changer. I only wish the songs were memorable enough for me to search and play on repeat, which a musical should do.
A production of this scale deserves a theatrical experience only. Unfortunately, anything less than a 34-foot-wide screen doesn’t do it justice.
Pops: [4/5]
In The Heights releases in cinemas on 18 June 2021.
NOTE: THE VIEWS AND OPINION EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR. Edited by Nidhi Sahani
Dream Horse is an uplifting story of raw ambition and the will to do something with life.
Based on the true story of ‘Dream Alliance’, a horse that went on to race in the Welsh Grand National, the film is an inspirational drama proving a community’s perseverance to challenge themselves for something extraordinary.
“Dream” is the unlikely racehorse bred by a small-town bartender Jan Vokes, who is determined to convince her neighbourhood to contribute towards his training to compete with the racing elites.
The filmhighlights the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations of chasing your dream. It’s a story that has Welsh dogged determination, desire and pride.
And it’s the perfect film to go watch after lockdown.
Directed by Euros Lyn, it is inspirational, tear-jerking and will leave you with motivation to believe in yourself and your community.
Final Verdict:
Dream Horse is an inspiring story that will leave you cheering for the wins of a community that feels like your own. A must watch family entertainer!
Pops: [4/5]
Director: Euros Lyn Cast: Toni Collette, Damian Lewis, Owen Teale, Joanna Page, Nicholas Farrell Runtime: 113 minutes
Dream Horse is playing in UK cinemas from June 4, 2021.
This goes out to all those people who say that they hate or dislike FRIENDS, because it is irrelevant or not-inclusive.
I just want to say one simple thing – when you come to judging or criticizing the relevancy of a show you need to consider the fact that in what times/era/year it was made in, and not on the basis of when you end up watching it.
When you watch something that was made in 1994, in 2020-21, then you’ll obviously find a lot of elements that are irrelevant, for the times do change in so many years, and they are changing at a much faster pace nowadays.
There are so many shows and movies that were super hit in 80’s and 90’s but are irrelevant in today’s times. But that doesn’t make them any less of the hit that they were back then.
No matter what production it is, it’ll always get irrelevant 20 years down the lane, but that doesn’t change the fact that how it makes people feel – and that is what makes it a hit.
I guess in 1994, even shooting a lesbian marriage was being way ahead of the times for it was not even legal in so many countries during those times.
Friends [1994 - 2004]
FRIENDS, for a lot of us was the first show that introduced us to the world of English shows/web-series and I think none of us has looked back ever since.
And that was because of the fact that it made us felt like we belonged.
Today, everyone loves the shows like This Is Us and Schitt’s Creek because they are both inclusive and relevant according to today’s time. However, they too will get irrelevant 20 years down the lane for the times will change even more and get advanced.
But will that change the fact that how they made us feel or how we feel so connected to them? No, right?
Trust me, when you watch something keeping in mind the times it was made in, it bothers you much less and makes more sense.
I also understand the fact that not everyone can love a show. Even I don’t like some shows which are loved by a lot of people because I was not able to connect with them.
But that doesn’t mean that my agenda becomes to highlight all the loopholes in it and bother those who love it so much.
Friends [1994 - 2004]
NOTE: THE VIEWS AND OPINION EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR. Edited by Nidhi Sahani
Over the years I have seen several hard hitting films, be it Visaranai [2015] or Asuran [2019] to name a few.
There have also been plenty of cop films – so many from Bollywood itself that I have grown up watching. So when this cop film, Nayattu released, there was a sense of excitement in me.
Is the Malayalam film industry which is known to take risks returning to the tried and tested path? Or are they trying to present something new?
All my answers lay in the movie and for you it will be in this review, so stay tuned.
Nayattu follows the story of three cops on the run following an accident which is veiled off as a crime amidst the backdrop of state elections.
If this one line does not excite you to watch the film, little things would!
The story is thrilling, hard hitting and by the end of it thought provoking. The screenplay sets off slowly bringing the audience abreast with the storm which is to follow.
In this period, you are acquainted with many characters that have little to do with what is going to follow. Before the storm, there is this one incident that will hold your attention.
It was almost like the writers demanding your attention after the initial phase. And once that accident takes place, the story shifts gears and you are on-the-go with them, and rooting for them too.
The thrill kicks in so well that even in moments of calm there is palpable tension that is lurking around the corner, such is the magic of the screenplay.
This continues right until the last 20 minutes where a twist in the tale will leave you gutted. And from that point till the end, you will be seething with anger and also left pondering about the state of affairs that maybe too close to reality.
The dialogues are impactful as is the case in all Malayalam movies.
The music blends well with the drama. In other cases, the songs would stem the flow of the drama, but here the songs are carefully woven in the screenplay.
The BGM is pulsating and adds a whole new layer to the drama.
Director Martin Prakkat who is also the director of the Malayalam film Charlie [2015] is in tremendous form here. He has a slow buildup then later gathers pace and culminates into a staggering impactful climax.
Yama Gilgamesh as Anuradha makes her presence felt. All other characters do their justice well but the show belongs to the three protagonists.
Nimisha Sajayan as Sunitha is wonderfully restrained here. She is so brilliant that her silence does a bulk of the talking for her.
Joju George as Maniyappan is excellent. A towering personality that also brings vulnerability to his character, simply outstanding.
Kunchacko Boban as Praveen is once again brilliant. As compared to his peers, he is slightly underrated but just observe his eyes here especially towards the end. They will tell you a story about what a brilliant performer he truly is!
CONCLUSION
Nayattu is probably the best crime thriller of 2021 that will leave you numb and force you to ponder over what was.
The Malayalam film industry has outdone itself yet again. Highly, highly recommended.
The movie opens with an unsettling sequence – the camera fixed to an obnoxious trio of sexist men in a dangerously speeding SUV, and you are instantly reminded of a similar sequence from Steve McQueen’s 2018 movie Widows.
While the latter used this set up to develop the character of the mayor, the exact framing established the world created by Dibakar Banerjee and Varun Grover.
Banerjee as a film-maker has thrived himself on creating products that defy expectations with mix genres and tones.
The opening sequence sets up what initially feels as a breathless chase movie; The protagonists are two unlikely individuals bonded together by circumstance – a girl from Panchkula with an MBA degree named Sandeep Kaur (Parineeti Chopra), and a gruff Haryanvi Police Officer, Pinky Dahiya (Arjun Kapoor) whose career has hit a dead-end.
Before you chuckle at the interchangeable naming conventions here, you realize that their dynamics too flip-flop and are interchange at a dime, as the two runaways go through a journey which is unusually whimsy and yet spicy in its black humour.
The issue with Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar arises immediately after.
It could be echoed that the journey is important the destination, but if your pacing changes from a racing SUV to a bullock cart – you have a problem!
Part of that is due to the shift in the genre.
Without using the traditional exposition dumps, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar reveals itself as a redemptive arc for both the central characters.
While Sandeep facilitates a banking scam and steals money from millions, Pinky is stuck in a strange situation and finds a way out of the rut that is his career.
All these genre subversions and commentary on social hierarchy between men and women comes at the cost – the film’s pacing that inevitably causes the narrative to slip at times.
It is disheartening to see the man behind Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! [2015] and Khosla ka Ghosla [2006] deliver a film so incoherent.
What’s worse is the use of amateur comedic segments between Raghubir Yadav and Neena Gupta’s character that are out of place, and delivering an ending which feels haphazard and tired.
It’s as though Grover and Banerjee lost their hold on the script.
It is disappointing as there are great ideas in the film and Sandeep aur Pinky Faraar has a potential of becoming a commercial potboiler, but its execution fails it.
The commentary on misogyny and patriarchy is noteworthy.
The film also proves that good direction can produce performances ranging from decent to borderline great from even the most ordinary of actors.
While Kapoor’s heavy Haryanvi accent almost renders him unintelligible, his portrayal of Pinky is a silent brute.
It is Chopra though who impresses you with her acting chops again, proving that she has the talent but requires a steady hand of a director.
While the faces on the poster won’t inspire confidence, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar is still an interesting watch as a commercial film but as a Dibakar Banerjee film, it doesn’t have a tight enough script to deliver a solid product.
Those Who Wish Me Dead is a classic Neo-Western action thriller that follows the template of the genre – a character’s remorse, a character’s fight for justice and surviving in a place with no rules.
Directed by Taylor Sheridan, the film instantly builds suspense when two assassins (played by Nicholas Hoult and Aidan Gillen) kill a family by setting their house on fire, and then drive off to kill another.
Within the first ten minutes into the film, you get the sense of urgency and thrill with three (or four, depending on how you see it) parallel storylines.
Hannah Faber (played by Angelina Jolie) is a smokejumper in Montana, who is struggling with the guilt of her past when she failed to save the lives of young campers in a forest fire.
While she copes with the incident Hannah comes across a boy, Connor Casserly (played by Finn Little) who has just witnessed the murder of his father by the assassins.
He manages to escape them and run into Hannah, who decides to protect him and bring justice to his family.
Based the novel by Michael Koryta, Those Who Wish Me Dead provides plenty of adrenaline throughout the 100 minute runtime – from car chases to explosions and a life-threatening forest fire destroying an entire town.
However, it leaves a lot to the viewer’s imagination.
It establishes conflict between the protagonists and antagonist, but it’s rather perfunctory with under-developed characters and backstory.
The film explores multiple themes but leaves several loose ends without delving into the crux of any conflict.
For example, what was the assassin’s motive for the mission? What was Connor’s father’s (played by Jake Weber) secret that got him killed?
Speaking of the performances, Jolie is convincing as a damaged yet fierce firefighter on a mission to save a boy.
Little effortlessly plays the part of a 12-year-old grieving the loss of both parents.
Props to Cinematographer Ben Richardson for setting the tone and mood of the film with wide landscape shots. It certainly deserves to be seen on the big screen for the desired effect.
I must admit that The Disciple is probably one of the best and most thought provoking Indian films that has ever released on Netflix.
The Marathi film focuses on the mundane life of Sharad Nerulkar (Aditya Modak), a Hindustani classical vocal student of his Guruji (Arun Dravid).
Sharad is a perfect “disciple” to his beloved guru, who literally does everything for him till his last breath. But his musical efforts remain mediocre despite his obsession with Guruji and Maai (voiced by Sumitra Bhave); unlike some of the other students.
Sharad’s best performance is eventually at the memorial concert for Guruji.
The Disciple illustrates how an artist lives an extremely mediocre life even after following his passion. A simple yet extremely realistic tale about a devoted student’s journey and the dying fate of Indian classical music.
The film’s carefully woven narrative jumps back and forth between various points in the protagonist’s life that throws light on the formation and destruction of his worldview, while painting a hopeless reality of his existence.
The soul of this film is its music.
Music Director Aneesh Pradhan has done a remarkable job in composing a soul-soothing music for this gem.
Cinematographer Michal Sobociński also engages the audience into each scene, giving ample time to slowly analyze and percept each moment and dive deep into it.
The entire cast has performed tremendously, complementing Tamhane’s un-intrusive and observatory style to give us a meditative experience.
But lead actor Aditya Modak as Sharad Nerulkar deserves all the praise for his stellar performance.
Director and Writer Chaitanya Tamhane proved his mettle with National Award winning film Court (2014) and he does it again with The Disciple.
He is certainly part of the new breed of filmmakers, much like his mentor Alfonso Cuaron, who will uncompromisingly immerse the viewers in the setting of their films.
Final Verdict: The Disciple will certainly transport you to the world of classical music. A must watch for every cinema lover.
Set against the backdrop of a high-school chick-flick, Moxie is not-your-typical teenage drama.
The film opens in a dense forest, showing Vivian (Hadley Robinson) frantically running away from something and trying to scream for help. However, she can’t because she has lost her voice.
Just as panic sets in, Vivian wakes up from the nightmare and immediately turns to her laptop opened to Berkeley’s college application – subject: “Reflect on a cause you feel passionate about… it’s significance and what steps you to took to make a change?”
The first ten minutes of Moxie appear like a template of any teenage dramedy with stereotypical characters – two awkward best friends surviving high school, the popular douchey jock, the narcissistic cheerleader, the new rebellious girl in school and the ignorant principal.
But all that quickly changes when the protagonist starts noticing a toxic environment of patriarchy and sexism plaguing the school.
And just like that, she finds a cause worth fighting for.
Vivian decides to take control of the situation and embarks on a journey of becoming a feminist, and forms a club under the pseudonym “Moxie”.
What follows is a series of events that lightly yet effectively touch upon several themes of double-standards against women. Whether it is by expression of opinions, choice of clothes, politics, bullying, harassment and even dating.
The mission of Moxie is to create a revolution by raising awareness about issues sidelining women, which brings together a group of girls who are victimized for far too long at their school.
They function like Banksy – creatively powerful!
They want to make the world a better place, perhaps one high-school at a time…
Directed by Amy Poehler, Moxie is a delightfully inspiring coming-of-age film with a winning cast – where high school kids look and behave like high school kids.
Each character is carefully written and developed to move the narrative forward, without trying too hard to force the subject or social cause.
The charm lies in the details where no character is perfect. They are all flawed in their own way, but with reason.
Even Vivian who is determined to fight till the end, has a breakdown when things fall apart to point of no return.
She lashes out in the most “teenage” fashion but you still emphasize with all the drama (perhaps that’s what a climax is supposed to be – dramatic).
Moxie is delightfully humorous and oh-so-inspiring film!
It’s not just about fighting for equality but about finding your voice and having the strength to use it for change… and it comes full circle when Vivian finds hers.
Special mention to writers Tamara Chestna and Dylan Meyer for subtly packing in some hard-hitting one-liners that make you pause and think about your own values.
Final Verdict – Moxie the right blend of education and entertainment to leave you inspired to be part of the movement.
What can I say about The Great Indian Kitchen that has not already been said before?
The film left me with mixed emotions and reminded me of someone who shared her ordeal with patriarchy immediately after becoming a wife; this is the story of a woman who works at a beauty salon (or as we lovingly call them ‘parlor waali didi’).
For the sake of her privacy, I’ll refer to her as Anamika in this article.
Anamika is in her mid 20’s.
She may look petite and naïve, but Anamika is a fiercely independent woman who isn’t afraid of anything.
I’ve known her for almost six years and have seen her be out of a job twice, due to the salons going out of business.
However, she never lost hope. She worked on her skills, polished her craft and managed to get a job at another reputed salon in no time.
Let me say it again – Anamika isn’t afraid of anything, not even failure!
Because I liked her and her professionalism, I kept in touch with her whenever she switched jobs.
Every time I had a salon session, we talked non-stop discussing various subjects (which is a great tactic to distract yourself from the pain of waxing).
In 2020, I obviously did not visit the salon for a long time due to the lockdown, until they reopened around August.
I went in for the usual – changed into the disposable salon gown, mentally prepped myself for all the pain my arms and legs were about to endure and got comfortable.
After the customary small talk about Coronavirus, we started talking about marriage because my wedding was scheduled for before the lockdown, but it got postponed – I digress…
I asked Anamika about the status of her relationship with her boyfriend of five-ish years, whom she once described as her support system. Apparently, some elderly men in her extended family (not her late father) were against their relationship because of his caste.
She didn’t quite pay much attention to their grievances though, because she knew their threats were only to intimidate the women of the house.
With her mother and brother’s blessings, she took charge of her life and married her boyfriend in a small ceremony.
Anamika giddily filled me in on all the drama leading up to her wedding.
While I lay on the table having my body hair being aggressively pulled from the roots, I was proud of Anamika for being so brave. I turned to her and said “I’m so happy for you for standing up for yourself.”
She smiled and nodded.
I asked “So, how’s married life? Are you happy?”
And she glumly smiled and said “It’s exhausting. All I do is work – work at the salon and work at home.”
Before I could probe further, she vented out her daily routine since the day she got married – she instantly became a wife, a daughter-in-law, a cook, a cleaner, and a caretaker for up to 8 adults under one roof.
She told me that she woke up at 5 AM daily, prepared tea for the husband’s parents, showered, prepared a lavish breakfast making up to 16 parathas for everyone, waited for them to finish, washed the dishes, dressed for work and left home to arrive at the salon before 10 AM.
At work, Anamika’s job required her to be on foot for up to 10 hours shift daily, including overtime on most days. And her day didn’t end there.
She came home to all the members merrily watching TV, waiting to be fed… but not before they got their chai served exclusively by Anamika.
So basically, Anamika’s third shift of the day started around 9PM – cooking, serving, cleaning and then some. And the cycle continued again the next day.
Suddenly I saw this zestful and strong girl broken and distressed. Instinctively, I advised her on ways she can educate her in-laws and have her husband support her. I asked her how did they manage before she joined the family, and why are they depending on her to be a superwoman?
Apparently, they wouldn’t even move a finger till they spotted her in the house and ordered her around. And because she was still adjusting in a new environment and wanted to make a good impression – she continued to take on more responsibilities.
She even got her husband to help her in the kitchen to set expectations, but the family didn’t budge.
As an outsider, I couldn’t do much apart from listening to her and advising on how to proceed (I wish I could do more).
I thought of sharing Anamika’s story here not because it resembles the life of the “wife” in The Great Indian Kitchen, but because it resembles the life of ALL women.
We may not experience every aspect of her life, but have surely faced similar situations that inevitably makes us feel the sting of patriarchy.
Especially once we become “wives”, we are conveniently made to forget everything we’ve learned growing up and adopt the new. We are expected to accept every custom, ritual, habit, culinary preferences, and even a new surname immediately.
There’s even a hint of guilt that takes over in case we question or refuse to change, or sometimes even when we ask the husband “to help” with the household chores.
We are simply conditioned that way.
Anamika was an outspoken girl who marched on fearlessly before marriage. But her light dimmed within months of becoming a wife.
She confessed of being afraid of her mother-in-law’s judgement, her brother-in-law’s taunts if she skipped cooking, and even sharing the hardships with her own mother because she fought against the world for her daughter’s happiness.
The Great Indian Kitchen is a mirror of the society we live in… and it’s not restricted to the Indian culture alone. Misogyny and patriarchy are deep rooted social systems prevalent across the world in almost every culture.
The Great Indian Kitchen is a story of my salon lady, my friend, my neighbor, my sister, my mother, my mother-in-law… and perhaps even mine. And if it makes you feel uncomfortable – it’s done its job!
The question now is – will we learn from the reality portrayed in the film or just appreciate it as a piece of art and move on?
[4.5/5]
