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I don't usually sit down to watch TV, watch whatever I catch while having my meals or anything. But, recently, I have been watching films regularly. I'm leaving those that I didn't like. Sharing that come to mind as I type. Interestingly, they were never on my to-watch list.
Labor Day (2013): Directed by Jason Reitman. Based on a book 'Labor Day' by Joyce Maynard.
A single mother, almost a recluse, Adele (Kate Winslet) and her 13-14 years old son Henry (Gattlin Griffith) are returning from a departmental store when a dangerous looking, wounded man (Josh Brolin) forces them take him to their home just for a day. Later, she learns that the man, Frank, is a fugitive, charged for a murder. Left with no choice, Adele keeps Frank at home and nurses him. Turns out Frank is not as frightening as he looks.
This movie was sitting there, as I scrolled past several times, but I never wanted to watch, until I clicked as I didn't know what to watch. And I'm glad. It's a gripping film, beautifully told from the child's point of view ―his confusion, his dilemma, his fears; heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. Now, I really want to read the book!
Merry Christmas (2024): Directed by Sriram Raghavan. Based on a novel 'Bird in a Cage’ by Frederic Dard, translated by David Bellos.
Albert (Vijay Sethupathi) is back in the city (Mumbai, when it was Bombay), still mourning the loss of his mother because for some reason he couldn't attend the funeral. It's Christmas Eve and everybody is celebrating out there. So, he goes to a restaurant and there he meets Maria (Katrina Kaif) and her daughter Annie. And thus begins a crazy, mysterious night.
Very good filmmaking, I would say. A very well executed, gripping and mysterious movie. My first Vijay Sethupathi film, and he is a natural. Katrina Kaif is at her best, I think (after Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara, but that was a small role, this one meatier). Won't say her performance is brilliant (I don't think she is a great actor, her emotional scenes look sketchy), but she is perfectly suited for this character ―a woman so beautiful, delicate, mysterious. I liked their chemistry.
I loved how objects used as props play significant roles, for example the paper swans, the cage toy etc. Again, I really want to read the book even though now I know everything.
Is Love Enough, Sir? (2018): Directed by Rohena Gera.
Okay I think everybody has watched this movie, a uninamously loved one.
It's a love story Ashwin (Vivek Gomber) who just called off his wedding for some reason, and his househelp Ratna (Tilottama Shome), a widow who wants to be a fashion designer.
There's not much to say about the plot. It's fairly simple. Loved the slowly burgeoning bonding of the protagonist. Very natural performance. Their conversations, the silences in between, the decency…everything was so lovely. One of those movies that I'd like to watch again.
The Noel's Diary (2022): Directed by Charles Shyer. Based on a book 'The Noel Diary’ by Richard Paul Evans.
Jake (Justin Hartley) is a best-selling author who returns to his estranged mother's house after her death to sort things out. He gets acquainted with a sweet and caring elderly next door neighbour Ellie (Bonnie Bedelia). Suddenly, a woman named Rachael (Barrett Doss) visits him, who is looking for her biological mother Noel who used to be Jake's nanny many many years ago. Thus begins a journey to find Noel, and reconnect with his estranged father.
It's a lovely Christmas time romance movie, which I really enjoyed watching.
Mimi (2021): Directed by Laxman Utekar.
Mimi (Kriti Sanon) is an aspiring actress who wants to go to Mumbai to make it big in the film industry. She accepts an offer to become a surrogate mother to earn a hefty amount. And then, her life turns upside down. Pankaj Tripathi as Bhanu Pratap and Mimi's friend, Sham ((Sai Tamhankar) play a significant role.
An engaging watch; heartbreaking and heartwarming at same time.
Gehraaiyan (2022): Directed by Shakun Batra.
Alisha (Deepika Padukone) is a yoga instructor. She seems to be in a strained relationship with Karan (Dhairya Karwa) when she meets Zain (Siddhanth Chaturvedi), fiance of Tia (Ananya Pandey) who is Alisha's cousin. Battling with anxiety because of a childhood trauma, she finds comfort in the company of Zain. They fall in love and then begins a crazy ride of business and relationships.
I never wanted to watch this film, mainly because of negative reviews on Twitter. I presumed it to be an ultra-modern, erotic kind of meaningless movie. But it turned out to be an interesting movie; good filmmaking, beautiful cinematography. A good story, smartly executed. It's modern but not meaningless.
12th Fail (2023): Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Based on a non fiction book '12th Fail' written by Anurag Pathak.
So, it captures the strenuous journey of a 12th fail boy, Manoj Kumar (wonderfully played by Vikrant Massey), who comes from an unprivileged background and is determined to become an IAS officer. It's also a love story ―a very decent one that doesn't affect the main subject of the film. I particularly liked the moment where Shraddha (Medha Shankar) tells Manoj that she loves him. His friend, Pritam (Anant Joshi) plays an important role.
The Weekend Away (2022): Directed by Kim Farrant. Based on a novel of the same title, written by Sarah Alderson (also the script writer of the movie).
A woman, a new mother, Beth (Leighton Meester) travels to Croatia for a weekend getaway with her best friend Kate (Christina Wolfe), who is a bit erratic by nature. On the very first day, Kate goes missing. They were drunk so Beth's memory of last night is fuzzy, but she can't leave the city without finding her, so seeks help from the local police and a Syrian, mysterious taxi driver Zain (Ziad Bakri) to unveil the truth.
It was an engaging thriller. I liked the setting, and the subtle bonding between Beth and Zain.
Have you watched any of these? What's the most interesting films you've watched recently?
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I haven't watched a film in a couple of months, thanks to a barrage of work. Thank you for the recommendations - am bookmarking some of these!
ReplyDeleteI understand.
DeleteHope you enjoy watching them. :)
I've begun watching Merry Christmas. Liking it so far though the anachronisms irritate me! :-D
DeleteI know what you mean. However, I think it's difficult to show when a movie is set in the 80s/90s, no?
DeleteAnd you know, as I watched it, I found myself worrying about something (not telling, as I'm not sure if you have watched it already) and then I would realize that oh, it was set in the 80s so no problem. ☺️
I thought I'd wait until I finished to post a reply. :-) Yes, it's a little difficult to show when a movie is set in the 80s, but I think it comes through now and then - in fashions, in hairstyles, even in decor and the sort of appliances you see. Mostly, it was all right (the police station especially was true to type), but there were occasional slip-ups. The fashions, for instance, weren't quite 80s (which was terrible for fashion!). And one scene at night had several sleek imported cars parked beside the road. Just a passing glimpse, but not something one saw in pre-globalisation India!
DeleteBut I'm nitpicking, I agree. I enjoyed the film, and though bits of it were too OTT (how on earth did she manage it??), it was entertaining enough. Good time pass.
Yes, mostly clothes and hairstyles, which is so typical. They did that in the Vijay―Radhika Apte scene. I didn't notice the cars.
DeleteHow did she manage: Yes, that was over the top, but totally unpredictable/unimaginable. It's based on a book, so I've been thinking if it's done in a more convincing way in the book.
And the thought of a CCTV camera crossed my mind at least thrice. :))
Merry Christmas has been on my list too, will watch it soon
ReplyDeleteHope you like it. :))
Delete