Sajin Shrijith
@SajinShrijith
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Film critic @ Galatta Plus | Formerly @ The New Indian Express and Cinema Express
Joined April 2018
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ANIMAL, thoughts:
In Martin Scorsese's TAXI DRIVER, the protagonist, despite not being like us, expresses some relatable feelings of angst that tether him to us, but only to a certain point. Much later, when he does something quite extreme, you pause to ask:
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Buying many of the same colour saves you the headache of deciding which one to wear every day. Be like Ranga.
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It's not every day that you come across a film that bombards you with so many laugh-out-loud moments without giving you even a sec to catch your breath.
#Doctor
is a brilliant, brilliant comedy gem with a bunch of delightfully eccentric characters. On the big screen if you can.
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2K
The guts to play yourself and recreate the traumatizing events you experienced in a series... that's really something. BABY REINDEER must be the boldest example of art as a purging process. Heavy but addictive. Closer in mood to TRAINSPOTTING and MISERY. Great actors, music...
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#JigarthandaDoubleX
is, for me, easily the most satisfying and wholesome of all Karthik Subbaraj films, and the most compelling amalgamation of cinema and politics since Mani Ratnam's IRUVAR. Must also add it has the most inventive interval block I've seen in recent memory! Fire!
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#Maharaja
is the third recent Tamil screenplay to blow me away after Soodhu Kavvum and Super Deluxe (incidentally both starring Vijay Sethupathi). A cinematic Rubik's Cube, every pivot toys with our perception of time while revealing new data, and packs a heavy emotional wallop.
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SEVEN SAMURAI restored in 4K. Badly hoping for a release in India too.
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"Fleabag", "Loki", "Sex Education"...
Examples of female writers creating wonders.
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The only Indian filmmaker l can think of who took a very long break after making one extraordinary film and then followed it up with something even more extraordinary, that completely delivered on my expectations, is Thiagarajan Kumararaja.
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To add to the last thread:
The "rooted is international" approach, which Vetrimaaran once talked about, is what makes films like MAAVEEERAN so appealing. The same can be said of the success of MINNAL MURALI. If we ape the West, we end up embarrassing ourselves. Don't do that.
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Safe to say
#ManjummelBoys
sets a very high benchmark for survival thrillers in Malayalam, and writer-director Chidambaram strikes gold for the second time. And what a lovely tribute to Kamal Haasan's GUNA! February is turning out to be a special month for Malayalam cinema. ❤️
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Rahul Sadasivan you genius! You should be working in Hollywood. Or better — continue making films like this here.
#Bramayugam
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Irony is when "woke" people who claim to hate Sandeep Reddy Vanga and his films behave exactly like his TOXIC characters towards people who enjoyed his films. Oh, man. The amount of self-righteous bullshit peddled here...
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List 5 Tamil films from the last 5 years that completely blew your mind. I'll start. (If you disapprove of any of these titles no need to express it in comments; kindly do it on your page instead.)
Vada Chennai
Super Deluxe
Pariyerum Perumaal
Sarpatta Parambarai
Kadaisi Vivasayi
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I badly hope this is Mani Ratnam giving us his Kurosawa-esque lone-wolf action adventure like YOJIMBO or SANJURO. And what a kickass title reveal!
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That feeling you get when you've had a wholesome meal... ❤️
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Funny how conveniently some people forget that Scorsese had used slow-motion and rousing soundtracks to accompany some despicable characters in films like Goodfellas and Casino but when Sandeep Reddy Vanga does an extreme, Indian version of that, it's suddenly "glorification"?
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Guys who enjoy all the cringe Tamil and Telugu masala movies and then say, "Hridayam is cringe", "Premalu is cringe", "Varshangalkku Shesham is cringe".. You are cringe, dude. Ultimate cringe.
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If you hate superhero movies, don't review them. If you get triggered by certain subjects, stay away from discussing them. If you find stand-up comedians offensive don't follow them. Consuming something you know you are going to hate and then complaining about it is ridiculous.
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"Kung Fu Hustle" was the "RRR" and "Thallumala" in my college days.
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No recent Malayalam film made me laugh the way
#JayaJayaJayaJayaHey
did. A way more entertaining takedown of toxic masculinity and parenting than the recent "acclaimed" Indian films that ventured into the same territory. Yet again, Basil and Darshana in stereotype-smashing roles.
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The three filmmakers who made Aishwarya Rai look her best are Mani Ratnam, Rajiv Menon, and Santosh Sivan. And l just realized that Rajiv, who directed her in Kandukondain Kandukondain -- shot by Ravi K Chandran -- was the cinematographer of Mani Ratnam's Guru. Well, no wonder.
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How's it a film like Mukundan Unni Associates doesn't get awards consideration? Is it because the protagonist is an exceedingly venomous character with zero chances of redeeming himself? One of the few Malayalam films with immense repeat value (aside from Nna Thaan Case Kodu).
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Stumbled upon a brilliant Nigerian crime caper called "Ojukokoro" (Greed) on Netflix. Those who are fans of the dark humour of Guy Ritchie or Quentin Tarantino might dig it. I did.
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Anurag posing with his ex-wives during, l believe, the screening of his new film reminded me of James Cameron and the constant support he showed for his exes. It's what we should be promoting instead of making 'theppu' movies about heartbroken guys fucking off to the Himalayas.
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I like how in that Film Companion roundtable Venkat Prabhu acknowledges the individual talents of both Michael Bay and Martin Scorsese instead of saying one is better than the other. Spoken like a true movie buff.
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Thank you, Amal Neerad, for making a hardcore fan of "The Godfather" so happy with your fantastic tribute to the Mario Puzo classic. A long-time fantasy came true. And thank you for the greatest tribute to Mammootty ever. I live for euphoria-inducing cinema like this.
#Bheeshma
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2018. Finally, we get a survival drama from Malayalam cinema that boasts technical finesse on par with that of international cinema. Multiple sequences made me wonder how they pulled them off. I had literal goosebumps. I was relieved to see the sun after l got out of the theatre.
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Just wanted to say cinematographer Shehnad Jalal has become something of a master in creating tension out of closed spaces — in "Bhoothakalam", "Bramayugam" and now "Ullozhukku". Brilliant work in all three.
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For those who loved
#Oppenheimer
, here's me suggesting 6 riveting talking heads films with historical/political/military backdrops that l recalled while watching Nolan's new film.
12 Angry Men
Judgement at Nuremberg
Advise and Consent
Seven Days in May
Fail Safe
Dr. Strangelove
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Not once does Ranbir mention the word "pubic hair" in ANIMAL, but some folks on social media are like, "Do you know how many times he talks about public hair?" A classic case of making a mountain out of a molehill. Overdosing on hyperbole?
Oh, by the way, I loved the film.
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#Rorschach
is exactly the kind of out-of-the-box genre-blending film that gives me a big kick. One of Mammootty's most delightfully wicked performances, with ample space for dark humour and little 'mass' moments. Also, it's refreshing to see a soundtrack full of English tracks.
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What man, some northies acting like they made Drishyam first? 🤔
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A brilliant film that demands as much attention as "12 Angry Men", "Memento" or the recent Malayalam film "Aattam" while bringing up some interesting debatable ideas. The truth depends on how you interpret the events, and that final shot tells you a lot without spoon-feeding.
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For me the most impressive thing Nelson—a Tamil filmmaker—did in JAILER was evoking two of my favourite Malayalam characters of Mohanlal. Mathew is like an older version of Vincent Gomas in RAJAVINTE MAKAN and Jacky in IRUPATHAM NOOTTANDU. Prithviraj did the same with LUCIFER.
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When I'm at a restaurant and someone mentions 'Scorsese'...
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#JanaGanaMana
marks another fantastic achievement in the filmography of Prithviraj and Suraj. Many clap-worthy moments, unpredictable plot twists, piercing questions about the raging issues in the country raised, and the promise of an exciting sequel. Full review soon.
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Basil Joseph and Dhyan Sreenivasan during the last few days... 😂
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When "The Wolf of Wall Street" came out, Scorsese said they wouldn't get a chance to make that kind of movie years later. But Damien Chazelle has done it today: another movie about excess and the ugly side of a certain business -- and spectacularly so. Wild. Hilarious. Epic.
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What's great about Sriram Raghavan's filmmaking, especially in MERRY CHRISTMAS, is how he reveals the most important and stunning developments with silence and gestures. There's a lot of Bresson in there. Such a breath of fresh air in this age of excessive spoon-feeding.
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"Minnal Murali" may be Basil Joseph's most popular film but, for me, "Kunjiramayanam" is his best, most accomplished film — a comic masterpiece with infinite repeat value. Non-Malayali audiences who haven't seen it yet can head over to Hotstar to check it out.
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First, he showed us he can write a thought-provoking mass entertainer -
#Lucifer
(with Mohanlal)
Now she showed us he can deliver an attention-grabbing performance in spite of a superstar being in it -
#Drishyam2
(with Mohanlal)
#MuraliGopy
is mass!
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There's no better troll of cheesy songs in South Indian (especially Telugu) masala movies than 'Loveaa Loveaa' from UTTAMA VILLAIN. Kamal Haasan's accurate depiction — compilation, more like — of numerous cringe-inducing dance/love moves is one of my go-to stressbusters.
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I don't recall any recent Malayalam suspense thriller giving me the wholesome experience that
#PorThozhil
did. Newcomer Vignesh Raja directs with a veteran's finesse. More than the killer's identity, which was done neatly, of course, l was eager to learn the motive. Brilliant!
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Lacklustre and campy script — some lines are awful — but when, for the first time, l see an Indian film with a staggering vision, sense of colours, lighting, composition, spectacle, and better visual effects than some recent Hollywood biggies, how can l not cheer? ⬇️
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If Mammootty is indeed going to work with M Manikandan, that will be, for me, one of the greatest things ever, because the latter hasn't made a bad movie yet.
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Chiranjeevi's "Godfather" makes Prithviraj's "Lucifer" look like "The Godfather".
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#GuruvayoorAmbalanadayil
is an out-and-out laugh riot that benefits greatly from the sweet & sour chemistry of Prithviraj-Basil Joseph. Vipin Das accomplishes what Priyadarshan did in his heyday. Hope Deepu Pradeep continues to write more films in the 'kalyanam' universe. ❤️
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Totenfrau (Netflix):
A slick six-episode German revenge series with a stunning central location straight out of James Bond films and a kickass female protagonist -- a mortician who, in the process of looking for her husband's murderers opens a nasty can of worms. Binge material
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But, for me, ANIMAL is undoubtedly more entertaining and well-made than ARJUN REDDY. Yes, one can still find a lot to enjoy in a film even if the protagonist isn't likeable. Also, you can't form a complete opinion of the film after one viewing alone. I know I'll revisit it soon.
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The next chapter.
Immensely pleased to share that I'll be working with one of my role models
@baradwajrangan
, as the Malayalam Head of
@galattaplusoffl
. I'll be doing interviews and reviews in Malayalam. Anyway, here's an introductory chat we shot:
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Long thread alert:
As a fan of time travel stories, I've been looking for a subtitled copy of Singeetam Srinivasa Rao's "Aditya 369" ever since I heard about the 'India's first sci-fi film' tag somewhere.
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Every interview of Vetrimaran, Pa Ranjith, Mari Selvaraj, and Ram is like a textbook on life and filmmaking.
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It's not every day that you see a crime film that puts you in a... calm state. There's a hypnotic quality to MERRY CHRISTMAS that was felt in ANDHADHUN too, but don't go in expecting the same film. More ambiguity here. Treat it for what it is, and you might feel content.
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I recently called THE BEAR one of the greatest series I've seen, and I'm going to tweet about it once more — to say that if you are in a career you are passionate about, and encounter unforeseen initial hiccups you wish to improve upon, this one provides the necessary motivation.
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Advice to those who advice others to skip the first 40 mins of
#Drishyam2
:
Stop giving such shitty advice. If you don't know anything about screenplay writing, don't ruin others' fun for fuck's sake.
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As promised, here's my list of 50 must-watch films on
#OTT
, both old and new, that represent
#Malayalamcinema
at its best.
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This entire sequence from "Jana Gana Mana" still gives me goosebumps. Offering a high degree of cathartic pleasure — just what CINEMA is sometimes supposed to do.
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Better than "Master", but a notch below "Vikram" and a couple of notches below "Kaithi". Those lackluster flashbacks/CGI are a bummer. Highs of first half unmatched by second. Short-lived pleasures of a McD meal/Marvel ride. Cracker of an interval block and ending, though.
#Leo
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The kind of wholesome, purifying, cathartic, and exhilarating experience these four Tamil films — Sarpatta Parambarai, Vada Chennai, Super Deluxe, and Kadaisi Vivasayi — gave me is unparalleled. I wonder which Tamil filmmaker is going to do that for me again. Maybe one of these?
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First came Anoop Sathyan with "Varane Avashyamundu" which l loved; now his twin brother Akhil debuts with another instant favorite "Pachuvum Athbutha Vilakkum", a romantic comedy with an old school charm, that ticks all the right boxes. Nearly 3 hrs of genuine emotions, pure joy.
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The fight scenes in
#Thallumaala
were far better than anything made by the 'mass' filmmakers in Malayalam cinema recently. As much as I enjoyed "Lucifer", "Bheeshma Parvam" and "Kaduva", the quality of their fight scenes doesn't even come close to what Khalid Rahman has achieved.
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The way Mammootty was framed just before this scene. That low angle shot of his slo-mo walk while he lowers those clip-on sunglasses before getting into his Toyota jeep. Epic!
#BheeshmaParvam
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Madhu Neelakandan, the man behind the stellar images of "Merry Christmas" and "Malaikottai Vaaliban".
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#Malayankunju
turned out to be everything l expected, with
#Fahadh
giving one of the most moving performances of his career -- transitioning from an unlikeable character into a likeable one.
#ARRahman
's splendid score beautifully complements the character in his highs and lows.
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I was thinking of the wildest, most inventive editing I've seen in recent memory and only two titles come to mind — EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE and THALLUMAALA. The work is so insane that you can't help but pay attention to these films despite negligible narrative flaws.
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MAAVEERAN is another refreshingly inventive, much-welcome take on the rooted superhero. It finds National Award winner Madonne Ashwin ("Mandela") comfortably stepping into the commercial entertainment space and making the best use of Sivakarthikeyan's 'common man' persona.
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Nobody does feel good like Vineeth Sreenivasan. What a mood! What a cast! A film that you feel like hugging after watching. A film and filmmaker that Pranav Mohanlal badly needed. Uff! ❤
#Hridayam
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OPPENHEIMER is basically Nolan demonstrating that a biopic can also be paced like a thriller, with all the visual derring-do of a Terrence Malick film & dramatic depth of a Sidney Lumet film. In terms of themes, lots to chew on. Multiple viewings? Sure! Murphy & Downey are fire!
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Lokesh Kanagaraj effect? Don't think I've seen this level of rapid early bookings in Kerala for even Vijay's earlier films — or any other South Indian superstar film for that matter. Even screens with 24 shows filled up in a jiffy. Somehow managed to get an early morning ticket.
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Seriously, what the fuck happened to Mohanlal?
I'll need a long and intense Ayurvedic massage after watching
#Monster
. Oh, wait. I just realised that I can't do that because spending money on such trash movies has made me broke. I'll have to massage myself.
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Mammootty in "Bramayugam", the new film from the director of "Bhoothakalam". 🔥
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They should co-create a web series, preferably a 20-episode one, each episode of one-hour duration.
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#RDX
is the most satisfying Malayalam Onam release in ages, with almost every ingredient that constituted most of the big Onam releases from the late 90s. Its cliches seemed deliberate and necessary for that "time-travel" experience — briefly revisiting once-prevalent 90s tropes.
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Me: I didn't like "Tenet" and "Interstellar".
"Tenet" and "Interstellar" fan:
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"Thalavan" is the best thing Jis Joy has done so far. For someone who once made saccharine feel-good movies his mainstay, this venture into dark thriller space is quite impressive (if you discount his last misfire). Went in with low expectations, got a solidly engaging whodunit.
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If enjoying films like "RRR" and "Ponniyin Selvan" makes one a sanghi, will Indian kids in the future start calling each other the same if one of them expresses interest in reading the Mahabharata or Ramayana? Or is it already happening? Wouldn't be surprised.
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Maybe it's because I've seen far more devastating love stories that l didn't find SSE - SIDE A as heavily tear-inducing as some said it was. However, there's no denying the power of Rakshit & Rukmini's performances, value-adding close-ups, match cuts, and objects of meaning.
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You know a film has hit its mark so deeply when you see some wiping away tears as you leave the movie hall. Urvashi and Parvathy in powerhouse performances, as two women bearing the heavy burden of the wrong choices they made. Complex, layered, and non-judgemental.
#Ullozhukku
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#NanpakalNerathuMayakkam
Never felt this calm while watching a film since
#KadaisiVivasayi
.
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I was not a big fan of the first
#Drishyam
but the sequel is... Damn!
Didn't expect this at all.
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THE FALL GUY is a blast! Brings back the charm of popular 80s rom-com powered by the smoldering chemistry of Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, and LETHAL WEAPON mayhem. Loved the mention of some classic movies and shows 80s/90s kids will instantly recognise. Also, fire soundtrack!
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Hope all the IT officers who raided his home are now hardcore cinephiles.
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Not going to write anything that even sounds remotely "intellectual" about Thiagarajan Kumararaja's segment 'Ninaivo Oru Paravai' (Episode
#6
) from
#ModernLove
because how do you put an experience like that into words? Fuck that. Felt like reading a Haruki Murakami novel.
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"Wait. That's something I wouldn't do." But do we stop watching the film? No. Because it's one of the most compelling films ever made. Why is it so? We are curious to see where we would've ended up had we opted to go down a darker path.
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Recalling those school days when l was addicted to movies featuring policemen and experienced an unparalleled high after watching SARFAROSH, COMPANY, and KHAKEE. Today's police dramas don't even come close.
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The next 'vintage' crime film after "Kurup". Hope we get a release announcement soon.
#BheeshmaParvam
#Mammootty
#AmalNeerad
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Loved
#NerkondaPaarvai
. Felt
#Ajith
's presence did wonders for the film. I didn't mind the inclusion of the fight scene because it was strategically placed and well-staged.
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Tamil Film Twitter looks funny whenever a Mani Ratnam, Thiagarajan Kumararaja, Vetrimaran, or Pa Ranjith film comes out. On one side, people are writing long-ass threads, and on the other, people are asking, "Dai, who is this dude writing long-ass threads? Periya p****** pola."
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