Amaran
Action, Drama, Adventure, War (Tamil)
A heroic true story of Major Mukund Varadarajan, an Indian Army officer who displayed extraordinary bravery during a counterterrorism mission in Kashmir’s Shopian district. The film captures his courage in protecting his nation and the devotion of his wife Indhu (more…)
Guild Reviews
Amaran
Action, Drama, Adventure, War (Tamil)
A heroic true story of Major Mukund Varadarajan, an Indian Army officer who displayed extraordinary bravery during a counterterrorism mission in Kashmir’s Shopian district. The film captures his courage in protecting his nation and the devotion of his wife Indhu Rebecaa Varghese.
Cast:
Sivakarthikeyan, Sai Pallavi, Rahul Bose, Bhuvan Arora, Lallu Prasath, Shyam Mohan, Mir Salman, Shyamaprasad, Geetha Kailasam, Gaurav Venkatesh
Director:
Rajkumar Periasamy
Writer:
Rajkumar Periasamy
Sai Pallavi And Sivakarthikeyan’s Film Is A Brilliant, No-Nonsense Ode To A Soldier
Thu, October 31 2024
Towards the third act of Amaran, Major Mukund (Sivakarthikeyan)’s father asks him, “Why is Kashmir always in trouble?" This is a crucial moment, though it is shot with a matter-of-fact tone — reflecting the overall style of the movie. It is significant because it is the only time we gain insight into Mukund’s opinion about the politics behind the bloodshed and violence in one of the most volatile regions of the country. It’s essential to understand what a soldier thinks about the politics that have placed him in a situation where his own life is at risk.
An emotional triumph, but some questions linger
Thu, October 31 2024
The situation isn’t entirely new for a Tamil film: a Tamil man, Mukund (Sivakarthikeyan), enters a Malayali household to seek the hand of their daughter, Indhu (Sai Pallavi). In Tamil cinema lore, such scenes often signal trouble. In Autograph, Cheran’s character faces a quick rejection, a violent ejection. In Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa, Simbu’s character meets a similar fate. But in Amaran, the hero cannot be quickly insulted or rejected, for Mukund arrives cloaked in the authority of an army uniform, a symbol that tempers resistance with respect. Where once Indhu’s father opposed the relationship, now he’s disarmed by the unspoken reverence for a man in uniform. This scene is restrained, absent of cinematic exaggeration; instead, director Rajkumar Periasamy allows these moments to revel in soft, unspoken gestures, where relationships get organically forged.
An Earnest Sivakarthikeyan, Stellar Battle Sequences, Middling Drama
Thu, October 31 2024
In one of the many interesting segues in Rajkumar Periasamy’s Amaran, an officer talks to Major Mukund Varadarajan (an earnest Sivakarthikeyan) about the Kashimir women these officers refer to as “half widows”, stuck in perennial conflict as they wait for their husbands to return, unsure if they’re still alive. This is explained in a rush, as though someone is reading aloud a Wikipedia entry, but one can still make a connection between these women and the film’s narrator,
Bloody Beggar
Comedy, Drama (Tamil)
A beggar's life takes an unexpected turn when a misadventure upends his daily routine. Can he navigate the bizarre, witty situations that follow?
Cast:
Kavin Raj, Redin Kingsley, Maruthi Prakashraj, Sunil Sukhada, T.M. Karthik, Priyadarshini Rajkumar, Akshaya Hariharan, Anarkali Nazar, Tanuja Madhurapantula
Director:
Sivabalan Muthukumar
Writer:
Sivabalan Muthukumar
Despite Its Flaws, Kavin's Performance And Supporting Cast Stand Out
Thu, October 31 2024
Bloody Beggar, directed by Sivabalan Muthukumar, is another bold choice by lead actor Kavin. However, it doesn’t fully deliver on its promising premise and ends up falling short in several aspects. At its core, the film struggles to find a consistent tone. It aims to be both a biting dark satire on the bourgeoisie and an emotional drama about the downtrodden, but it achieves more success with the former than the latter. The satire works to an extent, presenting exaggerated caricatures of villains who are repulsive enough to justify the violence directed at them. This offers moments of catharsis and even a few laughs at their expense. However, the emotional core surrounding the nameless beggar’s tragic past feels underdeveloped and fails to resonate in the cold, dark world of the film. Additionally, much of the humour, despite evident effort in the writing, doesn’t land as intended, making Bloody Beggar fall short of its full potential.
Ka
Action, Thriller, Crime (Telugu)
Set in 1970s Abhinaya Vasudev, an orphaned and happy-go-lucky postman, treats the Krishnagiri village populace as his extended family. When several women missing and Vasudev’s loved one is nearly abducted, he is determined to find answers.
Cast:
Kiran Abbavaram, Nayan Sarika, Tanvi Ram, Ajay, Redin Kingsley, Achyuth Kumar, Saranya Pradeep, Kota Jayaram, Annapoorna, Bindu Chandramouli
Director:
Sujith, Sandeep
Writer:
Sujith, Sandeep
Kiran Abbavaram’s ‘karmic’ thriller packs a handful of surprises
Thu, October 31 2024
Comebacks are always interesting, especially when an actor is willing to look back and understand what went wrong in the first place. After a series of misfires, a resurgent Kiran Abbavaram is back with a festive release, mysteriously titled KA, that invests in a solid story over the heroics of the male protagonist. The period thriller offers a rich blend of action and emotions with a karmic twist.
The Substance
Horror, Science Fiction (English)
A fading celebrity decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.
Cast:
Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid, Edward Hamilton-Clark, Gore Abrams, Oscar Lesage, Christian Erickson, Robin Greer, Tom Morton, Hugo Diego Garcia
Director:
Coralie Fargeat
Writer:
Coralie Fargeat
Demi Moore goes for broke in stomach-churning body horror with jaw-dropping climax
Thu, October 31 2024
A gleefully grotesque satire of success, director Coralie Fargeat’s English-language debut, The Substance, lives up to its title. But it has plenty of style to spare as well. Demi Moore stars as Elizabeth Sparkle, a fading actress who, in a moment of great weakness, decides to sample an underground drug that purportedly reverses the ageing process. But she quickly discovers that she has bitten off more than she can chew. The Substance is to Moore’s career what Birdman was to Michael Keaton’s, or The Wrestler was to Mickey Rourke’s, a movie that sheds its superficial obsession with superficiality and transforms into a whole new beast towards the end. It’s the kind of film that requires courage from everybody involved, including the caterers who were presumably tasked with preparing a menu that wouldn’t end up on the shooting floor everyday. It would be remarkable if nobody threw up while making this movie, because every moment of its incredible final act positively challenges you to keep your lunch in your stomach. But before Fargeat unleashes her final flourish, she sets up an increasingly absurd universe for Elizabeth to navigate.
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin
Documentary, Animation (Norwegian)
The secret life of a young World of Warcraft gamer is vividly reimagined when his online friends contact his family after his death.
Cast:
Mats Steen, Robert Steen, Trude Steen, Mia Steen, Kelsey Ellison, Thomas Stene-Johansen, Zoe Croft, Paul Wild, Elena Pitsiaeli, Ed Larkin
Director:
Benjamin Ree
Writer:
Mats Steen
(Writing for OTTPlay)
The Retroactive Stillness Of Grief
Thu, October 31 2024
Benjamin Ree’s The Remarkable Life of Ibelin starts off as a documentary about death. We see the tombstone of Mats Steen, a Norwegian boy whose body and soul were at war. A mix of VHS footage and family interviews then reveals that Mats had duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a degenerative disease that reduced his 25 years to a hellish survival story. His mind yearned for the momentum his muscles never had. Subsequent clips show his body shrinking on landmarks and vacations, the end inching closer.
Aindhaam Vedham
Mystery (Tamil)
Anu travels to Varanasi for her mother’s last rites, where a priest asks her to deliver an ancient relic to a temple in Tamil Nadu. While she plans to disobey his command, fate has other plans.
Cast:
Sai Dhanshika, Santhosh Prathap, Vivek Rajagopal, Krisha Kurup, Y. G. Mahendran, Ramji, Devadarshini, Mathew Varghese, Prajna Ravi, Ponvannan
Director:
Naga
Writer:
Naga
Naga’s Mystical Thriller Is Ridiculously Stale And Dated
Tue, October 29 2024
Anu heads to Varanasi to immerse her mother’s ashes in Ganga. During the trip, she meets a sage, who hands over an ancient relic to her and dies under mysterious circumstances. Though Anu is instructed to give it to a temple priest in a village, she is reluctant to take the initiative. What connects her to the relic, an ancient temple and the fifth veda?
The Miranda Brothers
Drama (Hindi)
An orphan rescued from trash becomes devoted to his elder brother in a Goan suburb run by a drug gang, both growing to be star footballers - till suspicious death of their mother threatens to tear them apart.
Cast:
Harshvardhan Rane, Meezaan Jafri, Manasi Joshi Roy, Sanjay Suri, Rahul Dev, Surya Sharma, Sahher Bambba, Jeniffer Piccinato, Nikhil Chinappa, Naved Jaffrey
Director:
Sanjay Gupta
Writer:
Sanjay Gupta
Sanjay Gupta’s Sibling Saga Is An Ultimate Snooze-Fest
Tue, October 29 2024
Julio, the son of a single parent Susan Miranda, requests his mother to adopt an infant who’s left stranded on the streets. Braving past several financial challenges, Susain raises Julio and Regalo, who are extremely fond of one another. As adults, they hope to make a career in football. However, when a personal setback tests their equation, Regalo has a tough choice to make.
Goa, Football and (Filmmaking) Crimes
Mon, October 28 2024
Sanjay Gupta’s The Miranda Brothers revolves around two hunky brothers named Julio (Harshvardhan Rane) and Regalo Miranda (Meezaan Jafri), rising football stars in a Josh-coded Goa where orphaned babies are picked up from garbage dumps outside churches; arrogant cricketers cackle and say: “Cricket has two C’s: Cash and Chicks”; football scouts exclaim: “if we select both brothers, it’s like an earthquake and typhoon becoming one!”; bronze-bodied dance tracks called “Be My Mehbooba” pop up on a beach; and mourners at a funeral walk together in slow-motion as if they’re teleported to Sanjay Gupta’s Kaante (2002) instead.
The Legend of Hanuman S05
Animation, Action & Adventure (Hindi)
When the power-hungry Ravan tore through the world to unleash evil, in his way stood a humble vaanar awoken to his divinity to become an immortal legend. The series follows Hanuman and his transformation from a mighty warrior to a god and how Hanuman became the beacon of hope amidst the harrowing darkness.
Cast:
Richard Joel, Daman Baggan
Director:
Jeevan J. Kang, Navin John
Writer:
Sharad Devarajan, Sarwat Chadda, Shivangi Singh, Jeevan J. Kang
A worthy, lively peek into an epic from a new tangent
Tue, October 29 2024
With Indrajith no longer around and Ravan drowning in sadness, Ahiravan wreaks havoc on the Lankan dynasty. Hanuman is surprised to realise he has a son – Makardhwaja, who opposes him initially but makes amends later. He also finds unexpected support from Ravan’s former aide Harshasringa in his quest to free Ram and Laxman from Ahiravan. Who has the last laugh?
Hellbound S02
Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy (Korean)
Unearthly beings deliver bloody condemnations, sending individuals to hell and giving rise to a religious group founded on the idea of divine justice.
Cast:
Kim Sung-cheol, Kim Hyun-joo, Yang Ik-june, Im Sung-jae, Lee Dong-hee, Moon Geun-young, Lee Re, Kim Shin-rock, Moon So-ri, Cho Dong-in
Director:
Yeon Sang-ho
The Hit Korean Thriller Has a Decent Round-Two
Tue, October 29 2024
After his tryst with hell for many years, Jung Jinsu, the brain behind the New Truth, is back and recognises the growing prominence of the Arrowhead in the society. Jinsu realises he may not be the only one to be resurrected back to the land of the living. Does resurrection eventually mean damnation or will it pave the path to true salvation?
Anora
Drama, Comedy, Romance (English)
A young sex worker from Brooklyn gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as his parents set out to get the marriage annulled.
Cast:
Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan, Luna Sofía Miranda, Lindsey Normington, Darya Ekamasova, Aleksey Serebryakov, Anton Bitter
Director:
Sean Baker
Writer:
Sean Baker
Reimagination of 'Pretty Woman' With Some Twists
Tue, October 29 2024
A lot of the splendour in Sean Baker’s Anora lies in its treatment – where we might be shown one thing, but deliberately made to feel something else. For example, the film opens with a discomfiting panning shot featuring barely-clothed exotic dancers performing with neon lights around them. However, Baker scores this scene with a loud, winsome techno song taking what is a distressing visual of young women forced to work a job that fetishises them, and drains the self-pity out of it.
Caddo Lake
Thriller, Mystery, Drama, Science Fiction (English)
When an 8-year-old girl mysteriously vanishes on Caddo Lake, a series of past deaths and disappearances begin to link together, forever altering a broken family’s history.
Cast:
Dylan O'Brien, Eliza Scanlen, Lauren Ambrose, Sam Hennings, Diana Hopper, Eric Lange, Lance E. Nichols, Nina Leon, David Maldonado, Kim Baptiste
Director:
Celine Held, Logan George
Producer M Night Shyamalan’s new mind-bender is among the finest thrillers of the year
Tue, October 29 2024
A slow-burn thriller with a deep emotional core, an intricately plotted genre exercise, and an acting showcase for two talented young performers, Caddo Lake, on paper, sounds like the complete package. It takes a while to get going, and the first act is particularly testing, but it’s also the kind of film that gets better with every passing minute. In fact, Caddo Lake is at its best towards the end, when it ties all — or, at least two — of its narrative threads together, unleashing an emotional wallop that rivals only the sheer thrill of watching its well-executed twist.
Pani
Action, Crime (Malayalam)
When the peaceful married life of a couple is unexpectedly disrupted by two youngsters with criminal inclination, the trials and tribulations connect the mobster lives of Thrissur by becoming a part of vengeance.
Cast:
Joju George, Abhinaya, Chandini Sreedharan, Abhaya Hiranmayi, Sona Maria Abraham, Seema, Merlet Ann Thomas, Babu Namboothiri, Prasanth Alexander, Sujith Sankar
Director:
Joju George
Writer:
Joju George
Joju George’s gory drama works despite its typical revenge plot
Tue, October 29 2024
When a gruesome murder happens in broad daylight at the beginning of a film, one expects the murder to be the major event around which everything else will revolve. But Joju George’s Pani really takes off from a smaller fight that Don (Sagar Surya) and Siju (V.P.Junaiz), the two murderers, get involved in at a supermarket later in the day.