Bougainvillea
Mystery, Thriller (Malayalam)
A family entangled in a police investigation surrounding the mysterious disappearance of tourists in Kerala. (more…)
Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video
Comedy (Hindi)
Vicky and Vidya, newly married, decide to record a video of their first night together as a keepsake for the future. However, their plan goes awry when the CD with the video gets stolen. What follows is a chaotic and (more…)
Guild Reviews
This Is the Zodiac Speaking
Documentary (English)
A documentary featuring interviews with the people involved with the Zodiac killings, covering every aspect of the investigation, including the original investigators and surviving victims.
Cast:
George Bawart, Pierre Bidou, Russell T. Butterbach
Director:
David Prior
The most famous unsolved murder case in American history gets the Netflix treatment
Sat, October 26 2024
Often described as ‘the most famous unsolved murder case in American history’, the Zodiac Killer’s brutal spree in the 1960s and ‘70s attracted a flock of amateur investigators before true crime was even a thing. But now it is, and as per the law, Netflix is mandated to make a three-part documentary series about it. Titled This is the Zodiac Speaking, the show confusingly omits the real-life chapter that inspired this title, and presents, instead, a new angle to the case, one that has been flogged to death by documentarians, filmmakers, and podcasters alike. This is the Zodiac Speaking has the same fast-paced narrative that has come to define most of these Netflix true crime content; the tone is perpetually ominous, the violence and mayhem is circled and highlighted, cheap recreations are used to heighten the drama. The ending, invariably, is anti-climactic. But the show attempts to sidestep this inevitability by picking its lane and sticking to it. In minute one, This is the Zodiac Speaking identifies a possible suspect — in fact, the only person who was ever publicly named by the police as a person of interest — and proceeds to move heaven and earth in an effort to corroborate its claims.
Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video
Comedy (Hindi)
Vicky and Vidya, newly married, decide to record a video of their first night together as a keepsake for the future. However, their plan goes awry when the CD with the video gets stolen. What follows is a chaotic and comedic journey as the couple scrambles to retrieve it before things spiral out of control.
Cast:
Rajkummar Rao, Triptii Dimri, Vijay Raaz, Mallika Sherawat, Tiku Talsania, Mukesh Tiwari, Archana Puran Singh, Rakesh Bedi, Ashwini Kalsekar, Mast Ali
Director:
Raaj Shaandilyaa
Writer:
Yusuf Ali Khan, Raaj Shaandilyaa
Rajkummar Rao enlivens this long title with a short shelf life
Fri, October 25 2024
Coming from a background in writing low-brow comedy skits for television, director Raaj Shaandilyaa has this knack for creating funny characters rooted in mofussil towns that generate mirth by engaging in rollicking repartees. His broad humour emanates from deep observation and understanding of the cultural mores of a conservative society coming to terms with socio-economic liberalisation in the 1990s. However, Shaandilya’s skill to combine the comic sketches into a wholesome screenplay is still a work in progress, resulting in a disappointing outcome.
Mon, October 14 2024
A tacky lowbrow comedy
Sun, October 13 2024
The year is 1997. The setting is Rishikesh. It’s a time just before mobile phones, when DVDs were still predominant. Writer-director Raaj Shaandilyaa’s film opens with a shoddily executed computer graphic of a train hurtling towards a forlorn man on the tracks. This is the eponymous Vicky, played by Rajkummar Rao. It’s much like Rao’s year which has been speeding along strongly, but will eventually have to come to a halt. Unfortunately, the Rao train has been derailed by this most unintelligible 152-minute-long romantic comedy that is built around a slim plot line.
Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives
Reality (English)
Cameras follow the banter and bonding between four fun-loving women from Bollywood's inner circle as they juggle professions, family and friendship.
Cast:
Neelam Kothari, Seema Sajdeh, Maheep Kapoor, Bhavna Pandey, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Kalyani Saha Chawla, Shalini Passi
Director:
Uttam Ramkrishna Domale
Delusion Pro Max
Fri, October 25 2024
Vettaiyan
Action, Crime, Drama (Tamil)
A sought-after Supercop gets caught in a series of unexpected events when he encounters a suspect who is accused of being involved in a murder case.
Cast:
Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Fahadh Faasil, Rana Daggubati, Manju Warrier, Ritika Singh, Kishore, Dushara Vijayan, Asal Kolar, Ananth Nag
Director:
T. J. Gnanavel
Rajinikanth gets a rooted script in TJ Gnanavel's middling drama
Thu, October 24 2024
Journalist-turned-director TJ Gnanavel proved his mettle with a hard-hitting second film, Jai Bhim, starring Suriya, Manikandan and Lijomol Jose. In Jai Bhim, despite having Suriya onboard, he played more of a supporting role to brilliant Manikandan and Lijomol Jose. His third film, Vettaiyan, features Rajinikanth, but the director promises to have a solid story that champions Thalaivar. Will Gnanavel be able to strike a balance? Let’s find out! Athiyan (Rajinikanth), Superintendent of Police, is all about successfully carrying out encounters against criminals. He believes that killing a person is justice for those who were wronged and is not willing to wait for the law to take its course. Sathyadev (Amitabh Bachchan), a retired judge, bats against extrajudicial killings. A police case and a major misjudgement by Athiyan bring him face-to-face with Sathyadev.
The Late Review
Sat, October 12 2024
Unsubtle, Clunky But Engaging
Fri, October 11 2024
Journalist-turned-director T. J. Gnanavel doesn’t seem to care much for any sort of filmmaking subtleties. It’s as though he enjoys dialling up the volume knob to underline his already-dramatic writing, and doesn’t let you rest until you feel the full weight of a scene’s emotions. This was obvious in the way he didn’t stop by just showing you a police officer dragging a beaten-up Manikandan K. into the back of a police jeep in Jai Bhim (2021).
Raat Jawaan Hai
Comedy, Drama (Hindi)
Shows the unpredictable lives of three besties- Radhika, Avinash and Suman, as they embark on the wildest adventure of all: raising kids.
Cast:
Anjali Anand, Barun Sobti, Priya Bapat, Priyansh Jora, Hasleen Kaur, Vikram Singh Chauhan, Raayan Nikhil Kanchan, Jia Aman Yagnik, Khushvik Sharma
Director:
Sumeet Vyas
Writer:
Khyati Anand-Puthran
A breezy watch which scores for being relatable
Wed, October 23 2024
The millennial attempting to retain individuality and identity, while holding on to old friendships and coping with being a new parent, is a demographic that has hardly, if ever, been represented on the Indian screen. Even if it has been, it has been reduced to a strand or a subplot in a coming-of-age story. The fact that it even goes down this route immediately sets Raat Jawaan Hai apart. That it does it well, making its eight episodes a breezy watch which you want to hold on to and hope it doesn’t end, is a huge feather in its cap. This is a definite clutter-breaker in the Indian streaming space. One which has been long overdue.
Tue, October 15 2024
आम सी कहावत है कि मां-बाप बनने के बाद आपकी अपनी जिंदगी, अपनी खुशी बेमाने हो जाती है। तब बच्चा, उसकी जरूरतें, उसकी खुशियां ही सबसे ऊपर होती हैं। काफी हद तक होता भी ऐसा ही है, पर पैरंटिंग के नए मायने समझाने वाली वेब सीरीज रात जवान है आपसे कहती है कि नहीं बॉस, एक अच्छा पैरंट बनने के लिए अपनी खुशियों की कुर्बानी देना जरूरी नहीं है। थोड़ी मशक्कत जरूर करनी पड़ेगी, मगर आप अपने करियर, खुशियों, बच्चों सबको साथ लेकर भी चल सकते हैं। खास बात यह है कि ख्याति आनंद पुथरन की लिखी और सुमित व्यास (परमानेंट रूममेट्स, ट्रिपलिंग) निर्देशित यह प्यारी सी फील गुड कहानी ये बड़ी-बड़ी बातें बिना किसी लेक्चरबाजी के मजे-मजे में कह जाती है।
An Entertaining, Bitter-Sweet Ode to Parenthood, Friendship
Sun, October 13 2024
Three childhood friends and stay-at-home parents Avinash, Radhika and Suman come to terms with adulthood, marriage and parenting in a metropolis, dealing with one blow after the other. While Avinash is in no mood to return to work soon, Radhika is in two minds about taking up a job. Suman, content with motherhood, struggles to take a stance for herself.
The Shameless
Drama, Romance (Hindi)
In the dead of night, Renuka escapes from a Delhi brothel after stabbing a policeman to death. She takes refuge in a community of sex workers in northern India, where she meets Devika, a young girl condemned to a life of prostitution. Their bond develops into a forbidden romance. Together, they embark on a perilous journey to escape the law and forge their path to freedom.
Cast:
Anasuya Sengupta, Omara, Auroshikha Dey, Rohit Kokate, Mita Vashisht, Tanmay Dhanania, Kiran Bhivagade, Prakash Ghimire, Binita Thapa Magar
Director:
Konstantin Bojanov
Writer:
Konstantin Bojanov
Cannes Winner Comes With Radical Performances And Bleak Status Of Indian Women
Wed, October 23 2024
The Shameless became highly recognizable after its Cannes 2024 victory. The film’s leading star Anasuya Sengupta made history and became the first Indian actor to win the Best Actress Award at Cannes. The film explores the story of two polar women stuck in the world of prostitution finding hope in each other, but the bleakness and grim reality of the world is always just around the corner to take it away. The film though dramatic and dark has much appreciative theatrical performances with wit of Sengupta’s abrasive character. Devi and Renuka keep the story balanced but the outcome is left for the audience to endure.
Tabaah
Drama (Punjabi)
A man seeks solace from developments in his romantic life, turning to alcohol for comfort.
Cast:
Wamiqa Gabbi, Parmish Verma, Dheeraj Kumar, Kanwaljit Singh, Kavi Singh, Harman Brar, Deepak Narang
Director:
Parmish Verma
Writer:
Gurjind Maan
A Poignant Love Story Sans Crutches of Melodrama
Mon, October 21 2024
Unrequited love in the Devdas mould is often the go-to subject of Indian cinema, and now it seems in Punjabi movies too. When singer-actor Parmish Verma picks up the directorial baton and wears the producer’s hat as well for his latest film, Tabaah, you know what to expect. The title of the film literally translates to devastation, ruin or destruction, and the opening scenes establish our hero, Verma himself, in self-destruct mode. Like good-old Devdas, pining for his beloved, he is drinking himself to death. At the very start of the film, the poetic lines by novelist Kristin Hannah establish the tragic mood of the film. Taken from her novel The Nightingale (2015), it goes: “Some stories don’t have happy endings. Even love stories. Maybe especially love stories.” Clearly, it’s a love story gone sour. Why? Here, the writer, Gurjind Maan, deserves credit. He has not created any archetype villain in this love story. No family rivalry, no class divide and no parental interference either. Amber’s father (Kanwaljit Singh) is as supportive and caring as fathers are meant to be. So, why has it not ended happily ever after for our hero, Amber, and heroine, Raavi, played by the lovely Wamiqa Gabbi?
Lost in the Twilight Zone with Amitabh Bachchan
Sun, October 20 2024
Aman in red suede pants and jacket walks down a deserted road at night. Another man in a sky blue jacket over a black shirt races across a bridge as gunfire explodes around him. Yet another, in a deep blue shirt knotted at the waist, staggers out of a warehouse and is immediately carried off by a delirious crowd chanting his name.
The Wild Robot
Animation, Science Fiction, Family (English)
After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island's animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose.
Cast:
Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Matt Berry, Ving Rhames, Mark Hamill, Catherine O'Hara, Boone Storm
Director:
Chris Sanders
A Heartfelt ‘Factory Reset’ Of Storytelling
Sun, October 20 2024
THE WILD ROBOT is about an all-purpose robot that turns sentient in the wilderness. After washing up on a forest island, Rozzum “Rozz” 7134 learns to feel and discern once it mothers an orphaned goose and befriends a red fox. I’d say it becomes human, but in the context of where we are today, “it grows a heart” is more accurate.
Kya <em>bot</em> hain!
Sat, October 19 2024
The Wild Robot, inspired by Peter Brown’s 2016 novel of the same name, is a film that skillfully balances its emotional elements, resulting in a gratifying experience for both children and adults. While the notion of a robot experiencing emotions is not entirely original, it is the narrative and its execution that truly set this film apart. Achieving the right emotional resonance, whether from a human or a robot, is crucial, and Chris Sanders has struck gold with this film.
Astoundingly Beautiful Animated Story Of Love, Friendship And Empathy
Wed, October 16 2024
DreamWorks Animation turns 30 this year, and its latest presentation, The Wild Robot, is a great example of what the studio gets right. Adapted and directed by Chris Sanders, the animated feature follows the adventures of Rozzum 7134 (voice of Lupita Nyong’o), who discovers a whole new side to herself after she reluctantly adopts a gosling. The family film is filled with humour and meaning, and it teaches you what it means to be kind and love another in need.
Bougainvillea
Mystery, Thriller (Malayalam)
A family entangled in a police investigation surrounding the mysterious disappearance of tourists in Kerala.
Cast:
Jyothirmayi, Kunchacko Boban, Fahadh Faasil, Srindaa, Sharafudheen, Veena Nandakumar, Shobi Thilakan, V. T. Vijilesh, Nisthar Ahamed, Athira Patel
Director:
Amal Neerad
Writer:
Lajo Jose, Amal Neerad
The memory remains
Sat, October 19 2024
Amal Neerad’s Bougainvillea features an impressive cast, including Kunchacko Boban, Jyothirmay, and Fahadh Faasil; however, the film ultimately flatters to deceive. Faasil is relegated to a tertiary role, likely either to help out his friends or for a fat paycheck – probably the former. Pitched as a psychological thriller, the film becomes exasperating due to its screenplay and overall execution.
A Gripping Mind Game With Stellar Acts
Fri, October 18 2024
Amal Neerad and his co-writer Lajo Jose (whose story this film is based on) know how far to push the unreliable narrator trope. Not only is their protagonist Reethu (Jyothirmayi in her return) suffering from both retrograde and anterograde amnesia, but we’re seeing the film through her perspective for the most part. What makes this film even more complex is how quickly we get the feeling that we cannot rely on the people Reethu relies on to make sense of her chilling universe.
Fri, October 18 2024
Sir
(Tamil)
The people of Mangollai village like Colochi Saami and Saamikannu opposed education for the poor while people like Annadurai and Sivangaanam fought against oppression.
Cast:
Vimal, Saravanan
Director:
Bose Venkat
Writer:
Bose Venkat
Vemal’s Period Movie Belongs To The Era It Is Set In
Sat, October 19 2024
Sir is one of those formulaic Tamil movies with a strong cause or message it wants to put across and doesn’t mind doing so at the cost of being a didactic and dated. The style, writing, brevity, and everything that makes up for a superior form take a backseat in Sir as Bose Venkat prefers coming across as an activist to a fine filmmaker. While Sir has a noble cause at its core, the execution makes it a yarnfest, and instead of getting the catharsis such social commentary aims to provide, the film invokes a sense of guilt for feeling so.
The Apprentice
History, Drama (English)
A young Donald Trump, eager to make his name as a hungry scion of a wealthy family in 1970s New York, comes under the spell of Roy Cohn, the cutthroat attorney who would help create the Donald Trump we know today. Cohn sees in Trump the perfect protégé—someone with raw ambition, a hunger for success, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win.
Cast:
Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Maria Bakalova, Martin Donovan, Catherine McNally, Charlie Carrick, Patch Darragh, Stuart Hughes, Eoin Duffy, Chloe Madison
Director:
Ali Abbasi
Jeremy Strong delivers stand out performance in Abbasi's film on Donald Trump
Sat, October 19 2024
Former United States president and presidential candidate Donald Trump went on a rant recently on filmmaker Ali Abbasi’s latest film The Apprentice, which narrates the Republican’s initial years as a real estate giant in New York and his relationship with attorney Roy Cohn. Perhaps, Trump’s reaction stems from information that is fed to him because had he watched the film, he may have only objected to certain aspects of Abbasi’s provocative film and not ranted about it in its entirety.
Sebastian Stan As Donald Trump Is Just The Tip Of The Iceberg
Thu, October 17 2024
The Apprentice is one of the film that no one asked for but now that its here you can’t look away from it. The direction, cinematography, lighting, sets and most of all the performances all are worth praising but the film majorly avoids taking sides. For first half it makes you like Trump and for the other the pre-existing hate returns, so it doesn’t really add to his public narrative, the reason for its existence left questioning. But the film is worth the watch for its art.