Please do. Simply a masterpiece in terms of acting, story, continuity and direction.
Reviews
19 Reviews
How Awful About Allan
(1970 TV Movie)
Why is it rated so low
8 November 2020
Generally I don't crib, but I've seen absolute gibberish being rated pretty highly if it comes out of a big studio with a big cast. Now this movie here is not that special, but it is well directed, has great acting by the cast and some decent camera work. The story seems slightly predictable but it is credible and works for this kind of movie. The reveal at the end does come across as a surprise.
Anthony Perkins live up to the role and shows his range as an actor here. This is a very good movie, albeit a short one. Full marks the the director and his crew.
Anthony Perkins live up to the role and shows his range as an actor here. This is a very good movie, albeit a short one. Full marks the the director and his crew.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show
(1997–2000)
Way better than the movie series
6 November 2020
I remember watching loads of episodes as a kid and watched the movie only after having watched the TV show and it didn't stand up to the stuff that Szalinskis were pulling on the TV.
There were sub-plots involving all characters and every episode featured a new invention which went awry. It was well-acted and the humor for a kids' show was spot on. There were Bigfoots, aliens, ghosts, international spy agencies even noir. There was goofy humor, some fanservice from the beautiful Diane (red dress), Mr Jennings as the funny boss, Jake Mckenna as the neighbor who inevitably ends up involved in Wayne's schemes.
Tbh most of the Disney live action shows that came after did not even stand close to it. And given the state of live action tv from Disney right now, its better they don't remake it unless they can rediscover the 'fun' spirit of the original
There were sub-plots involving all characters and every episode featured a new invention which went awry. It was well-acted and the humor for a kids' show was spot on. There were Bigfoots, aliens, ghosts, international spy agencies even noir. There was goofy humor, some fanservice from the beautiful Diane (red dress), Mr Jennings as the funny boss, Jake Mckenna as the neighbor who inevitably ends up involved in Wayne's schemes.
Tbh most of the Disney live action shows that came after did not even stand close to it. And given the state of live action tv from Disney right now, its better they don't remake it unless they can rediscover the 'fun' spirit of the original
Gone Home
(2013 Video Game)
Not for everyone
28 October 2020
The story is interesting, but all too predictable. I loved the eerie atmosphere created, but personally for me there was not much to do apart from going A to B, listening and reading stuff, figuring out hidden spaces et al.
I'd compare it to something like Limbo, which is a very different game, yet gives one the wholesome experience despite not giving out any detail in spoken narrative. Here on the other hand we get a wholesome narrative, but not much going it's way otherwise.
I'd compare it to something like Limbo, which is a very different game, yet gives one the wholesome experience despite not giving out any detail in spoken narrative. Here on the other hand we get a wholesome narrative, but not much going it's way otherwise.
Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft
(1998 Video Game)
The Toughest of the Classics, yet has some great nostalgic value
8 February 2020
Tomb Raider 3 came in 1998 and became known as that one game which would need a guide to beat it. In terms of upping their game, Core Design went all in esp. in terms of game play. They added new weapons (rocket launcher etc.), new vehicles (kayak, quad bike) and a level of depth to size of some levels. Where they went all in though was in terms of its difficulty, some of the puzzles were so tough to beat in the day that one might be forgiven for nearly giving up on the game.
At the very core, these games were more about platforming and puzzle solving in elaborately designed levels than all out shoot-em up action games or uncharted type action movie games that the new series have turned out to be (Not that it is a bad thing).
Tomb Raider 1 was the pioneer, Tomb raider 2 was the one which balanced out things the best in all departments including some real good enemy difficulty level, Tomb Raider 3 thus had to do something which could make it stand out and even improve upon its predecessors.
In some respects, it did well such as some interesting puzzles (Such as the India and Antartica levels), better defined scenery ( The South pacific levels), and better graphics. However, because the puzzles and level design went up to eleven in the difficulty department (London levels esp.) it was not as enjoyable as the previous two editions. One can see the creators worked well to make Tomb Raider 4 a more enjoyable experience.
Yet the game still has some great replay value, if one doesn't mind the tank controls. The quad bike sequences, dino encounters, temple run in India are truly memorable to this day. Must play for fans of the series.
At the very core, these games were more about platforming and puzzle solving in elaborately designed levels than all out shoot-em up action games or uncharted type action movie games that the new series have turned out to be (Not that it is a bad thing).
Tomb Raider 1 was the pioneer, Tomb raider 2 was the one which balanced out things the best in all departments including some real good enemy difficulty level, Tomb Raider 3 thus had to do something which could make it stand out and even improve upon its predecessors.
In some respects, it did well such as some interesting puzzles (Such as the India and Antartica levels), better defined scenery ( The South pacific levels), and better graphics. However, because the puzzles and level design went up to eleven in the difficulty department (London levels esp.) it was not as enjoyable as the previous two editions. One can see the creators worked well to make Tomb Raider 4 a more enjoyable experience.
Yet the game still has some great replay value, if one doesn't mind the tank controls. The quad bike sequences, dino encounters, temple run in India are truly memorable to this day. Must play for fans of the series.
X-Zone
(1998– )
Surprisingly good Late 90s Horror Show
8 February 2020
X Zone was a staple for horror series' fans back in the late 90s along with Aahat. It was deemed as a successor of sorts to the Zee Horror Show.
As was with other shows of 90s the show had an impressive star power with the likes of Kay Kay, Irfan Khan, Pallavi Joshi, Nivedita Bhattacharya, Deepak Tijori and directors which included Anurag Basu, Ketan Mehta, Ramsay Brothers etc. The quality of production was quite good with respect to the time period when they were produced.
The content was decent while some of the episodes were 'adaptations' from classic horror stories , yet there was space for some excellent original story-telling as well. Two episodes that stood out for me were 'True Story', which in recent viewing does not really hold up, but still is a different story from others and 'Rakshak', which is one of the better horror stories I have seen on Television.
As was with other shows of 90s the show had an impressive star power with the likes of Kay Kay, Irfan Khan, Pallavi Joshi, Nivedita Bhattacharya, Deepak Tijori and directors which included Anurag Basu, Ketan Mehta, Ramsay Brothers etc. The quality of production was quite good with respect to the time period when they were produced.
The content was decent while some of the episodes were 'adaptations' from classic horror stories , yet there was space for some excellent original story-telling as well. Two episodes that stood out for me were 'True Story', which in recent viewing does not really hold up, but still is a different story from others and 'Rakshak', which is one of the better horror stories I have seen on Television.
1917
(2019)
One of the best war films ever made
4 February 2020
This movie had me go through a roller-coaster of emotions like nothing else. There were scenes where I was tearing up, there were moments where I was so mesmerized by the sequences, esp. the one where Schofield wakes up and walks into the night illuminated by flares, that I forgot about what was to happen next. The use of scenery and elements of nature such as the fence which ends up hurting Will, the sequence in the stream are all used quite well so much so that they become a part of the narrative. The scene where Schofield walks into the night among the ruins, is definitely one of the best I've ever seen.
In today's age and time where movies and shows are brought exclusively to your computers and TV, this remains one of those movies which need to be experienced in the cinema hall. Kudos to Sam Mendes, Roger Deakins and Thomas Newman for this show. One of my top war films along the likes of 'Come and See' and 'The Grand Illusion'.
In today's age and time where movies and shows are brought exclusively to your computers and TV, this remains one of those movies which need to be experienced in the cinema hall. Kudos to Sam Mendes, Roger Deakins and Thomas Newman for this show. One of my top war films along the likes of 'Come and See' and 'The Grand Illusion'.
Parinda
(1989)
Un-Bollywood delivery from a Bollywood Movie
21 March 2019
Late 70s and 80s were a time when alternate or parallel cinema entered the Hindi film industry. Shyam Benegal, Saeed Akhtar Mirza, Govind Nihalani, Mahesh Bhatt gave soul to some heart-wrenching narrative and created a cinema which was a long-call from the rosy, sanitized feature bollywood movies. Instead what we saw was dirt within the society, issues like Labour rights, Dowry deaths, Prostitution, Communal violence were dealt with openly and our favorite protagonists had to wrestle not against the stereotypical Bollywood Evil Banker or Industrialist but against the 'system' itself.
In this time period came along Vidhu Vinod Chopra with two feature movies, 'Sazaye Maut' (1981) and 'Khamosh'(1986). Made without a star-cast to speak of, the movies did not find many takers and despite being a brilliant start to his career they remained largely forgotten, till the internet era introduced them to a larger audience. The experience of making these movies perhaps led to some of the decisions which were reflected in Parinda. This movie which can be called as Realism's Gateway to Bollywood is a weird mix, feeling like a brilliant art-movie at times and a decent Bollywood feature at others. There are sequences of Anil Kapoor-Madhuri Dixit which are filled with rosy, romantic scenarios, while there are scenes between the two brothers or the ones featuring the impeccable Nana Patekar as Anna, which are filled with grim realism usually not present in the other features of the era. Take the plot for example, Prakash's death at the start to Brothers' fate towards the end are not your usual run-of-the mill scenarios in a Bollywood feature of the time. Besides having seen Jackie-Anil in Ram-Lakhan, Karma etc. I was expecting a movie where the heroes eventually trump all odds and win the day in the end.
It all was too unexpected for me until it dawned that this movie could be called the first place where Vidhu Vinod Chopra started using his own formula of movie-making which show-cased so well in Munnabhai MBBS, 3 Idiots etc.
We can only guess as to whether the failure of his brilliant Khamosh was the reason behind this approach, but this allowed him to tell his audience otherwise complicated stories in a crisp manner, where songs and some lighthearted sequences keep the story moving on forward, while he tells a tale dealing with issues in the Indian education system (Munnabhai 1, 3 Idiots) or the need for Gandhi's values in today's society. (Munnabhai 2) Here he does the same in a gangster saga of two brothers, where an otherwise decent tale is given both the formulaic Bollywood approach to keep the mainstream audience engrossed, while the gritty sequences dealing with Gang-violence, Anna's troubles and the rift between brothers provide a deeper understanding to the movie.
Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor were brilliant as usual while Jackie Shroff also provides a good support. But it is Nana Patekar's madness which lifts the movie to another level. His genius is scenes during a 'Shraad' scene, where he loses it after seeing fire being lighted. There are also other undercurrents visible within the movie, such as fate of turncoats, Musa's eventual victory over Anna due to his habit of making friends out of enemies. The music in the movie was done well with songs of the movie going on to become some of the popular songs of 90s.
In this time period came along Vidhu Vinod Chopra with two feature movies, 'Sazaye Maut' (1981) and 'Khamosh'(1986). Made without a star-cast to speak of, the movies did not find many takers and despite being a brilliant start to his career they remained largely forgotten, till the internet era introduced them to a larger audience. The experience of making these movies perhaps led to some of the decisions which were reflected in Parinda. This movie which can be called as Realism's Gateway to Bollywood is a weird mix, feeling like a brilliant art-movie at times and a decent Bollywood feature at others. There are sequences of Anil Kapoor-Madhuri Dixit which are filled with rosy, romantic scenarios, while there are scenes between the two brothers or the ones featuring the impeccable Nana Patekar as Anna, which are filled with grim realism usually not present in the other features of the era. Take the plot for example, Prakash's death at the start to Brothers' fate towards the end are not your usual run-of-the mill scenarios in a Bollywood feature of the time. Besides having seen Jackie-Anil in Ram-Lakhan, Karma etc. I was expecting a movie where the heroes eventually trump all odds and win the day in the end.
It all was too unexpected for me until it dawned that this movie could be called the first place where Vidhu Vinod Chopra started using his own formula of movie-making which show-cased so well in Munnabhai MBBS, 3 Idiots etc.
We can only guess as to whether the failure of his brilliant Khamosh was the reason behind this approach, but this allowed him to tell his audience otherwise complicated stories in a crisp manner, where songs and some lighthearted sequences keep the story moving on forward, while he tells a tale dealing with issues in the Indian education system (Munnabhai 1, 3 Idiots) or the need for Gandhi's values in today's society. (Munnabhai 2) Here he does the same in a gangster saga of two brothers, where an otherwise decent tale is given both the formulaic Bollywood approach to keep the mainstream audience engrossed, while the gritty sequences dealing with Gang-violence, Anna's troubles and the rift between brothers provide a deeper understanding to the movie.
Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor were brilliant as usual while Jackie Shroff also provides a good support. But it is Nana Patekar's madness which lifts the movie to another level. His genius is scenes during a 'Shraad' scene, where he loses it after seeing fire being lighted. There are also other undercurrents visible within the movie, such as fate of turncoats, Musa's eventual victory over Anna due to his habit of making friends out of enemies. The music in the movie was done well with songs of the movie going on to become some of the popular songs of 90s.
Last Train to Mahakali
(1999 Video)
Another riveting masterpiece from Kashyap
1 December 2018
I believe this project was a part of the Star-bestseller series on Star Plus, in the late 90s. Back in the day I had been able to catch glimpses of the episode, but it was only later that I watched the entire episode.
In my opinion, this episode can be considered to be a part of the golden era of Indian television when some of the best talent was available, along with some laxity on the end of what content could flow on television. This allowed for creators to come up with many creative endeavors and push for content which might not flow with Bollywood or mainstream actors/directors of the time. (Basically what webseries do now, though a lot has changed in terms of audience opinions and what kind of content they like) The story deals with a serial killer on a death row, being interviewed by a journalist. When she tries to dig deep, he professes innocence stating that all these so-called murders were part of his experiment to free man of disease. (Specifically uses the term 'Virus' perhaps a reference to Aids, which was all the taboo and was rarely referenced even in those days) The story then takes a form of a number of flashbacks narrating what went wrong. The story is simplistic in its tone, yet draws in the viewer till the very end, when the surprise hits them. The acting is great, as is expected from veterans like Kay Kay and Nivedita Bhattacharya. Kay Kay portrays the role of an man obsessed with his work, while Nivedita acts as the ears and eyes of the audience. The direction is brilliant, the smaller sequences setting up for bigger things. An example of the same can be the opening sequence of this feature, wherein Kay Kay is with a bunch of articles in his prison wall and a portrait of a woman sketched on to his wall. This is a brilliant exposition for the events to follow, developing the nature of his character and also creating interest in the minds of audience as to the identity of the mystery woman.
To add to the same there is the haunting setting and the uncanny music, which adds to the overall experience. Personally, it was a pleasure to watch Kay Kay and Kashyap together again, also Kay Kay portraying the role of an incarcerated serial killer was interesting. I still remember there was a show in the 90s named 'Darrrr' wherein Kay Kay was a cop hunting a serial killer and Irrfan Khan playing the latter, never got to watch that brilliant feature though.
Don't miss this one if you are a fan of Kashyap, Kay Kay or have watched TV in the 90s.
In my opinion, this episode can be considered to be a part of the golden era of Indian television when some of the best talent was available, along with some laxity on the end of what content could flow on television. This allowed for creators to come up with many creative endeavors and push for content which might not flow with Bollywood or mainstream actors/directors of the time. (Basically what webseries do now, though a lot has changed in terms of audience opinions and what kind of content they like) The story deals with a serial killer on a death row, being interviewed by a journalist. When she tries to dig deep, he professes innocence stating that all these so-called murders were part of his experiment to free man of disease. (Specifically uses the term 'Virus' perhaps a reference to Aids, which was all the taboo and was rarely referenced even in those days) The story then takes a form of a number of flashbacks narrating what went wrong. The story is simplistic in its tone, yet draws in the viewer till the very end, when the surprise hits them. The acting is great, as is expected from veterans like Kay Kay and Nivedita Bhattacharya. Kay Kay portrays the role of an man obsessed with his work, while Nivedita acts as the ears and eyes of the audience. The direction is brilliant, the smaller sequences setting up for bigger things. An example of the same can be the opening sequence of this feature, wherein Kay Kay is with a bunch of articles in his prison wall and a portrait of a woman sketched on to his wall. This is a brilliant exposition for the events to follow, developing the nature of his character and also creating interest in the minds of audience as to the identity of the mystery woman.
To add to the same there is the haunting setting and the uncanny music, which adds to the overall experience. Personally, it was a pleasure to watch Kay Kay and Kashyap together again, also Kay Kay portraying the role of an incarcerated serial killer was interesting. I still remember there was a show in the 90s named 'Darrrr' wherein Kay Kay was a cop hunting a serial killer and Irrfan Khan playing the latter, never got to watch that brilliant feature though.
Don't miss this one if you are a fan of Kashyap, Kay Kay or have watched TV in the 90s.
Fitting Finale
10 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Poetic Justice. That's what was achieved (Quite Nearly) in this episode. A fitting finale to a riveting season. Another successful run for Fargo. VM Vargas, Gloria, Nikki, Emmet and Mr. Wrench all play memorable roles in the ending, where justice is served up. But is this a complete happy ending? Not quite. So Emmet, Sy and Varga still have their off-shore money, though Emmet is dead and one may feel for Sy, as he didn't even know what was happening most of the times. Varga's ending is left more ambiguous on purpose, given how this season and his character especially was more of a comment on contemporary times and alternative facts. It was left to time or perhaps audience, to tell, as to whether Varga would yet again pull over a curtain from truth and get his way. Or whether at long last, justice would prevail. Mrs. Goldfarb's exact fate is unknown but she might be safe, with Varga's blessing. One does have to feel for Nikki and Ray, but that's the show's strength. It's not as if they were characters in white or black, rather in grey. To add the dark comic tone which Fargo has always had.
Was particularly pleased to see the character development of Nikki and Gloria, from the first few episodes till the finale. Much more experienced and memorable characters. If I may add, the creators of True Detective can take a leaf out of book or two from Fargo. One, on how to create strong female characters. The trick might be to forget the male or female, just focus on creating good characters and a strong story-line. TD did pretty well on that front in first season, but then second season happened, which was a horrible mess. Secondly, how to create multiple characters and still have strong character development and great story-flow. Hell, even Thaddeus Mobley and MNSKY were great additions along with Ray Wise, and we didn't even know if Thaddeus Mobley was actually the grandpa. All in all, a great experience for me. Season rating- 9/10
Was particularly pleased to see the character development of Nikki and Gloria, from the first few episodes till the finale. Much more experienced and memorable characters. If I may add, the creators of True Detective can take a leaf out of book or two from Fargo. One, on how to create strong female characters. The trick might be to forget the male or female, just focus on creating good characters and a strong story-line. TD did pretty well on that front in first season, but then second season happened, which was a horrible mess. Secondly, how to create multiple characters and still have strong character development and great story-flow. Hell, even Thaddeus Mobley and MNSKY were great additions along with Ray Wise, and we didn't even know if Thaddeus Mobley was actually the grandpa. All in all, a great experience for me. Season rating- 9/10
Nikki and Varga
10 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This episode is done pretty well, perhaps holding more importance for the contemporary US audience, dealing with hope that is needed, more so self-belief. This is dealt finely in the last few minutes, adding more relevance to my favorite the third episode. I had written earlier hopefully the mystical part isn't overdone, but it does feel in place in this episode. Some real good work by Carrie Coon and Olivia Sandoval in those scenes. Emmet, again got an opportunity and took it, by giving himself up, but then for some reason decides to go back to Varga when the opportunity arises. For what end? We'll know in next episode perhaps. Nikki and Varga though...the scene in lobby was pretty memorable and was highlight of this episode. They had to use the time element since Nikki needed to get back on her feet and Mr. Wrench from the Fargo Mythos, if that is what it can be called, taken upon himself to assist her. For far too often we've seen the clinical, emotionless Varga having the upper-hand exploiting the weaknesses of lesser (or whom he feels to be lesser than him) mortals, however, it is one of the lesser mortals who decides to rise up against Varga and does get to him in the end. Varga, is playing games, whether he admits it or not. Calculated risks. But they are at a cost. He being the complete capitalist is after profit. That is his motivation, and he tries to give the same meaning to Emmet by telling him of how the stocks are rising and his reputation too. This is when Emmet has lost pretty much everything in his personal life. Nikki uses this very weakness against him. Her main aim is to destroy Varga and that she's doing by making him assume that she's playing the same game as him. Money motive. He keeps on adding zeroes to her 'fictitious' job, but she's unmoved. It's not for the first time that she's been misunderstood. The 'Captain America' sheriff does a schlub-pub- seduction-deduction on her and Ray's relationship, however it has been long established that though scheming, Nikki was heads over heels in her love for Ray. And that's another tip in the hat of fargo, well-developed characters such as Ray, Mobley, Gloria, Nikki, Varga. That's what makes it a success already for me.
Nice Episodes, but a few concerns...
10 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This review would look into episodes 6-8. Um, to be honest, I liked the way plot has moved ahead. As expected the fight of brothers has had its consequences, albeit in a pretty silly manner. Sy too quite sadly, gets done in by clinical Mr. Varga. (Wait no one checked in on his poisoning , movements right before he reached the office et al? Guess they should have put Gloria on case) Mr. Wrench in an interesting cameo, in the action sequences between episodes 7 to first 20 minutes or so of episode 8. I also liked the Twin peaks- style bit with Ray Wise (Leland Palmer), more on that later. He prods on Nikki Swango to vengeance for what is right and good. Also, it seems the tech-averse Gloria (or is it Gloria-averse technology) does have some advantage, as Varga wasn't able to dig up anything on her. But then there were things which weren't as good, which is why I gave I'd rank these episodes about 8. But that can change with explanations in later episodes. For e.g. why did Varga's men attack Nikki? They had set her up pretty well. Even if she'd identify them or any related concern, they could have waited for more opportune time, rather than going all in, right in the police station, wouldn't that make it more suspicious? Made for a cool sequence though. Also, Widow Goldfarb remains a mystery. The mystical bits with Nikki and Yuri in the bowling alley were good, but I hope they don't over- do it and continue with the story. One thing I did like though, was the way the show dealt with what Truth is. So a bit of slide after a decent start, and some excellent stuff in the middle. Let's see how the last two episodes go.
VM Varga
10 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
VM Varga, could be one of the most nauseating characters I've come across in recent times. Vile would be the perfect description for him. But for his appearances in the middle, the episode had little to offer. The con also feel and think the same way as the rest of us, or rather there's a little bit of con in all of us, maybe that's what has been the motto of Fargo series. There are no exact evil characters in dark. It doesn't make too much of an effort to get to know that Ray and Nikki would meet an unhappy ending. But it would be tough not to feel for them, just a bit if in the end. Emit talks of himself as a fine man, but at the same time, he had several options of dealing with Varga. First and foremost, contacting authorities. Of what was otherwise a fine family life and a successful American story of rise, Emit does have his failures. He could have chosen against dealing with the devil. But he does make a deal. However, that doesn't make him full evil. And that is to the credit of this show. He swears revenge on his brother, but clearly has no immediate intentions of telling Varga (who might deal in a swift,violent manner) about his troubles, even when Varga offers to help. Coming to the Sy-Varga scene. Well, wonder if shock value has been high on agenda this season with the vomit, menstrual blood and what happened to Sy and Nikki this episode. It does work well somehow.
P.S. It seems somehow I keep forgetting adding something from the previous episode. Varga does come across as an admirer of totalitarianism and a total capitalist. Wonder (with Uncle Joe's portrait and his snooping skills) if he has ever served in the Eastern bloc during the cold war.
P.S. It seems somehow I keep forgetting adding something from the previous episode. Varga does come across as an admirer of totalitarianism and a total capitalist. Wonder (with Uncle Joe's portrait and his snooping skills) if he has ever served in the Eastern bloc during the cold war.
Setting things up
10 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Well, the plot moves ahead with the season, and more, albeit minor revelations are made to the audience. The acting was pretty decent, characters moved ahead in their development arcs. The happy accidental setups of Fargo continued with Miss Lopez helping out Peter in her quest to solve the case. Sy's comic relief was pretty good as well, him messing up with Ray and then him being horrified at a cop being present in front of Varga's goons. Somehow I do feel that the twins deserve each other and are formidable foes to each other. But presence of Mr. Varga (oh, and his disgusting habits, very well done by David Thewlis and series creators' in creating a true nightmare) has some sort of influence shaking up things, sort of the way when superpowers enter civil wars on behalf of sides for their own gains. He has pretty much sunk his teeth in their private affairs (With Uncle Joe by his side), it makes me suspicious as to his identity. Is he working for someone? That's the impression I've had so far. He seems more like an agent, an errand boy for someone, who's often ready to soil his own fingers doing the dirty work. Also, how does Gloria wash her hand in the washroom scene? Haha, that aside, Possibly the modern devices not working around her symbolize the little world of Fargo, going modern but still stuck back in time. Or maybe there's more to it. Will it be a part of an important plot-point later?
P.S. It struck to me pretty late after watching the previous episode, the age discrepancy between the older stussy and Mobley. Then discovered that the actor who played Mobley is merely 26 or something, Stussy would have been 47 in '75. A couple of posters here also raised the same issue. I was kind of taken in by the episode (which is wonderful in itself), but I was till the end of second episode was not on to the idea of Mobley and Stussy being the same person. So, all the Stussys' of Eden prairie and Eden valley might be related after all. Or not so clear? Let's see how it pans out. Might not be related to the plot this season at all. For a sec I thought, Leland Palmer might be Stussy, but then discovered what his name in the show meant. Still not discounting any possibility.
P.S. It struck to me pretty late after watching the previous episode, the age discrepancy between the older stussy and Mobley. Then discovered that the actor who played Mobley is merely 26 or something, Stussy would have been 47 in '75. A couple of posters here also raised the same issue. I was kind of taken in by the episode (which is wonderful in itself), but I was till the end of second episode was not on to the idea of Mobley and Stussy being the same person. So, all the Stussys' of Eden prairie and Eden valley might be related after all. Or not so clear? Let's see how it pans out. Might not be related to the plot this season at all. For a sec I thought, Leland Palmer might be Stussy, but then discovered what his name in the show meant. Still not discounting any possibility.
Show within a show?
8 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Well, somehow this episode did feel good. Was quite a slow start and I was beginning to wonder whether this show would go down the drain of explanations and theories. But it didn't. It actually for sometime did seem that this was another show. This episode, with the entire animated story line in the middle, had a different kind of feeling attached to it.
A look back at a journey, of what was, what could have been and what became in the end. What strikes me is Mobley looking at his mirror and trophy, after he runs back from Vivian's apartment. He had it all the books, the award, a movie-adaptation, all the money. And in a few moments, its all gone, blown up into the air. He's a man on the run, a broken man, a man who doesn't want anything to do with his past now. Has that what made him a 'Horrible person' as described in the previous episode. Perhaps. There was also focus on Gloria Burgle's character which seemed a pretty nice, short journey in itself, much like our MNSKY in the animated shorts. A journey to know her father, know herself and what she stands for. For a moment there's a trifle indecision, lost paths and so on, but then (perhaps) it was the journey which mattered at the end of it, as it did for MNSKY. Woah! And what was Leland Palmer doing in here, did have a couple of memorable scenes with him. And yeah, they get back to the main plot, after this nice little excursion. Really, felt like this show entered the Twilight Zone for some time.
A look back at a journey, of what was, what could have been and what became in the end. What strikes me is Mobley looking at his mirror and trophy, after he runs back from Vivian's apartment. He had it all the books, the award, a movie-adaptation, all the money. And in a few moments, its all gone, blown up into the air. He's a man on the run, a broken man, a man who doesn't want anything to do with his past now. Has that what made him a 'Horrible person' as described in the previous episode. Perhaps. There was also focus on Gloria Burgle's character which seemed a pretty nice, short journey in itself, much like our MNSKY in the animated shorts. A journey to know her father, know herself and what she stands for. For a moment there's a trifle indecision, lost paths and so on, but then (perhaps) it was the journey which mattered at the end of it, as it did for MNSKY. Woah! And what was Leland Palmer doing in here, did have a couple of memorable scenes with him. And yeah, they get back to the main plot, after this nice little excursion. Really, felt like this show entered the Twilight Zone for some time.
Here we go...
8 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Alright, so after the slightly eased up start of the first episode, we finally have things pacing up. Best thing was how the different plot-lines shaped up, things became clearer. First of all, now we sort of have an inkling as to who the old-man might have been, and I guess my guess in previous episode was wrong. (Thankfully!) Second, we move more into this mysterious Vargas guy and his thugs. One thing about this series is that the villains (Or henchmen, if you may, Mike Milligan and kitchen brothers) are always somehow crafted in a manner, so as to bestow upon them eccentricities largely unseen in the usual right hand men of movies. Rather than being straight- laced killing machines, here they are mixtures of many variants, thus adding a tone of comical horror (Oh! Katyusha after disposing off the lawyer). Another aspect which I loved about this show was the clumsiness which made the sequences realistic and fun in the last season. Some creators want to move their actions as soon as possible, so focusing on little details is oft (the bench cleaning sequence when the twins meet for the apology farce) not much of a concern, rather the focus is on words spoken and action on the screen. Well, this series does seem to focus on small, minute mishaps in real life. They do a couple of things, draw in on character flaws and give an element of realism to interactions and sequences. Esp. the Sy scene was real fun to watch, when he intends to intimidate Ray by bludgeoning his corvette, ends up slipping and slamming some other peoples' vehicles and nearly ending up in a hospital himself. Similarly, the interactions of Vargas with the guard. Both go a long way in establishing their characters. Then, there are the mysteries that still remain, like grand-pa's past and (funny as it may sound and I'm being speculative) the non- functioning of computers (got bugged?) as soon as they try to press enter on "VM Varga". Also, why don't the doors open for the chief? Pretty nice,easy way to lighten up things.
A decent start....
8 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I honestly did believe that the second season was the best TV show of 2015, it had pretty much everything I would want from a crime, drama, thriller as its title reads on IMDb. But to add to that there was the quirkiness, the beautiful locales, the eccentricities of characters and let's be fair, an honest tale to tell at the end of the day. It was a show which made you feel good and content by the end of it. I have just started on the third season, and it does have some of the fair elements of the previous seasons, such as the quirkiness of characters (Ray Stussy and his side-kick Sy, just the way they talk remind me of Blumquists last season), elements of mystery (starting in East Germany, the sci-fi collection of old man and that present he made for his grand-son) and as usual good acting. But then there were times I felt that action could have (just a bit) quicker, some sequences seemed to drag a bit (The event at Stussy home, that gun for hire did seem to eat up time, was pretty happy with the way the episode ended,his character's role was done) and I hope I am wrong on this one, but I got the feeling that in old school Bollywood style, the Stussys of Eden Valley and Eden Prairie might be related. Hope even if I am right, there is the usual Fargo style explanation and relations are not exact as they are made out to be. But all in all, am more than satisfied with what looked like a really promising start.
Wow!
25 October 2016
This episode changed American Horror Story completely for me. I had earlier followed this show because of strong characters and the quirkiness which Mr. Murphy brought about. However, this season has been complete surprise package, the first five episodes being somewhat in a similar tone to those of the earlier seasons. But the kind of realism seen in episode 6 fits in very well with the scheme of things. And the best part is that It was all well-known to us. Mr. Murphy had hinted and discussed the twist in advance, yet it hits as a surprise. And there are better things to come yet, as he continues to drop hints. AHS might well set the standard for shows in the future.
Will eagerly await how AHS team will continue to surprise us!
Will eagerly await how AHS team will continue to surprise us!
Psycho Raman
(2016)
Outstanding and Unconventional Psychological Thriller
24 June 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I had two reasons to watch this movie, one was Anurag Kashyap and the other my own preference for Psychological thrillers.
The movie begins with a disclaimer that it isn't about the real Raman Raghav but in spirit he is present throughout the movie. Ramanna's (Nawazuddin) past is quite unknown and neither does the movie delve much into it, quite like the real psycho Raman whose early life and incidents were unknown to the world. Again the episode of his abusive relation with his sister is inspired by real Raman Raghav's abuse of his sister.
Ramanna is portrayal of an emotionless serial killer, who goes about his business quite nonchalantly. But there is more to him than that, he has a perception of Raghav (Vicky Kaushal) in his own twisted head and most of his actions in the movie are guided by the same. Raghav is again not your typical angry young cop, he has too many issues of his own and by the end of the movie he is more of a character in black than Raman. He has deep running flaws but chooses to deal with them in his own way.
This movie is obviously not the run-of-the-mill cop hunting serial killer story, rather there is a reversal of role with respect to that. The actual interaction between the two title characters comes towards the end. Yet, the viewer never gets the feeling that the scenes involving the two are not related.
There are quite a few well-etched sequences, the one where Simmy reminds the double standards of Raghav with respect to murders and his own personal life, the final scene between Raman and Raghav. Vicky Kaushal holds ground well and is quite good in his portrayal of the angst-ridden Raghav. Sobhita Dhulipala had a limited role due to the needs of the story but is able to do justice to it and Amruta Subhash has a small yet memorable role.
But Nawazuddin takes the cake here, giving his best performance to date. He seamlessly portrays a calm, cold- blooded serial killer, with underlining mental frailties. He can appear to be the weakest person in the entire scene, easy to dismiss him off merely as a psychopath but there is a method to his madness.
Needless to say the music was incredible and added flavor to the movie, making it richer. Acting is quite good and natural overall. For me this is one of Anurag Kashyap's best works to date.
P.S. Good to see some of the members of Wasseypur team returning back in acting department, Murari Kumar (Guddu in Wasseypur and was also seen in Ugly) and Mukesh Chhabra.
The movie begins with a disclaimer that it isn't about the real Raman Raghav but in spirit he is present throughout the movie. Ramanna's (Nawazuddin) past is quite unknown and neither does the movie delve much into it, quite like the real psycho Raman whose early life and incidents were unknown to the world. Again the episode of his abusive relation with his sister is inspired by real Raman Raghav's abuse of his sister.
Ramanna is portrayal of an emotionless serial killer, who goes about his business quite nonchalantly. But there is more to him than that, he has a perception of Raghav (Vicky Kaushal) in his own twisted head and most of his actions in the movie are guided by the same. Raghav is again not your typical angry young cop, he has too many issues of his own and by the end of the movie he is more of a character in black than Raman. He has deep running flaws but chooses to deal with them in his own way.
This movie is obviously not the run-of-the-mill cop hunting serial killer story, rather there is a reversal of role with respect to that. The actual interaction between the two title characters comes towards the end. Yet, the viewer never gets the feeling that the scenes involving the two are not related.
There are quite a few well-etched sequences, the one where Simmy reminds the double standards of Raghav with respect to murders and his own personal life, the final scene between Raman and Raghav. Vicky Kaushal holds ground well and is quite good in his portrayal of the angst-ridden Raghav. Sobhita Dhulipala had a limited role due to the needs of the story but is able to do justice to it and Amruta Subhash has a small yet memorable role.
But Nawazuddin takes the cake here, giving his best performance to date. He seamlessly portrays a calm, cold- blooded serial killer, with underlining mental frailties. He can appear to be the weakest person in the entire scene, easy to dismiss him off merely as a psychopath but there is a method to his madness.
Needless to say the music was incredible and added flavor to the movie, making it richer. Acting is quite good and natural overall. For me this is one of Anurag Kashyap's best works to date.
P.S. Good to see some of the members of Wasseypur team returning back in acting department, Murari Kumar (Guddu in Wasseypur and was also seen in Ugly) and Mukesh Chhabra.
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