Spoilers ahead...
Parallel Mothers
Directed by : Pedro Almodovar
You have overcomplicated things.
Two mothers, Janis (Penelope Cruz) and Ana (Milena Smit) meet at a hospital where they share the room and about to give birth. Both are single, Janis is happy about it while Ana isn't. The background story of Janis wanting to excavate the mass grave related to her great-grandfather in the early years of Civil war is something I rather would had liked the main story on. Instead we get only starting and ending of film on it, while rest is how 2 parallel mothers cope with their newborns while the father and basically any other family help is absent. The coming closer to a relationship together angle specially didn't feel natural to me despite Penelope and Milena delivering very good performances. The screenplay and writing just doesn't keep you hooked to it. Decent one time watch.
My Rating : 5/10
King Richard
Directed by : Reinaldo Marcus Green
The most strongest, the most powerful, the most dangerous creature on this whole earth is a woman who knows how to think. Ain't nothing she can't do.
A biopic on Richard Williams (Will Smith), father of young Serena Williams (Demi Singleton) and Venus Williams (Saniyya Sidney). The story is based on the William sisters preteen journey to the 14 year old Venus playing her 1st Pro tournament as their father Richard coaches them with all the support always from their mother Oracene Brandy Williams (Aunjanue Ellis).
What makes this a very good watch is how the focus is always on Richard and his plans, which he feels he got before the birth of Serena-Venus knowing they will scale the stardom and get the legends tag one day. He is not a easy character to like at many places, very stubborn to the extent he gets called by one coach as someone more stubborn than John McEnroe. And thats a reason why I enjoy those outbursts scenes of Oracene, one where she isn't happy that Richard takes decisions about their daughters without involving her, and other when she lets Richard realize he is going overboard being a protective father and not letting Venus decide things. That Cindrella movie scene was hilarious and so was the way Richard interrupts McEnroe-Sampras match just so he could show how good his daughters can hit tennis balls and deserve a coach to go to the next level. The tennis scenes are well shot, and the drama is created nicely through the cuts to the crowd, Richard or others.
I also learnt that the toilet break misuse happened then too, the way Vicario took away the momentum from a match Venus was winning. Will Smith delivers a smashing (not referring to his Oscars slap) performance, even if too stubborn or not likeable at some moments, you just could feel he is a father trying to get the best for his daughters knowing its not easy for their gender, color and how cruel the world can be. Totally enjoy his mannerisms, the walks, habit of not looking at live match but just using sound of balls to know who won the point (God that is so me or many other tennis fans who do it unable to bear the tension of watching someone you love lose). Also, love his scene with Serena telling it was part of his plan to keep her in the shadow of Venus. And Aunjanue Ellis is also excellent in her support act, love her reply to the neighbour who tries to interfere un-necessarily with Williams family, or how she helps Serena get the ball toss right. Even the casting of William Sisters or the other players, coaches felt very good to me. Its good to see they used all the real names and not funny madeup ones, something our biopics need to look at (I am pointing finger at Saina biopic here).
In the end, King Richard is a very good movie with great performances, and I say that for someone who isn't a fan of William Sisters (specially Serena) at all. And I love the end, didn't try to show Venus with a win.. rather a loss and learn how she still gained fans for the way she played. You can ofcourse use the text lines telling how many achievements they both had, for the people who don't follow tennis.
My Rating : 7.5/10
House of Gucci
Directed by : Ridley Scott
Can you keep a secret ?
Father, Son and House of Gucci.
Inspired from true events, a crime-drama about the Italian fashion Gucci family. Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) who is an outsider falls in love with Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) leading to Maurizio's father Rodolfo Gucci (Jeremy Irons) to disown him citing Patrizia is after their money. However, Maurizio's uncle, Aldo Gucci (Al Pacino) brings him back into the family business as the story follows what happens next.
The first thing you would notice when you start watching (if not seen the trailer) the movie would be the accent, takes a while to adjust to it. As much as I loved Lady Gaga's performance who is a delight to watch in this role, her accent on many occasions was distracting, maybe a reason why she didn't get an Oscar nomination. The film tries to show too much in limited time, leading to many rushed plots including an ending on the murder that just happens and movie ends. Maybe a 8-9 episode series would had served the story better purpose along with ofcourse actors without an accent bothering all the time.
Its quite clear to me that Patrizia had her eyes on the money, tough to make out if she also loved Maurizio at same time or not, did seem the money drived her lot more. Adam Driver in restrained performance is good as always, Al Pacino is wonderful whose accent looked spot on, so is Jeremy Irons whose only scene with son of Aldo, Paolo Gucci (Jared Leto) is hilarious. Unfortunately, an unrecognisable Jared Leto with his makeup doesn't transform into a great performance, rather felt he was over-exaggerating the character making it little boring. In the end, House of Gucci is watchable, but it misses its mark for all the mentioned reasons.
My Rating : 5/10
The Lost Daughter
Directed by : Maggie Gyllenhaal
I am an unnatural mother.
Leda (Olivia Colman) who is a middle-aged English professor arrives at a beach resort in Greece for a holiday all alone. She very soon gets obsessed with a family involving a young mother Nina (Dakota Johnson), her husband Toni (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and their daughter. The reason is that Leda is taken to a memory lane of her unsettling past when she herself was a young mother and how unusual she used to act then. Leda has no idea how this holiday will turn out to be very haunting one for her.
The key for a film that involves a character's current timeline and flashback timeline running together is to make you like both of them almost equally which is where Lost Daughter faulters for me. I got so engaged and interested in the young Leda (Jessie Buckley) version while whenever Olivia's version would come, I would only be wanting those scenes to end quickly. Jessie Buckley is fantastic in portraying a character that's tough to imagine, a mom who wants her own life even at expense of not being what you would expectedly call 'A Responsible Mom'. Its a very thin line, some might still complain and say she had no right to be wanting those desires because being a mother makes you have your children as first priority. I like how that concept and many more is explored but when it came to Olivia Colman who is another brilliant performer, I felt she got stuck with the thoughts of past and there's too much of her walking through beach or observing others scenes or her obsession with Nina daughter's doll that kept on dragging rather than serving any purpose. In short, I wasn't able to connect both Leda which should had happened here. Its just the Jessie Buckley's act that worked for me and a good supporting act by Dakota Johnson in otherwise a very underwhelming movie.
My Rating : 6/10
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Directed by : Joel Coen
Stars, hide your fires. Let not light see my black and deep desires.
Story is known to everyone. The only Macbeth adaptation I have seen before is 'Maqbool'. The Tragedy of Macbeth has Denzel Washington (as Macbeth) and Frances McDormand (as Lady Macbeth) comprising the main roles, both delivering lovely performances. My favourite however was the Kathryn Hunter (as the Witches). The movie gives a festival oriented feels to me, all the treatment with the camera, cinematography, or the black and white setting. The Shakespearean language used directly is another reason why the movie fails to work for me. Just a personal taste, the same story told in different way with same actors would appeal better for me.
My Rating : 3/10
Nightmare Alley
Directed by : Guillermo del Toro
When a man believes his own lies, starts believing that he has the power, he's got shuteye.
A mysterious burning down of house opens out the film as Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) comes across a travelling carnival where he accepts a job of carny offered to him. He slowly learns and examines various acts and gets attracted towards one of the performer Molly Cahill (Rooney Mara). Stanton offers her a proposal of 2 act show away from the carnival for a better future.
One of those films where the supporting cast outdo the leads by a long way. Willem Dafoe (as Clem Hoatley) is wonderful as a guy who exploits needy guys in places like nightmare alleys to become a future geek (alive human but acting like a beast sort). The whole story where Clem tells Stanton how he lures them into it makes you wonder if at all Stanton would have this fate too one day, the answer you get in the final epic scene. There's the brilliant Toni Collette (as Zeena) who warns Stanton with her tarot cards about the wrong dangerous road he is taking which he doesn't listen to. Cate Blanchett (as Dr. Lilith Ritter) provides that mysterious element not knowing what her intentions are, and ofcourse seductive as always in her ways. Richard Jenkins (as Ezra Grindle) despite having a small cameo and a role of somewhat bad person still infuses so much emotions into it. David Strathairn (As Pete), the alcoholic husband of Zeena delivers the best performance of the movie again a character having small screen time, and the one whose act Stanton is most keen to learn or steal. Rooney Mara and Bradley Cooper are the ones that disappoint, most of 2nd and final act involve them, specially Bradley felt like going through the motions in a character that I felt required more emotions than be little too quiet to my liking, the greed and angle of playing almost a God didn't come through. He does get the final scene pretty right but not enough to save from the rest of the performance. Also, I can't forget that gross scene involving a geek eating an alive chicken. Aneways, Nightmare Alley works in patches, mostly due to very good supporting acts.
My Rating : 5.5/10
Belfast
Directed by : Kenneth Branagh
Be good. And if you can't be good, Be careful!
Set in Belfast of late 1960s, a working class family consists of a 9 year old Buddy (Jude Hill) living with his elder brother Will (Lewis McAskie), father Pa (Jamie Dornan) and mother Ma (Caitriona Balfe). The backdrop is of the rising tension between Catholics and Protestants leading to the dilemna of how long can Buddy and his family stay in this environment. The violence is limited to the opening riots scene and the climax one. Told through the pov of Buddy, we rather get to see his adventures and desires while living in a place with military around and curfew imposed. Jude Hill will keep a smile on your face all the time, whether its his attempts to impress Catherine (Olive Tennant), the girl from school he wanna marry one day, or the things he steals when forced to rob at stores by his cousin, or the conversations he has with Granny (Judi Dench) and Grandpa (Ciaran Hinds). Both Judi Dench (that fantastic final heartbreaking scene) and Ciaran Hinds (love the maths cheating suggestion he gives along with many other advices) are a delight to watch. The soundtrack is another good highlight of the movie. Caitriona Balfe does get some scenes to shine through too specially where she insists not to change home having all attachments in here. I am happy they keep the arguements of Jamie and Caitriona to a limit, its the part of story that I didn't enjoy much. If you are looking for a hardhitting movie then probably this won't work, I actually prefer this treatment, that gives you an overview of history but rather keeps the proceedings light.
My Rating : 7.5/10
Dune
Directed by : Denis Villeneuve
I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings obliteration. I will face my fear and I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past... I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.
Based on Frank Herbert's famous sci-fi novel of 1965, the story is about planet Arrakis (a place for spice growth) whose control has been given to House Atreides by the Emperor while their powerful rival House Harkonnen has been asked to leave to their home planet. Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) arrives on Arrakis along with his wife Lady Jessica Atreides (Rebecca Ferguson), son Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and his army. The things aren't as simple as it looks, with a betrayal on cards and Paul still struggling to come to terms with all the dreams he has and him being considered as 'The One'.
To be honest I was expecting this to be a very boring movie, firstly because of the trailer that worked only for the visuals and secondly because I totally felt bored in Denis last movie too 'Blade Runner 2049'. So it comes off as a major surprise that I liked the movie and even loved it at some places. Everything together from the cast to the Hans Zimmer music (not among his best though), gorgeous visuals contribute to it, specially the narration I felt was very engaging and didn't really felt slow. Having not read the book or seen previous films on this also helped with no expectations.
Rebecca with another strong performance and Timothee for most parts doing well, just his physique for action sequences felt little odd to me which may come more in 2nd part. I love the scene where he is being tested if he really should be 'The One', or the plane scene where he tries to use his powers for first time knowing he hasn't mastered them yet but its a chance required to be taken. Enjoyed the way Arrakis planet is shown and the dangerous sandworms that requires you to walk in a certain dance manner (felt comical watching it) so they don't detect you. I actually liked Jason Momoa (playing Duncan Idaho) more in this movie than I did in Aquaman (Sorry to his fans). Josh Brolin (playing Gurney Halleck) I think will get more to do in next part if I am correct he is alive, can't recall his death scene shown.
Dune works as a adventurous film mostly for me, those helicopters shapes or the sandstorms that may bring sandworms along and also how slowly Paul is learning his role in all this and ofcourse the brilliant visuals. The mystery angle of Chani (Zendaya) is also nicely mixed around the narration, again she will have lot more to do in next part. Stellan Skarsgard (playing Baron Vladimir Harkonnen) gives a haunting effect in the fewer scenes he is in, specially the scene where he is almost floating to other side or the one where he is recovering from the attack he suffered. Definately little low when it comes to emotions, which is kind of expected given how much material movie is trying to show-off, yet I felt satisfied for large portions of the movie. The end scene does remind you of Baahubali a lot (couldn't help myself using the reference). In the end, Dune will work only if while watching you feel being part of this adventure, otherwise you may struggle finishing the movie.
My Rating : 7/10
