Living Movie Analysis: Adaptation of Ikuru is decent

Good film, but the idea of living your life to the fullest until its too late isn’t properly explored.

Directed by: Oliver Hermanus

Imdb link -> Living (2022) - IMDb

“I don't have time to get angry.”

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot Summary of Living: Adaptation of Kurosawa’s Ikuru

Set in the early 1950s and an adaptation of Kurosawa's 'Ikuru', the story is about the people working in the London County Council. Mr. Williams (Bill Nighy) heads up the Public Works department where Middleton (Adrian Rawlins), Margaret Harris (Aimee Lou Wood), Rusbridger (Hubert Burton), Hart (Oliver Chris), and the new recruit Peter Wakeling (Alex Sharp) work under him. One day, Mr. Williams learns that he has been diagnosed with cancer and has a maximum of 9 months left to live. He suddenly realizes what kind of life he has lived all the while and decides to finally enjoy a little.

Through the opening few scenes, we learn, much like Peter Wakeling, what it's like working at LCC where work takes a long time to get done, and the files keep stacking up. It actually reminded me of government places in India, where they do the same: make you go to various departments until you feel tired after finally fulfilling the purpose you came for.

But this is just a small part of the plot. The real story begins when Mr. Williams, who is always punctual to work, starts to suddenly skip coming altogether. He meets a guy, Sutherland (Tom Burke), at a restaurant and decides to tell him about his illness for the first time. From here, we see how Mr. Williams tries to enjoy life doing things the people at his workplace can't imagine he would do, ranging from getting drunk, going to a strip club, singing a beautiful song 'Rowan Tree', buying a new hat, etc. Out of all these adventures, that song scene was the only one that I found moving.

There's this beautiful shot where Mr. Williams is sitting on a couch all alone while his son and daughter-in-law are coming home, having some not-so-good conversation regarding him. The whole family plot of the daughter-in-law not being happy with the in-laws felt a little irritating to watch, almost like I was watching some 'Baghban' or 'Avatar' (Hindi one) suddenly.

Good Performances by Bill Nighy and Aimee Lou Wood

The main problem I felt with the movie was that the proceedings stay too subtle or restrained, especially the lead character of Mr. Williams. Bill Nighy is good in his performance, but it never felt memorable or Oscar nomination-worthy to me. I do totally love the scene when he's recalling his younger days, probably thinking about what he was and what he became at his robotic kind of job life.

Aimee Lou Wood is wonderful, and I love the scene where she gets emotional upon learning that she's the first person from the workplace to know about Mr. Williams' illness and why he decided not to tell his own son too. She brings energy into the movie, no wonder we see Mr. Williams having the desire to live a life feeling alive like she does.

I did enjoy the letter Mr. Williams sends to Peter Wakeling, whom he clearly sees as his own younger self—so enthusiastic and eager. Mr. Williams gives a friendly warning to not end up losing himself in this work field. And the final ending scene with him singing the 'Rowan Tree' song again was a very good choice to finish the story on.

Verdict on Living

Overall, Living is a good film, but the idea of 'living your life to the fullest until it's too late' isn't properly explored. I may give the Kurosawa version a go to see if that works for me or not.

Rating: 6/10

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of The Quiet Girl

The Quiet Girl Movie Analysis: Needed more dramatic moments

Simple movie, but just lacks the essential dramatic moments a movie still requires.

Directed by: Colm Bairead

Imdb link -> The Quiet Girl (2022) - IMDb

“She says as much as she needs to say. May there be many like her.”

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot: About Emotional Abuse and Longing for Parental Love

Set in rural Ireland in the early 1980s, the story follows a 10-year-old quiet girl, Cait (Catherine Clinch), who lives with a dysfunctional family. Her mother, expecting a new child soon, sends Cait to her cousin's, Eibhlin Cinnsealach (Carrie Crowley), far away for the summer. Eibhlin and her husband, Sean Cinnsealach (Andrew Bennett), look after Cait, providing a much more loving family environment. Cait is told that a family should not have any secrets, yet she later discovers a deep hidden secret about Eibhlin and Sean.

Lack of Hard-Hitting Moments a Major Issue in The Quiet Girl

It's a very simple film, which is often enough to enjoy, but here you feel they just didn't try much in the narrative, making it sail through without enough conflicts or hard-hitting moments. Even the hinted secret wasn't as deep as I thought it would be. Sure, it still plays better with the narrative, but there was a chance to go darker, like Cait thinking she got a very good place, but they are actually even worse. This may have made for a tough watch, but at least there would be something more going on. Alternatively, they should have included more conversations between Cait and Eibhlin/Sean, especially after she learns about the secret.

The final scene is heartbreaking and easily the best one of the movie. You feel for Cait because, most likely off-screen, the story would go on with Cait having to live again with her parents, who don't care for her. The lack of care and emotional abuse are in full display every time we see Cait with her parents. It doesn't help that her relationship with her sisters seems non-existent, and the same goes for her school scene, where she is shown to be all alone.

Eibhlin and Sean's sequences are good to watch, playing the kind parents who have no children of their own. We finally see Cait find some happiness in her life, even if it’s meant to be short-lived. If you are observant, you may predict that Sean's initial cold behavior towards Cait might have to do with his own personal loss. The 'taking water out from the well' sequence at the end was frightening to watch. For a moment, I felt maybe Eibhlin and Sean were about to witness another loss. I am happy they didn't go this route at all. It would have been too depressing for my liking.

Final Verdict on The Quiet Girl

Overall, The Quiet Girl is a decent watch. It is slow and a bit too simple. You just wish the childhood depression could have been explored more to make it a more emotional movie.

Rating: 5.5/10

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of The Banshees of Inisherin

Oscars 2023 Predictions: Top Picks and Likely Winners

I watched all nominated Oscar movies except for Avatar: The Way of Water, Tell it Like a Woman, and Babylon (also minus the Documentary and Short Film Categories).

As always, an Oscar-nominated movie means it has to be seen but it never means that it has to be perfect. This year too, it was a mix-bag. Last year the theme of lighthearted movies was visible throughout, and this time I felt the loss/grief or broken friendship/love was seen in majority.

Out of all the nominated Oscar movies I watched, my top picks were Top Gun:Maverick, Aftersun, and Marcel the Shell with Shoes On. I need to have a re-watch of Everything Everywhere All At Once and The Batman to decide if they change my top three or not.

Refer to the nominations list here: Oscars 2023Nominations

Predictions for the Upcoming Oscars 2023

And the Oscar goes to...

Best Picture

Will Win: Everything Everywhere All At Once
Should Win: Top Gun: Maverick

I liked Everything Everywhere All At Once, so quite happy if it wins. Also, I know there's almost a 0.00001% chance for Top Gun: Maverick. While The Banshees of Inisherin, Triangle of Sadness, and Women Talking didn't deserve to be nominated. Infact stupid to think that Aftersun missed out on a nomination against these bunch of average movies.

Best Actor in a Lead Role

Will Win/Should Win: Austin Butler (Elvis)

Austin Butler was too good playing the role of Elvis Presley and thoroughly deserves the Oscar. Brendan Fraser could be a close competitor here. Bill Nighy, I feel, got a nomination because there probably is a lack of available options. While Tom Cruise, I guess they didn't consider as putting own life at risk doing dangerous stunts isn't yet considered to be part of acting.

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Will Win/Should Win: Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

I am never going to forget how much I laughed when Michelle confesses love to Curtis in the movie. It will be a huge disappointment if she doesn't win the Oscar. Both Cate Blanchett and Andrea Riseborough are strong contenders too, but please it has to be Michelle.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Will Win/Should Win: Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

My question is 'What is Supporting?' Is it much lesser screen time in comparison to the lead, or is it where you play a crucial part in the story that helps the lead in achieving something even if it's just one scene in the entire film? The former relates to Ke Huy Quan and the latter to Judd Hirsch. I just can't agree that a character that gets one scene can be part of the supporting role category. Ke Huy Quan should win here, though a part of me would not mind if Barry Keoghan wins. Also, how did Miles Teller not get a nomination!

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Will Win/Should Win: Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

This has to be the toughest to pick category. Almost anyone can win here. Though Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu pose more competition to Angela here.

Best Director

Will Win: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Steven Spielberg is the only other deserving nominee. And Aftersun got robbed here too.

Best Animated Feature Film

Will Win: Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio
Should Win: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On

I enjoyed both, but Marcel was a lot better for me. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish has no chance. Turning Red and The Sea Beast are lucky to get nominations.

Best International Feature Film

Will Win: All Quiet on the Western Front
Should Win: Argentina, 1985

One of the categories where none of the films blew me away.

Best Music (Original Score)

Will Win/Should Win: Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet on the Western Front)

I am divided here between All Quiet on the Western Front and The Banshees of Inisherin, though frankly none of their scores I would listen to in future.

Best Music (Original Song)

Will Win: Naatu Naatu (RRR)
Should Win: Hold My Hand (Top Gun: Maverick)

'Applause', 'Lift me Up' and 'This is a Life' all have very good lyrics but none of them I can hear on repeat mode. My fav song from Top Gun was 'I ain't worried' but that I guess doesn't qualify as an Original Song. While my fav song from RRR was 'Dosti' track. So, between Naatu Naatu and Hold My Hand, I would go with the latter. Naatu Naatu is really a video song that gets your adrenaline pumping watching the mad dance moves and of course the dance-off that takes place. Audio-wise, Hold my Hand is far superior.

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Will Win: All Quiet on the Western Front
Should Win: Top Gun: Maverick

Of course, Top Gun: Maverick isn't winning.. and I certainly would prefer All Quiet on the Western Front to win rather than Women Talking.

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

Will Win/Should Win: Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Pretty straightforward here, it's something to make the multiverse explored like it should be (something Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness couldn't).

Best Editing

Will Win/Should Win: Paul Rogers (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

It must have been a challenge and also so much fun to edit this movie I feel. Also, I find it funny to see Elvis get a nomination here.

Best Sound

Will Win/Should Win: Top Gun: Maverick

Finally a category where Top Gun: Maverick is favorite to win. I won't mind if Elvis wins too.

Best Cinematography

Will Win/Should Win: James Friend (All Quiet on the Western Front)

Looks like there should be no other competition here. To be honest, it was the best thing about the movie for me.

Best Production Design

Will Win: Babylon
Should Win: Elvis

Not seen the movie, but the trailer that I saw suggested rich detailed production design. Otherwise, Elvis has my vote.

Best Costume Design

Will Win/Should Win: Catherine Martin (Elvis)

This is very straightforward. In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, I liked only the funeral costumes.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Will Win/Should Win: Elvis

A part of me is hoping The Batman wins here.

Best Visual Effects

Will Win/Should Win: Avatar: The Way of Water

Another movie that I haven't seen but the trailer is enough to suggest that it should be a front-runner to get the Oscar here.

The Banshees of Inisherin Movie Analysis: Good till 1st half

A dark comedy that works exceptionally well for first half of the movie, before a narrative shift derails the movie completely.

Directed by: Martin McDonagh

Imdb link -> The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) - IMDb

“You used to be nice. Or did you never used to be ? Oh, God. Maybe you never used to be.”

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Spoilers ahead...

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A Bizarre and Unique Dark Comedy about Friendship

Set in the early 1920s with the backdrop of the Civil War on an isolated Irish island, The Banshees of Inisherin follows Padraic Suilleabhain (Colin Farrell), who learns that his closest friend, Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson), no longer wants to talk to him. Colm wishes to spend the remaining years of his life creating music that will be remembered forever and feels Padraic is too dull to be friends with.

It’s a super interesting premise—just imagine you’ve been best friends with someone for years, and suddenly, they tell you that you’re dull and not an interesting person to hang out with. Just hearing that would tear you apart, especially after being so emotionally invested in this person.

The first half of the movie explores this thought with dark comedy, accompanied by a lovely, folkish score. Padraic is taken aback by Colm’s sudden decision, and he’s not someone who would accept it easily. We see Padraic trying all his ways to revive the friendship, including a funny scene where he checks the calendar to see if it’s April 1st, hoping Colm is playing a prank. Of course, to his disappointment, Colm is serious.

Shift in The Banshees of Inisherin’s Narrative

The sudden change in tone is where the film loses its mark for me and totally goes downhill. Colm actually chopping off his fingers to prove to Padraic how serious he is about ending their friendship was absurd and made no sense to me. The absurdity only increases as he chops all his fingers off. For someone who wants to be remembered as a musician, why would he do that and make it difficult to manage playing music on his own?

Had the movie continued with the tussle between Padraic trying to get Colm to talk and Colm pushing him away, it would have worked—even if it became a bit repetitive. But the route they took completely took my interest away.

I understand that the main theme is loneliness during wartime, using war as a metaphor for the escalating conflict between Padraic and Colm. The film portrays how war affects everyone and brings nothing good, even those not directly involved, like Dominic Kearney (an excellent Barry Keoghan), the son of an abusive policeman, who used to like the ‘nice’ Padraic but can’t stand the new ‘bitter’ Padraic. The same goes for Padraic’s sister, Siobhan Suilleabhain (Kerry Condon), who feels trapped in the war between Padraic and Colm, leading her to leave and take up a job offer, possibly never returning.

The Gore Horror Route of the Second Half

The gory horror route the second half takes may work for others, but I just couldn’t stand it. I’m okay with the ending, though—it’s understandable that the war ends with nothing resolved, with both characters just destroying each other for no good reason. I didn’t mind that we are never told the reasons behind Colm’s behavior, though there are hints of depression whenever he speaks to the priest.
Besides Barry Keoghan, Colin Farrell’s performance was the standout for me, with Kerry Condon also delivering a strong supporting act.

Verdict on The Banshees of Inisherin

Overall, The Banshees of Inisherin is one of those films I thought I would love midway through, with many hilarious moments, but after that, there was just nothing to like due to the way the story is told.

Rating: 5/10

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of All Quiet on the Western Front

All Quiet on the Western Front Analysis: Brutal War Drama

A well-made movie that would resonate more with the people who are pro-war all the time.

Directed by: Edward Berger

Imdb link -> All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) - IMDb

“When you're starving, you'll do anything.”

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot of All Quiet on the Western Front: War's Impact on Young Minds

Adapted from Erich Maria Remarque's novel published in 1929, the story follows German soldier Paul Baumer (Felix Kammerer) and his friends—Albert Kropp (Aaron Hilmer), Franz Muller (Moritz Klaus), and Ludwig Behm (Adrian Grunewald)—all of whom volunteer for World War I. They are later joined by the experienced Stanislaus Katczinsky (Albrecht Schuch), who helps them survive time and again.

A sub-plot follows Matthias Erzberger (Daniel Brühl) as he attempts to negotiate an armistice with French General Ferdinand Foch (Thibault de Montalembert), contrasting with the German General Friedrichs (Devid Striesow), who demands one final strike before the ceasefire at 11 a.m.

This War Drama Film Explores: Does War Benefit Anyone?

I haven’t seen many war movies because I generally don't enjoy them. Dunkirk and HacksawRidge come to mind as exceptions. I don't believe in war, which results in the deaths of countless innocent lives and leaves soldiers shattered, even if they return alive. The film portrays this war trauma when Kat tells Paul he would rather stay in the warzone than return to his wife and live a normal life.

This movie is a brutal and relentless depiction of war's reality, seen through Paul's eyes. Like many others, he initially volunteers to show his patriotism, only to quickly realize the suffering that awaits him and his comrades. The violence and the 2-hour 28-minute runtime made me feel suffocated at times.

How true the movie is, I can't say, as I haven’t read the novel or seen the 1930 version. Additionally, I know little about World War I, having been an inattentive student during history lessons.

War Lovers May Not Enjoy All Quiet on the Western Front

I believe this film won’t appeal to those who quickly shout "We should go to war" over minor issues (a sentiment often echoed by news channels). The movie showcases the bravery of soldiers, but also their fear and vulnerability, not knowing when death will come. There's a scene where a young soldier, terrified, just wants to return to his normal life, but it’s too late.

Not for the Fainthearted: Tough Scenes in This War Drama

There are standout scenes, some extremely hard to watch. One example is when Paul is stuck in a bomb crater with a French soldier. After initially killing him to save himself, Paul tries in vain to save the soldier. Other intense moments include a tank crushing a soldier, flamethrowers incinerating soldiers, and scenes of men running from airplane bombs.

I was moved by Kat and Paul’s deaths, particularly because they occurred so late in the film. They seemed so unlucky—Kat’s decision to raid a farm for a goose after the war had ended cost him his life, and Paul was only 15 minutes away from survival when he died.

I certainly felt there was need of character developments, so that we felt more sympathy for the many deaths that happens. Maybe the time constrain was the issue. I did like the use of drums at some places in the sound editing. 

Final Verdict: All Quiet on the Western Front

Overall, All Quiet on the Western Front will resonate with those who enjoy violent war films. While I didn’t love it, I acknowledge it as a well-made movie.

Rating: 6/10

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of Women Talking

Women Talking Movie Analysis: Boring and Disappointing

A well-intentioned movie with a great starcast let-down terribly by its execution.

Directed by: Sarah Polley

Imdb link -> Women Talking (2022) - IMDb

“How would you feel if in your entire life it never mattered what you thought ?”

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot of Women Talking: A Debate Over Male Wrongdoings

Women Talking is an adaptation of Miriam Toews’ novel, based on a true story that revolves around an isolated Mennonite religious community. In this community, generations of women, from preteens to elders (even those over 60), have endured various abuses—assault, beating, domestic violence, rape, and incest. Eventually, they decide that enough is enough and cast votes on three options: 'Do Nothing,' 'Stay and Fight,' or 'Leave.' When a tie occurs between the latter two options, two families come together for a debate to discuss both possibilities.

August (Ben Whishaw), a man whom the women trust, arrives at the village hayloft to supervise the meeting and take minutes (notes). As the debate progresses, the pros and cons of 'Stay and Fight' and 'Leave' are meticulously noted.

The two debating families include Agata (Judith Ivey) and her daughters Ona (Rooney Mara) and Salome (Claire Foy); and Greta (Sheila McCarthy) with her daughters Mariche (Jessie Buckley) and Mejal (Michelle McLeod). Teenage daughters, present mostly to inject humor, occasionally comment on the proceedings, breaking the tension by saying, “This is so boring.” This may have been the director's nod to a section of the audience feeling similarly. Unfortunately, I shared that sentiment.

The Women Empowerment in the Movie 

True to its title, the film is dominated by dialogue among women. In several scenes, when August tries to contribute more, he is shut down and told that he is there only to listen, not to give his opinions. While I don’t mind a dialogue-heavy narrative, the debate itself felt staged and inauthentic. The film attempts to break tension with unwelcome cuts to children or moments of comedy among the elders, such as a scene where a character says, “Looks like I am dying,” when it’s merely her spectacles getting dusty.

At the start of the film, there’s a note stating, “What follows is an act of female imagination,” which makes me wonder if the conclusion of the debate and the subsequent actions were fictional. It was hard to believe that so many women could leave without their men—who had been abusing them—not noticing or stopping them. Additionally, it was difficult to imagine how a transgender individual could have survived in such a hostile environment.

Women Talking Has a Strong Start but Loses Momentum

The first 10-15 minutes of Women Talking are engaging, offering glimpses of a world where only boys receive education, along with flashes of the women’s suffering and an intriguing voting process. Even during the debate, a few lines resonate, especially the one about forgiveness—“Forgiving someone can also mean giving them permission to do the bad thing again.” Ona’s private conversation with August, where she painfully asks, “Why does love have to be violent?” is another standout moment. Some of the music tracks used to break the tension are also well-placed.

Verdict on Women Talking—A Missed Opportunity

Women Talking just didn’t work for me. Most of the debate came across as pretentious or preachy, rather than an authentic, constructive dialogue. Despite its well-intentioned message and strong cast, the execution falls short.

Rating: 4/10

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of EO

EO Movie Analysis: Tough watching a miserable donkey's life

A bit of a sadistic take on the life of a donkey. For most of the part didn’t work.

Directed by: Jerzy Skolimowski

Imdb link -> EO (2022) - IMDb

“Did I just save you, or have I stolen you?” 

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Spoilers ahead...

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Plot of EO: A donkey’s life journey

'EO' tells the story of a donkey, EO, who embarks on a journey where he encounters a variety of people, some kind and others cruel. The narrative is presented from EO's perspective, and the absence of dialogue for EO is presumably intended to enhance the film’s realism. However, this approach doesn’t fully succeed. There are moments where EO expressing his thoughts, perhaps with a touch of sarcasm or humor, would have been welcome.

Unbalanced Depiction of Animal Abuse

It’s challenging to enjoy a film that doesn’t balance its portrayal of violence. Watching the film felt akin to viewing a movie about the mistreatment of slaves—here, EO meets only two kind individuals, while the rest are abusive or indifferent. I had trouble watching the scene where he is badly beaten by a group of men who believe he was the reason they lost a football match. I am not saying these people don't exist; in fact, it shows the harsh reality of the humans who actually do behave like this not just to a donkey but to other animals too.

This reminds me of 'A Dog’s Journey', which also explored the lives of animals through interactions with different owners. That film struck a balance, showing both the good and bad aspects of an animal’s life depending on the kind of human company it had. Most importantly, it was fun and at times heartbreaking, and we knew all the while what the dog was feeling with his voiceover.

Isabelle Huppert in a Completely Wasted Special Appearance

The film could have been more engaging had there been at least one interesting human character. Isabelle Huppert’s special appearance feels completely wasted and irrelevant to the plot. However, the actor portraying her stepson brings some much-needed humor.

The movie briefly touches on themes of animal rights and class division. We witness a circus being banned for exploiting animals, only for the freed animals to be sent elsewhere for further exploitation by the wealthy. At a stable, EO receives markedly different treatment compared to a well-cared-for horse.

What's worth applauding here is the sound design and the visuals that get your attention all the while. If only there was more depth to the storytelling, it would have worked better. Even the final ending message I felt should have been given right at the start... and well, the violent ending just summarizes the whole movie.

Verdict on EO

Overall, 'EO' would work only if you are okay with watching the life of a donkey being totally miserable and full of pain, with good moments lasting for a very short while. I certainly wasn't.

Rating: 4/10

Also, Check out Movie Analysis of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever