VADA CHENNAI (TAMIL) (2018)

Director Vetrimaaran's Vada Chennai (literally - North Madras) is the first part of an ambitious trilogy of epic proportions wherein he intends to present a story, spanning roughly 3-4 decades, of a locale and its people, that - quite literally as well as figuratively - dwell on the edge of a big city .

If I have to describe the movie in a single word.. it would be - DENSE. 

The director, over multiple interviews, had said that there was so much material in the plot that it could not be contained in a single movie and deserved a trilogy. He had even said that his earlier movie Pollaadhavan was just an episode spun off from this plot while the national award winning Aadukalam was also largely cut from the character universe of this very plot.

Nevertheless, even for an episode of a trilogy, this is a plot that is already dense with characters that could easily inhabit a voluminous classical literary work. And..  almost every one of these characters are dense with their own motivations that drive them and set the plot in motion .. motivations - that are quite obvious and often, the not so obvious.

Dense with a capable cast that includes Dhanush, Samuthirakani, Kishore, Aishwarya Rajesh, Andrea, Ameer, Daniel Balaji, Radha Ravi and many more - acing their individual substantive parts to bring these characters alive. 

Dense with context in terms of historical events and political undercurrents happening at the macro scale that crash on these troubled shores like nasty tides that rise and fall, chiseling away at the contours of the shore as well as the lives of its inhabitants at the micro level.

Dense with crime that is commonplace and soaked in blood..

Dense with emotions of every kind - love, hatred, rivalry, rage, revenge, pathos, brotherhood, betrayals, black humour and much more ..

Dialogues that are dense with the choicest profanities which are delivered without any gender bias (liberation, indeed)

Every frame oozes excellence in technical competence from every department - background score, production design, cinematography, costumes, editing - that are pressed at the service of the plot without in anyway attempting to be a stand-out seeking attention to oneself.

When all of this and some more is condensed into a movie that runs a tad less than three hours, it feels like an appetiser which, despite being a wholesome meal in itself, whets your appetite for what is to follow. I left the viewing with a heart dense with satisfaction and expectation for the next part which cannot arrive a day too late. 

Overall, kudos to ace auteur Vetrimaaran, Dhanush and their team for a movie that is dense with ambitions of an epic which it delivers. 

AN EXCELLENT WATCH !!

RATING - 4/5

BADHAAI HO (HINDI) (2018)

What happens when a middle class boy of marriageable age finds that his parents are expecting a baby..? The movie chronicles the ordeals of Kaushiks - a twenty something Nakul (Ayshmann Khurrana) working in a private company, his school going brother Gullar who find it hard to face their friends, taking cheap pleasure at their discomfiture even as their parents - Jeetendra aka Jeetu (Gajraj Rao) and Priyamvada aka Babli (Neena Gupta) - at the centre of this pickle, brace to face their sons, and their dreaded dadi (Surekha Sikri) as well as the sundry near and dears who jump to judge them with righteous contempt. 

The casting choices are apt to say the least. Neena Gupta is a picture of grace with her winning screen presence and is excellent as Priyamvada. She effortlessly wins our heart as a loving mother and wife, a caring daughter in law and shines through the gamut of emotions without breaking a sweat and is capable of conveying with just a silent gaze or glare. It is indeed a travesty of Bollywood that we do not see more of her in our movies. Gajraj Rao shares a natural chemistry with Neena Gupta and is in fine form as the romantic husband, closet poet and a father who is finding it hard to explain a sticky situation to his children and mom. Surekha Sikri is a hoot as the feisty grandma and cracks you up in several sequences.  Ayushmann Khurrana brings out the multiple shades of his character Nakul - be it romance, anger, confusion, embarrassment, vulnerability - in a remarkable performance. Sanya Malhotra and Sheeba Chaddha try their best in parts that are comparatively underwritten and appear tacky in comparison to the main characters.

This is a neat comedy drama that keeps a fine balance on a subject that could easily have slipped into a slippery mess of being too crass or a caricature or worse, a sappy melodrama. But, debutante director Amit Ravindernath Sharma and his team of writers steer this film skillfully - for the most part - with sprightly humour and some sentiments that tug at your heart. His fine sense of balance is also evident in the narrative which provides optimal scope of every member of the cast, (especially Neena Gupta and Gajraj Rao who are the parents) - just as every member of a family come together to make it work. 

Overall, it is a quirky yet rooted comedy drama with a crisp runtime of little over two hours (could've been a tad shorter though) elevated by superlative performances by Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao, Surekha Sikri and some fine writing.

AN ENJOYABLE WATCH !!

RATING - 3/5

ANDHADHUN (HINDI) (2018)

A blind pianist seeking artistic excellence.. 

A yesteryear film hero who could never make it big it then or now.. 

His much younger, beautiful wife who is happy with the wealthy lifestyle he provides, but, not entirely satisfied.. 

Her secret paramour who happens to be a cop ..

Into this mix, throw in a murder by accident, a planned murder made to look like an accident, a doctor who runs a dirty clinic harvesting organs from unsuspecting victims and a few more greedy characters who seek to profit from the opportunities that fate presents them .. 

Voila..

We have the perfect recipe for a classic thriller and in the hands of a master auteur like director Sriram Raghavan (Ek Hasina Thi, Johnny Gaddaar, Badlapur, etc.)  all these disparate pieces come together like a jigsaw puzzle coming into coherence - piece by carefully, assembled piece. Raghavan proves his mastery through a meticulously crafted narrative that is equal parts enchanting and ensnaring as it unfolds in one delicious twist after another which dangle us on tenterhooks. We are constantly surprised as the director and his talented team of co-writers play multiple tricks with our expectations as repeatedly, they make us believe in something only to pull the rug from under our feet in one swift motion.

True to its title, the movie plays like a blind symphony that enthralls with its sweep through a roller-coaster ride. Even the spurts of violence have a natural flow to them which appears lifelike without being overly dramatic, yet never failing to deliver the intended impact. 

Tabu is on top of her game and is having a ball as the volatile and chameleonic Simi while Ayushmann Khurrana hits all the right notes - in more ways than one - be it, deception or desperation - as Akash. He seems to have an enviable penchant to pick the right projects (Vicky Donor, Dum Lagaake Haisha, Bareilly ki Barfi, Shubh Mangal Saavdhaan and even the recent Badhaai Ho) that suit his strengths and which do well commercially, despite breaking some new ground from the much trodden path of regular commercial fare churned out by Bollywood. The rest of the supporting cast including Radhika Apte in a minor cameo, Anil Dhawan, Manav Vij, Ashwini Kalsekar and others including a pet cat have a purposeful presence and complement the leads effectively to bring the plot together. 

Overall, this is an engrossing thriller that keeps you guessing and second guessing and entertains with dollops of dark humour even as it explores the dark side of almost every character that walks through its plot.

This is, by far, the best movie of the year and the entire team deserve kudos for their efforts.

A TOUR DE FORCE ! A MUST WATCH !! 

RATING - 4.5/5

96 (TAMIL) (2018)

While we are still some weeks away from biting chills of the winter, in '96, debutante director C Prem Kumar and his team present a movie experience that comes closest to a warm blanket of nostalgia that we could snuggle into on a cold winter morning. This is a slice of life of Ram & Janu (Vijay Sethupathi & Trisha) - two school-time sweethearts, separated early in a twist of fate, meeting after two decades in a brief, yet beautiful encounter. 

The movie takes us on a memorable journey along with its leads - Ram & Janu - traversing twin timelines of their school life two decades ago and their present day when they meet through a school reunion. The movie hooks us in early and makes us relive the school days which we may or may not have had, but could definitely relate to - making us willingly surrender to those mushy memories. The narrative seamlessly oscillates between the past and the present day events spanning over a night where we are invisible and non-intrusive guests in the personal space of these two diehard romantics.

Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha share a crackling chemistry and ace their parts with superlative performances. Vijay Sethupathi steps out of his template nonchalance to sink into the role of Ram and underplays brilliantly to bring a rare depth in his brooding silences and tentativeness that feels real. Trisha, who is closing on almost two decades of stardom, brings all that experience to good use here in the role of Janu as she lights up the screen with resplendence in every frame. She owns the role of Janu in a performance that is perhaps her best after Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaayaa, being naturally confident, composed and provides a perfect foil for Ram who transforms into a nervous wreck near her. 

While Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha appear as natural choices for the leads, the casting team deserve kudos for making apt choices for almost every character of the supporting cast. Aadithya Baaskar and Gouri G Kishan as younger versions of Ram and Janu are perfect in their expressions -  as are the casting choices of their childhood friends as well as for crisp cameos by Devadarshini, NKPK Bagavathiperumal, Aadukalam Murugadoss and a surprising choice in a very effective Janakaraj.


Music from Govind Menon (aka Govind Vasantha) adds a richer soothing dimension that permeates the movie like the warmth of a sun on winter day. Every song of the album is an enchanting ear worm and a winner in its own way. The mellifluous melodies are accentuated by thoughtful lyrics (Karthik Netha and Uma Devi) which add a richer texture to the proceedings on screen. The background score makes use of silences and soulful interludes to add nuance to the narrative.

The movie also benefits from the exquisite cinematography by N. Shanmugasundaram who knows the art of composing picture perfect frames like a painting which is pregnant with meaning. Every frame from the very first which introduces Vijay Sethupathi as a traveling photographer to the dull urbanscapes or even indoors like a corridor of nondescript hotel is captured with care as well as clarity of purpose. 

C Prem Kumar making his debut as writer and director, after cranking the camera for some movies like NKPK, Pasanga and Sundarapandian, has made a steady and firm-footed start. His command over his craft is manifest in the way he marshals the multiple resources at his disposal - the leads, supporting cast, music, cinematography, editing - just like a master chef would concoct a delicious offering from the finest of ingredients with due care in preparation as well as presentation, especially with all his heart.


He has a deft touch to his narrative that is at once sensitive, subtle and searing without ever becoming melodramatic. His impeccable eye for detail, gentle waft of humour in good measure especially in tricky situations which is reflected in almost every aspect of the movie beginning with the imagery of the title which is an impressive collage of multiple elements that remind us of the period, to the casting of Janakaraj and many more seemingly minor aspects. Look at the way the portions where the  budding romance of school days are handled with minimal conversation between Ram and Janu. While there may not be many spoken words, the stolen glances and  expectant expressions adorned with the beautiful score and the silences convey volumes. Equally notable are the choice of Ilayaraja's songs with pertinent lyrics which are carefully chosen to suit the occasion besides just conveying Janu's liking for singer S Janaki's songs. He acquits himself as another talent to watch out for after the recent debutante effort from Mari Selvaraj (Pariyerum Perumal). 

Overall, the movie has the feel of a poignant poetry penned in the medium of moving frames rendered on the silver screen - a poem that would linger on in the memory for a long time. 

A MUS(H)T WATCH !!

RATING - 4/5

PARIYERUM PERUMAL (TAMIL) (2018)

Message movies are dime a dozen and they regularly run the risk of being skewed towards the former to such an extent that they superimpose and even drown out the latter. In the hands of inept amateurs or even overly zealous veterans in an evangelist mode, they tend to become preachy at best and quite often, end up cringe-worthy. Consequently, message movie could well be called an oxymoron.

Seen in this light, debutante director Mari Selvaraj's maiden effort comes as a whiff of fresh breeze and is, indeed, an extraordinary achievement. This slice of life drama, set in southern Tamil Nadu, is the story of the protagonist - Pariyerum Perumal (Kadhir) - a poor law college student from the oppressed caste trying to find his place under the sun as an equal. And  . . it is through the prism of his life story, the director surveys the spectrum of class as well as caste divides and many more minor, yet finer nuances.

Mari holds a mirror to the contemporary society and finds rich shades even in what looks like staid stereotypes. Look, for instance, Perumal's connection with his father, compulsions of Jo's (Anandhi) father, the characterisation of the college principal or even that of Yogi Babu or Anandhi who, despite coming from the upper class, have very different takes on their milieu as compared to their counterparts which, in turn, defines their own individual connection to Perumal. Mari maintains a meticulous focus on the narrative even as his layered writing ensures that the smallest of characters are imbued with sufficient texture to make them feel real and have moments of their own which fit seamlessly into the story arc.

Kadhir is excellent as Perumal and gets under the skin of the character to explore his insecurities about his identity, humiliation, helplessness, simmering rage as well as quiet determination. Anandhi, Yogi Babu, Marimuthu and the rest of the supporting cast turn in credible performances as well. Mari is also complemented well by Santhosh Narayanan who infuses life through his unique songs as well as background score. The cinematography by Sridhar captures the locales in their natural flair without being flashy and adds to the urgency in the action sequences.

The craft of Mari Selvaraj on display here is superlative and even surpasses his mentor - director Pa. Ranjit - who is the producer here. His narrative has the gift of a natural flow that courses through the mundane to the gut wrenching to subtle layers without making anything look forced.  The manner in which he has created the shocker of an initial sequence as well as the evocative finale, which is one of the best we have seen in recent times and the narrative journey in between bear testimony that, despite being a debutante, Mari is a consummate creator, confident of his craft.

Kudos and plaudits are richly deserved by the duo of Pa. Ranjit - the mentor - as well as Mari Selvaraj - the prodigy - who surpasses his mentor for making this movie and if their debut efforts - as producer and director, respectively - are anything to go by, we can look forward to more such meaningful fare at the movies.

AN EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE ! A MUST WATCH !!

RATING - 4/5

CHEKKA CHIVANTHA VAANAM (TAMIL) (2018)

Multi-starrer movies are a rarity in Tamil cinema. Hence, when a master auteur like Mani Ratnam assembles an enviable ensemble that includes Arvindswamy, Jyothika, Arun Vijay, Aishwarya Rajesh, Silambarasan, Prakash Raj,  Aditi Rao Hydari and the ever dependable Vijay Sethupathi in a movie about gangsters titled Chekka Chivantha Vaanam (aka Crimson Red Sky), one tends to look forward to it. When you top this enviable star cast with top notch technical team that Mani Ratnam marshals including A R Rahman, Santosh Sivan and Sreekar Prasad, the expectations are literally sky high to match the title.A slick trailer only whetted our appetite even more.

Alas.. instead of painting his canvas in bold shades of red, Mani Ratnam could only manage a mishmash of colours with just occasional glimpses of brilliance that one associates with his work. While the plot itself, about the internecine battles in a gangland family between three brothers to succeed their father along with a cop with an ambiguous moral compass, while not new, does offer ample scope for an engaging crime drama. However, despite having a heavy duty cast,  Mani fails to flesh out the characters meaningfully and consequently, we don't feel any connection to the characters. While a hurried narrative could give a sense of urgency, here, it cuts down the impact of even the critical situations. As a result, it appears to be an exercise of style over substance.

The main cast have tried to do their best within the minimal material that they seem to be working with and sure enough, they have their own moments when they shine. But, these are not sufficient in themselves and definitely, are not coming together in a coherent manner.

Overall, CCV is a misfire from Mani Ratnam and just an average fare.

At best, A ONE-TIME WATCH  !!

RATING - 2/5

KAALA (TAMIL) (2018)

The second collaboration between director Pa. Ranjith and superstar Rajni - Kaala, while better than their earlier Kabaali, remains an above average fare. Set in Mumbai's Dharavi, this is a crime drama based on the land rights of the oppressed class. It provides mixed results as the director tunes up his own ideological leanings with a generous garnishing of Rajni's machismo. To his credit, Rajni, the actor delivers in the emotional scenes as much as the superstar in the style quotient.

Strong supporting cast shine like Easwari Rao - a natural and Samuthirakani as a confidante. Nana Patekar tries to be his menacing best in a one note character even as the movie wastes the immensely talented Pankaj Tripathi, Sayaji Shinde and Huma.

While Santhosh Narayanan's BGM is top notch, I would not rate the songs as high as Kabaali, except perhaps, Kannamma which stands out.

I still remember Kabaali as a good movie that could have been great in so many ways; stumbling somewhere in its efforts of trying to bridge the seemingly disparate universes of the Superstar and an auteur with almost a missionary zeal to bring out the voices of the oppressed and marginalised to the mainstream.

In his second iteration, Ranjith is still looking for that fine balance and seeks to find it by amping up the star quotient as well as the ideological heft. Some parts of it click while there are several (in a movie that stretches close to three hours) that don't. At least, not so well on the big screen as the writing would have intended. I wish Ranjith concentrates more on his story arc that made Madras and Attakathi so satisfying.

I sincerely hope that he gets third time lucky and delivers to his and the superstar's immense potentials.

Till then, this should be good enough.

A GOOD WATCH !

RATING - 3/5

SUDANI FROM NIGERIA (MALAYALAM) (2018)

The movie is set in a village in Northern Kerala in the milieu of the Sevens football tournament (7 persons per side as against the regular 11) which is quite popular in that region. Majid (Soubin Shahir) is a school dropout and as a result, is unable to seek any permanent employment to secure his livelihood. However, he is passionate about football and is also manager of a local football team - MYC Accode - along with his friends. Their team, which includes three africans as star players, is popular among the fans and is also reasonably successful despite facing financial challenges. When Samuel  - aka Sudu (short for Sudani) - (Samuel Abiola Robinson) - who is one of the star players meets with an accident, he is ruled out from the rest of the tournament. 

The injury puts Samuel in a desperate situation since he is not in a position to earn any more from the games which is the sole support for him as well as his family back home in Nigeria. It also means more financial outgo for a club whose finances are already precariously perched. In order to avoid hospital care expenses during the recovery period, Majid decides to bring Samuel to his home. Majid lives with his aged mother Jameela (Savithri Sreedharan) and estranged stepfather (KTC Abdulla) who works as a security guard. However, he is bitter with both of them due to reasons buried in the past and turns down their repeated warm overtures. Samuel is eager to return home to support his family, but is hobbled by reasons that are far more serious than his injury. What unfolds is an endearing narrative of humanity, hope and warmth that seeks to explore these distances - both physical and emotional.

Debutante director Zakariya Mohammed crafts this simple premise into a gem of a movie that is rich in emotions and drama. While Majid's family and his friends may be of limited means, the movie effortlessly portrays the magnanimity of such simple people with minimal means which reinforces the dictum that you do not have to be wealthy to be generous. 

The common thread that binds the entire narrative is that humanity is all that one needs to connect to a fellow being separated by any barrier. Through multiple interactions between Majid's mother and Samuel, the movie extols that differences in cultures and especially languages need not necessarily be insurmountable impediments in connecting to people.  A gentle smile and moist eyes are part of  universal language of love and humanity and they can communicate much more fluently and deeply than man-made contraptions for communication like our languages. When one can connect so easily beyond the contours of creed, nationality, ethnicity, religion or language, one tends to doubt the need for such markers which seem to be mere tools for division rather than cohesion.The movie is frequently funny as the director mines multiple references to sports, local culture and difference in language for laughs. The performances of both the leads - Soubin Shahir and Samuel with his winning smile - are apt and they are ably supported by the cameos from veterans KTC Abdulla and Savithri Sreedharan.

Malayalam cinema continues to churn out these gems in regular intervals where simple stories are brought to life in an appealing manner without resorting to raucous melodrama or any garish glitz of stars who tend to turn the focus from the story towards themselves. Director Zakariya Mohammed acquits himself as a welcome addition to the league of exemplary torchbearers of this great tradition.

AN EXCELLENT WATCH !!

RATING - 3.5/5

AVENGERS - INFINITY WAR (ENGLISH) (2018)

It is finally here.. the culmination of 10 years of multiple MCU story lines spanning 18 movies and ship-load of superheroes and their support cast which we have grown to love.

Thanks to the well orchestrated marketing campaign as well as the gradual buildup over the years through all the story arcs converging to this climactic showdown, the tsunami of expectations for Infinity War had hit a crescendo before the release.

Credit to the director duo of Russo brothers who have managed to deliver despite such stupendous expectations and hype. 

The movie is chock-a-block with our favourite superheroes and towering above all of them, is their nemesis - the mad titan Thanos who spells death, doom and destruction from the word go, as he sets out on a quest to capture all six infinity stones which would make him the most powerful entity of the universe.

While the narrative is indeed weighed down by the sheer mass of the material on hand and the multiple characters vying for screen-time, the directors have managed to provide space for almost all of them to come into their own.

Given the scale of the challenge at hand, the sinister designs of Thanos and his team and his superlative power which continues to multiply as the movie progresses, there is a palpable dark tinge that permeates the movie. Despite being shrouded under the dark cloud of impending doom an gloom, the narrative is frequently funny with clever cracking quips coming from the clash of several superhero sized egos as well as genuinely tongue-in-cheek conversations as all these characters get to know each other.

The action is often frenetic and the set pieces are brilliantly mounted on a dazzling scale with scope for almost every character to shine in brief bursts. In a movie of this scale, with more superhero per minute than any other venture, Josh Brolin is impressively menacing as the invincible, Thanos who seeks to bring balance to the universe even if it involves wiping half of all lives, including many of our favourite superheroes, at the snap of his fingers.

While some of the outcomes are on expected lines as indicated in the many trailers and teasers, the Russo brothers have packed quite a few nasty surprises that could leave the audience gawking, especially - an epic cliffhanger ending.

As the dust settles after a feverish run-time of almost 160 minutes and an audacious climax (yup every minute counts.. including the end credit scene), the audience are left at a perilous precipice that is shocking and desperately seeking answers to multiple questions from the sequel that is slated to hit the screens next year. 

Till then... we are left to MARVEL ... What could be lying beyond this insidious infinity ? 

A MUST WATCH (preferably on the BIGGEST screen possible) !!

RATING - 4/5

A QUIET PLACE (ENGLISH) (2018)

The movie is set in a post apocalyptic world haunted by blind alien-esque predatory creatures which zero in on their prey by sound. The very thought that any and every sound could literally be your death knell makes one shiver as the seriousness of the situation strikes us in an early scene. 

The narrative focuses on the ordeals of a small rural family of the Abbotts consisting of - real life spouses - John Krasinski (as Lee Abbott), Emily Blunt (as Evelyn Abbott) and their two kids - a daughter who is hearing impaired - Millicent Simmonds (as Regan Abbott) (hearing impaired in real life too) and a son - Noah Jupe (as Marcus Abbott) - as they adapt to a silent survival mechanism. Most of the movie proceeds in sinister silence with just the ambient sounds of nature as we find that the family has adapted to survive by walking barefoot always, giving up using any silverware and communicate almost exclusively in sign language.

John Krasinski who has also directed the movie has created a tense thriller which keeps the viewers entirely engrossed and riveted to the edge of their seats. He extracts remarkable performances from the entire cast - especially from Emily Blunt  who aces her role as an expecting mother encountering several terrifying turn of events along side Millicent as a rebellious teen with daddy issues.

Special credits are due to the sound designing duo of Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn who have done a tremendous job with the silences and natural ambient sounds that infuse every frame with the apt atmospherics of terror that runs through the entire duration of the movie. It is interesting to note that they have also worked on the latest sequel of that junkyard jamboree of Transformers - The Last Knight.

Krasinski is economic with his storytelling and builds the dread with every passing frame as surviving every silent second becomes a spellbinding and spine chilling experience as you fear that your own excited heartbeats are getting too loud for your safety.

Overall, it is a well crafted sci-fi thriller which elevates a simple premise into an absorbing adrenaline rush that stays with you long after your viewing.

A THRILLING WATCH (best enjoyed on a big screen with excellent acoustics) !!

RATING - 4/5

THE INSULT (aka L'INSULTE) (ARABIC/FRENCH) (2017)

The wounds of fire may heal and might even disappear with time; But, the burns caused by vicious words would never heal !!

This is the wisdom shared to the world by the ancient Tamil poet sage Thiruvalluvar in one of his 1330 Kurals (couplets) which is part of Thirukkural, an ancient classic Tamil text which is a monumental work on ethics and morality.

In The Insult, which is set in modern Beirut, Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri explores this very tenet through the events involving two principal characters - Toni Hanna (Adel Karam), a Lebanese Christian and Yasser, a Palestinian refugee. Toni is an automobile mechanic and Yasser Salameh (Kamel El Basha), is a foreman of a construction crew working in Toni's neighbourhood. Toni is also an ardent supporter of the Christian party and is hot-headed.  Yasser, on the other hand is reticent, and being a refugee, has an indeterminate legal status despite having lived in Beirut for several years. A faulty drain pipe overhanging from Toni's balcony triggers the initial confrontation and an exchange of insults. This is followed by vehement demands for apology from the other side and soon escalates to a forceful punch to the gut and ultimately, lands the duo in two courtroom battles. The movie captures the unfolding courtroom battles between the two individuals over this minor tussle as it steadily escalates and threatens to engulf the entire nation in turmoil.

From the initial seemingly trivial squabble to the courtroom combats, the movie takes the viewers on a roller coaster ride which includes resurfacing of latent wounds which never heal, traumatic revelations on the realities which were otherwise suppressed, a civil war which despite being over long ago seems to have transcended from the physical realm to the mind space of the population where it is still actively fought on a daily basis, the media melee surrounding the case which brings a fragile peace to the brink; and the effect of these unintended escalations on Toni and Yasser as they contemplate their lives, their painful past and prejudices that are deeply embedded therein which define their grim present as well as their possible next steps. Could there be a sense of hope or the long and deep shadows from their past are set to snuff out all light from their present as well as future ? Seen from another perspective, is this just a case of a personal conflict exploding to ensnare an entire nation or is it a chronic national/regional conflict which has percolated down to infect the everyday affairs of these persons ?

Home to one of the earliest human civilisations, Lebanon, is a small state in the Middle East which is nestled between Mediterranean sea to its west and Syria and Israel on the other directions. Lebanon, which had remained largely peaceful, prosperous and progressive, is unique in the largely Arab neighbourhood by virtue of its demographics consisting of almost equal number of Christian and Muslim citizens. The vexed political situation of the larger region, that has fanned the flames of hatred over the decades, has resulted in deep fissures along ethnic as well as religious lines. Over time, these have evolved in deep seated insecurities, mutual sense of victimhood and anger among all communities. When such groups are almost equally strong, as in the case of Lebanon, this creates a scenario of perfect storm. Not surprisingly, this has resulted in a bloody civil war which spanned from 1975-1990 and consumed scores of its citizenry. Despite the end of the civil war, tensions remain and erupts in the form of ugly violence from time to time as disparate political groups seek to gain mileage by adding fuel to the deceptive, yet highly inflammable embers. The influx of refugees from neighbours in turmoil has provided further feedstock to this cauldron.

Despite being set in Lebanon with protagonists from particular communities, the film has a universal appeal as it explores multiple elements like the politics of opportunism which feed on prejudice & hatred, jingoistic appeals, deep-seated resentments, macho masculine pride as well as media madness which are seeking to alter the essence of human condition in these turbid times. The film is also an exploration on the how common sense could become a casualty when vexed vanities of exaggerated male egos glued to long-held grudges take the center stage. It also depicts the difficulties in de-escalation once the tinderbox is set alight as even seemingly simple conflicts could quickly spiral out of control with no solutions in sight.

Director Ziad Doueiri deserves credit for fashioning an engaging and powerful narrative which does not take sides and keeps the viewer engrossed in the proceedings till the very end. Special praise is due for the way he stages the courtroom battles where the protagonists as well as their attorneys land punches and counter-punches. While he may not be subtle and is also guilty of succumbing to cliches, his narrative is nevertheless energetic and aided by the excellent performances from entire cast which makes even the age old cliches work. With this fabulous feature, he acquits himself as a director to watch out in the future. 

The Insult was Lebanon's official submission in 90th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film and was part of the final shortlist. It has been widely praised across multiple film festivals where it has won many accolades including the Volpi Cup for Best Actor (Kamel El Basha) in the Venice International Film Festival. It was also the opening movie of the recently concluded IFFK-2017.

A RIVETING WATCH !!

RATING - 4/5

EYE IN THE SKY (ENGLISH) (2016)

War on terror is a unique species. It involves multiple state actors spanning different continents stacked against an asymmetric enemy who could inflict disproportionate damage despite operating with minimal resources. With the advent of drone based warfare, this war has transcended the borders of sovereign nations and is conducted from remote locations spread across continents using satellite communication and drones which can deliver lethal firepower at selected locations under surveillance to eliminate enemy threats. Noted South African director Gavin Hood (Tsotsi) explores this scenario in an exciting thriller involving a drone based missile strike against the leaders of a terror outfit as they meet to plan their next offensive.

The leaders of Al-Shabaab, a dreaded terror group are meeting in a safehouse in the suburbs of Nairobi to plan their next terrorist attack. The meeting includes two British nationals who were radicalised recently and are being actively pursued by the British intelligence. British military intelligence officer Colonel Katherine Powell (Dame Helen Mirren) is heading a remote team stationed in rural Sussex that is actively tracking the meeting to capture the militants. They are supported by ground forces of the Kenyan military intelligence in Nairobi as well as assistance from two teams of US military intelligence - one based out of Hawaii for remote facial recognition of human targets and another team in Nevada which is an air force base where pilots remotely operate drones to deliver missiles on targets across continents with precision. 


Meanwhile, a Cabinet Committee on Defence consisting of the Attorney General, two ministers from the Government and Lieutenant General Frank Benson (Alan Rickman) oversees the operation live from Whitehall. The Cabinet Committee is empowered to authorise the capture  of the militants after receiving a final confirmation of their identities. These multinational intelligence teams are using an unmanned aerial vehicle armed with missile and some miniaturised drones operated from close quarters for their surveillance of the militant safe-house. 

However, the preparation of two suicide bombers inside the safe-house for an imminent attack on some civilian targets escalates the immediacy and intensity of the mission and consequently, Katherine seeks to convert the mission objective from capturing the terrorists to terminating them. However, any missile strike would also involve collateral damage to lives and property in the area which happens to be a bustling suburb in a friendly country. What follows is an intense and nail-biting finale filled with frantic events and disparate discussions across these multiple teams involving intelligence agencies, defence forces as well as dilly-dallying political leadership which is keen on political expediency than protecting lives. 

The movie explores multiple contemporary themes through a taut narrative that keeps the viewer constantly at the edge of their seats. Besides being a tense thriller, the movie throws up multiple questions on the ideas including value of some lives over others, malleability of morality, acceptable levels of collateral damage, remote warfare which despite looking gamified could still present deep ethical dilemmas and political compulsions which could colour critical decisions of life & death. There are no easy answers to any of these questions and as a result, these questions would linger with the viewers to ponder long after they have watched the movie. 

The ensemble cast consisting of Dame Helen Mirren, late Alan Rickman, Aaron Paul and Barkhad Abdi provide excellent performances as the movie puts our moral compass on a see-saw ride. Despite being a war movie, this thriller is stands out as it abjures from the time tested tropes of the genre with most of the key players being far removed from ground zero and operating remotely through screens in conjunction to pull a virtual trigger. While this scenario means a war without its quintessential grime and blood, it still holds the potency of violence and emotional scarring. After (Tsotsi), this is easily the most accomplished offering from Gavin Hood, especially coming after misfires like X-Men Origins - Wolverine and Ender's Game.

A COMPELLING WATCH !!

RATING - 3.5/5