US (ENGLISH) (2019)

Jordan Peele had tasted stand-out critical and commercial success with his debut directorial Get Out (2017). It was an unusual horror flick which had strong racial undercurrents and won many awards including an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Us, Peele's sophomore attempt, is also a horror flick with yet another unusual, genre-bending structure. 

The movie begins in 1986 when a young girl -Adelaide - accompanying her parents to the Santa Cruz beach front slips away from them and has an unnerving encounter in a hall of mirrors.

Cut to the present day, the Wilsons -  Adelaide (Lupita Nyong'o), Gabe (Winston Duke) along with their two kids, Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex) - return to their family's beach-front home in Santa Cruz for a vacation. While Adelaide is still haunted by her childhood experiences at the beach and some ominous coincidences that resonate with that past, Gabe convinces her to relax. They spend a tense evening with their friends - Tylers - at the beach. That night, the Wilsons find a family of four in red overalls holding hands, trespassing into their property. They seem to be doppelgangers of the Wilsons.  When Gabe tries to scare them away with feigned intimidation, the intruders attack the Wilsons. 

Who are these intruding doppelgangers ? Where are they from ? What do they want from the Wilsons ? Why are they attacking the Wilsons with murderous intent ? What connection do they have with the events from Adelaide's childhood ? The rest of the movie is a survival saga spreading overnight as the Wilson family seeks to escape this attack alive. It unfolds in an uneven, albeit uncanny and layered narrative that answers these questions while raising some more deeper and unsettling ones.

Lupita Nyong'o is a class act and is equally convincing in both her roles, seamlessly alternating between being chilling and ferocious or traumatised and terrified. Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss and rest of the cast provide able support.

Peele's main narrative arc is almost polymorphic as one can uncover layers of sub-texts that reflect on multiple issues like class, race, gender and many more. It makes minimal use of template tropes such as sudden rousing score, jump scares bloody visuals and adds a good bit of humour. 

Overall, Us is an ambitious addition to the genre of horror that seeks to expand its horizons as Peele seeks to make it a journey that is simultaneously thrilling and thought provoking.

And ... To his credit, he succeeds for the most part.

A VERY GOOD WATCH !

RATING - 3/5

PETTA (TAMIL) (2019)

A complete Rajni package that brings back the Rajni of yore  in all his style and glory - fighting, dancing and just BEING the beloved SUPERSTAR.

Director Karthik Subbaraj (KS) steps out of his regular fare and stays true to his promise of making a movie as a fanboy for every fan eagerly waiting to his screen idol in all his splendor. 

He finds excellent support in Anirudh's winning album & electric score; Peter Hein's stylish action setpieces and superb lenswork by cinematographer Thirru. 

And.. at the heart of all this action is Rajni who seems quite relaxed after straining himself to his limits in becoming Chitti - a physically draining exercise which stretched for more than two years. In fact, he seems to be in his elements and enjoying himself, having a ball .. as if he is seeing and soaking up every ounce of adulation of his fans going crazy in the theaters. His energy and charisma seems unabated and belies his age of someone who is closing in on 70.

On the flipside, the film is loosely constructed and stretches for almost three hours (though the fans can never get enough of superstar though). Too many good talents including Vijay Sethupathi, Nawazuddin (wasted in undercooked parts), Guru Somasundaram, Simran, Trisha (blink & miss part), Sasikumar, Malavika Mohanan, Director Mahendran and several others get minor parts and hardly register their presence. The narrative is not of the class, one would have expected from KS in terms of a taut script with trademark twists. 

Yet.. KS redeems himself as he cracks the code for MaranaMASS ! He reminds us of the good old days of Baashaa, Annamalai and Padayappa.

Would love to see him make more for the SUPERSTAR .. In fact, I hope many more talented directors from the young brigade rise up to the challenge ! Amen !!

Petta.. Paraak !!

RATING - 3.5/5