Shankar’s latest Tamil film, I, is Pygmalion meets Beauty and the Beast, though its visual splendor and impressive song sequences don’t make up for the film’s clumsy critique of fashion and an offensive portrayal of a transgender character.
You Have to See… Sholay (dir. Ramesh Sippy, 1975)
For this week’s You Have to See…, we look at the film that revolutionised the Indian film industry, SHOLAY.
A Game of Imitation – Cumberbatch and the Role of the Modern Icon
Benedict Cumberbatch has become something of an iconic modern actor, though the focus on his image might have played a part in the inherent conservatism of his latest film.
St. Vincent
Theodore Melfi’s film finds itself caught between disparate tones, forced gags punctuating what appears, on the surface, to be a mostly dramatic affair.
Three Sisters
Three Sisters is an eerie concoction of expected narrative tropes, garnished with a hint of acerbic wit, topped with spurts of comic extravagance, much like the experimental batches of confectionery made by the Toraya family that tickle the taste buds of everyone in the film.
21 Ways to Ruin a Marriage
21 Ways to Ruin a Marriage, from director Johanna Vuoksenmaa, is a rom-com that actively defies genre conventions and, for that, it is a pleasant success.
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared is a beautiful examination of mankind’s constant irrational search for the rational in every instance of life. Herngren has adpated the highly successful novel by Jonas Jonasson and retained its absurdist essence.
You Have to See… Udaan (dir. Vikramaditya Motwane, 2010)
This week’s ‘You Have to See…’ is an Indian coming-of-age drama about creativity and identity. Based on the life of screenwriter Anurag Kashyap, director Vikramaditya Motwane has crafted what seeks to be both an intimate and universal tale of family.
The Last Impresario
Gracie Otto’s truly inspiring and impactful documentary never loses sight of its vision – it is the Michael White story – in all its grandeur, cruelty and pathos.
The Last Impresario – An Interview with Director Gracie Otto
Virat Nehru sits down with first-time documentarian Gracie Otto to discuss The Last Impresario, short films and approaching documentary cinema with style.