"Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga" deserves credit for bringing LGBTQ+ representation to mainstream Bollywood at a pivotal cultural moment (2019 is when homosexuality was technically decriminalized). The film works well on a technical level—solid acting from the entire cast, good pacing that keeps the narrative moving, and confident use of Bollywood's storytelling conventions. At 6/10, it's a competent film that tackles important ground.
The meta-theatrical structure is effective, employing Shakespeare's play-within-a-play technique to explore both the power of storytelling and the impor…
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**_After prison, a young woman plants herself in a New England town_**
Shot in the late spring of 1995, this is a drama similar to “Heavy,” which was released three months earlier in 1996. Another reference point is “Signs of Life” from seven years prior. While this one resorts to cinematic contrivances in the last act, I favor it over those two (although “Heavy” places a close second).
The film successfully brings you into the lives of a circle of people in the hilly countryside. Gene Siskel criticized that these characters are all too “colorful,” but I didn’t see that. They st…
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99/100
The inhabitants of a dark city are being used in an experiment by an alien race that rebuilds both the city and everyone's memories every night in an attempt to determine what makes us humans tick. Although very different films, you can't help notice the similarities with the manipulated environment of "The Matrix". The film noir quality, the surreal landscape, the strangers, the writing, the performances, the absolutely phenomenal spec fx, the astoundingly unique vision, everything in this film works on so many levels. Nearly perfect. -- DrNostromo.com…
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Many of us have probably heard of the notion of “the ghost in the machine.” And now director Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke’s debut feature brings entirely new meaning to that concept – literally ‒ in this impressive, offbeat comedy-drama-fantasy. The film tells the unusual story of March (Wisarut Himmarat), the widowed young son of Suman (Apasiri Nitibhon), the cold, stone-faced, inflexible owner of a vacuum cleaner factory and an embittered widow herself. One might think that their mutual circumstances give them something in common, but such is not the case. Suman never cared much for her late d…
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## **PK (2014) Review: A Bold, Heartfelt Satire That Only Bollywood Could Make**
Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, *PK* is that rare blockbuster that aims for the stars—both commercially and philosophically. It’s a film that dares to question the very foundations of organised religion through the eyes of a naive alien, wrapping a provocative message in the warm, accessible blanket of a comedy-drama. While its approach is sometimes simplistic, its heart is so enormous and its intent so genuine that it's impossible to dismiss.
### The Plot: An Alien's Guide to God
The story follo…
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## **Slow Horses: A Gloriously Grubby Masterclass in Spycraft**
Forget the slick, high-tech world of James Bond. In the shadowy corners of London, there’s a crumbling, foul-smelling building on Slough House where failed MI5 agents are sent to rot. They are the "Slow Horses," and their story is the best spy thriller on television. A potent cocktail of whip-smart writing, flawless performances, and unapologetic grit, *Slow Horses* is a near-perfect series that consistently exceeds expectations.
### The Misfits and the Misanthrop
The show’s engine, and its greatest triumph, is the dynami…
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At a time when many of us may feel like we’re being systematically shafted by big business and powerful financial institutions, it’s natural that some of us might feel justified in seeking retribution against them for their deceitful actions. Such was also the case in February 1977, when an aggrieved borrower sought potentially deadly vengeance against the president of an Indianapolis mortgage company, as seen in this fact-based comedy-drama-thriller from director Gus Van Sant. When Tony Kiritsis (Bill Skarsgård), a mentally challenged borrower, felt financially betrayed by a lender he implici…
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**_Stuck in a remote desert town in northwest Nevada_**
This is a coming-of-age drama mixed with quirky murder mystery involving eccentric people living in the lonely wasteland, such as the mechanic who refuses to ‘worship Mammon’ (Richard Masur) offset by the high-strung shop owner (Susan Tyrrell). Matt Frewer and Drew Barrymore work well as the father & daughter who dearly love each other despite the typical family issues. Meanwhile the malevolent remote-controlled vehicle is reminiscent of the amusing one in Eastwood’s “The Dead Pool,” released the previous year.
In the feminine depar…
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Honestly, this one’s nowhere near the magic of the first film. But I gotta give it to Rebirth, it does bring a fresh vibe to Rangga and Cinta’s story. Still, some parts just don’t land. That musical scene in Borne during the persecution bit? Yeah… super out of place, kinda cringe. And a few of the cast sound a little too stiff, like they’re glued to the script (though, fair enough, most of them are still new).
But hey, I can’t lie, this movie hit me with a wave of nostalgia. That old AADC romantic energy? It’s back, just with a new twist. Messy at times, but it definitely brought me bac…
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Much as I want to like "Lazarus" I don't.
This is a classic case of wasted potential. A strong cast, a potentially engaging story, with a supernatural tie in. It could have worked.
Regrettably, the handling and characterisations are badly "off".
Firstly this series constantly jumps from scene to scene, leaving a discordant, restless vibe, that never goes away.As a viewer I found it next to impossible to focus and settle into a comfortable rhythm, that would have allowed me to appreciate the unfolding story.
Annoying characterisations make things even worse. The …
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