rajdoctor Reviews

Laal Singh Chaddha (2022)

Good Indian Adaptatoin

[8/10 · 17 August 2022]

I had high expectations of Aamir Khan's new movie Laal Singh Chaddha (LSC) because it was in production since last four years. Though I did not agree Aamir Khan re-making an official adaptation of Forrest Gump - I was keen to see what Aamir Khan does this time.

But with the current wave against Muslims and Bollywood growing strong in Indian social media - especially against the three Khans, because they are Muslims disheartened me. Much before the movie's release #boycottlalsinghchaddha was trending.

And what I feared most happened - most movie critics did not give a thumbs up to the movie, and those who gave a good review were trolled with abuses. I just did not understand the whole "religious fanatic game" of people and groups who want to propagate a hate-campaign against a group of people just because they belong to a particular religion. For me, this is so unexpectable. Thus, I resolved the watch the movie but did not know when?

Then I heard a few songs of the movie and they grew over me - so much that I could not resist but go and see those songs on the BIG SCREEN. The songs, lyrics, music and emotions were so raw and magical. It touched my heart and I went to see the movie.

After watching the movie, I can say that - the movie is a very good adaptation of Forrest Gump. It has held the spine and core of the movie as is and done an excellent job in setting it in the Indian context.

While watching the movie, I could see the story of Forrest Gump running parallelly in my mind. I loved the minute details taken care in the movie especially during the opening credit song where the feather floats and lands up near Aamir Khan's shoes.

I have to say upfront that Aamir Khan has played the role of Laal Singh Chaddha slightly over the top and a bit tardy. A more subtle version would have been more acceptable. At times, in Aamir Khan's acting I saw repetitive shades of his earlier movies roles (Dhoom 3, PK, 3 Idiots) in his facial expressions and popped-eyes - bordering slightly like caricature characterisation of Mr. Beans. I think Aamir Khan should have avoided that part a bit. But that was and is - his and his team's interpretation of the character written by Atul Kulkarni. But as an audience - after interval, I accepted the character and acting with that bit of flaw and enjoyed the remainder part. I think Tom Hanks did not play this character this way. He was more perceptively delicate in his mannerism.

The real stars of the movie were Mona Singh as LSC's mother and Kareena Kapoor as LSC's lover. Whenever they came on the screen, the story commanded attention and involvement. Both these plots worked fantastically for me.

Naga Chaitainya's role as army friend of LSC - to bring lighter moments and comedy, was poorly conceived. Naga's make up and continuous references to under-garments did not bring the funny moments at all. A normal Naga Chaitainya with a normal business aspiration would have worked better.

Manav Vij as terrorist turned business partner of LSC was okay.

A special mention here for the roles played by child-artist by Ahmad Ibn Umar (young Aamir) and Hafsa Ashraf (young Kareena) - both of them leave strong impressions with their a warm-heart-tender moments of innocent love.

For me, the high points of the movie were the rendition of beautiful and soulful music and songs by music director Pritam, lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya and singers like Sonu Nigam, Mohan Kanna, Arijit Singh and Shipa Rao and others. Absolutely brilliant piece of work. These songs will have longevity beyond the life of the movie.

At times I felt that inter-weaving historical events was done forcefully. It did not take away anything from the movie by being there - and it also did not add much to the flow of the movie. Even if one removes all the historical events popping up here and there in the movie - the movie would have been quite watchable even without those.

Lastly, though the movie has not done good business as expected. I think, the movie was good. It just got entangled in the "Fascist fanatic religious fervour" times India is facing today - where everything and anything Muslim is trolled to be boycotted with vengeance.

Leaving such dirty politics aside - I think. This is a well-made movie and Aamir Khan and his team - especially Director Advait Chandan and writer Atul Kulkarni has done a very good job in adapting Forrest Gump into Indian context; and all of them should feel proud of making a nice movie.

LSG is much different than the run of the mill violent commercial south Indian style pan-India movies. Though critics and reviewers are saying that it is a slow and long movie, I did not find it so for a single moment. It is a FEEL-GOOD movie. I enjoyed it a lot.

I would go with 7.5 out of 10 for this movie.

Vous êtes jeunes vous êtes beaux (2018)

YOU are Young, You are Beautiful

[7/10 · 2 December 2021]

Yesterday night I saw a nice French Movie Vous êtes jeunes vous êtes beaux -

Written and Directed by Franchin Don, the movie belongs to the main lead veteran actor Gerard Darmon who plays the role of an old poor pensioner Lucious Marnant, who is slowly dying with an unrecoverable ailment.

He has a soul-mate Mona (Josiane Balasko) - another aged lady with whom he shares moments of LOVE at her apartment

By chance Lucious comes across an agent Lahire (Vincent Winterhalter) who offers him an illegal gaming sport of old-age boxing in return for good money for his private retirement home.

With no money, no family, no hope left in life Lucious agrees to earn some boxing bouts for spending a few pleasurable moment with Mona on a trip to Mona's relatives at Mona's ancestral home., On arrival they realize that her relatives has already abandoned the home and Mona - leading her to commit suicide- but she survives (bed-ridden in a coma)

Lucious also meets an old friend Loyal (Denis Lavant) in a similar dire strait of old-age with no one to care who is knocked dead in another fight.

There is so much pain luring all over the frames. The darkness, the camera, the melancholy of being old with no one to have around.

It is a disturbing movie with such unsaid under current commentary of the under-belly of modern-age of urban jungles where people cheer and bet / profit on old people fighting and killing each other. NO ONE CARES...

Brilliantly shot - beautifully canvased, subtly acted, nuanced performances by all cast

With an aristocratic flawless act - Gerard Darmon carries the whole movie on his shoulder - single-handedly.

A very well made movie - with lots of thoughts and effort gone into it. A good movie to watch

I would go with 7.25 out of 10 for this gem.

No Compromise (2021 TV Movie)

No compromise

[7/10 · 23 November 2021]

It is based on a True story and incident around life of Emmanuel Giboulout

Gabriel Rivaian (Fred Testot) is a small farmer in Côte d'O a rural Southern French hinterland, who has learnt farming from his father. He works with one Moroccan refugee lady worker Loubona Tazain (Zineb Tikri) cultivates and grows wine in his farm

Gabriel disobeys a local district government's directive of sprinkling pesticides on his vineyard.

Gabriel believes that pesticides can not only give poor quality wine production but can kill future production capacity of that area and also cause severe diseases on farmers and wine-drinkers

There are numerous pressures on him from everyone in his village and co-farmers.

He is even arrested after a small scrabble with another farmer. Even his house is broken into - his dog poisoned, and his Moroccan worker Loubona is charged with illegal migrant status and tried to send back to Morocco Gabriel marries Loubona to avoid her deportation.

The good thing is that when this case appears in local papers - it catches media frenzy and interest. Lawyers and journalists build up support for Gabriel's cause and move social media to garner support.

The media, lawyer and journalist also are able to associate cases of cancer among those families of farmers who used pesticides in their vineyards.

By the time the case comes for hearing - the local farmers who were opposing him give positive testimony in court and the judgment comes in Gabriel's favor

Actress turned Director Marion Laine has done a marvelous job in being honest with the actual events that made headlines in France.

The casting is superb and feels real. Fred Testot has done marvelous acting in depicting his pain under pressure without giving in. A special mention has to be made of Zineb Tikri - the female lead who is extremely beautiful and has acted very well.

Unlike other movies this biographical movie does not dwell much into un-necessary sub-plots and keeps the audiences engaged throughout with a tightly written script

I would go with 7 out of 10 for this well researched and well made movie - which is much relevant in today's greedy world where profit through marketed means stands above moral, ethical, conscience with regard to climate change and exploiting the planet.

The Great Indian Kitchen (2021)

The GREAT MALE

[8/10 · 16 August 2021]

I had heard about this movie in 2020 in a review stating one among the top 10 Malayalam movies one should watch. I got to watch it recently And within the first 5 minutes - I was absorbed in it It is a brilliant movie. A Class apart that reflects a hidden dark truth of Indian society in general - more pertinently of the Brahminical higher class families who see women - as servants and the ones who do work and cook and serve the males.

The issue is old and told many times before, but this time the Screenplay writer turned Director Jeo Baby has hit the nail hard not shying away from showing the truth as is.

The story is simple. An educated dancer (several award-winning actress (Nimisha Sajayam) gets arranged-married to a teacher (Suraj Venaramood) in a traditional patriarchal family. Life as a newlywed bride with domestic routines starts with a bliss but slowly turns into a realization of the ugly truth of drudgery and patriarchal exploitative undertones - of how religious yet dirty these family men can be.

Joe Baby through his tightly knit script does not miss a beat in every little detail of how insensitive men treat women - more in case their wives. Juxtaposed to the wife - the director has also shown other women - normalising the drudgery life with happiness and servility

Nimisha Sajayam has done a brilliant job in acting through all the hard-work and dirtiness of daily household work load. The best part is there is not a single thing told as being preachy or shown negatively to create our audience's sympathy for the wife.

Yet the sensitive audience will root for the wife. The best part of the movie is the ending which I won't reveal here to lukewarm it. It is dirty and good.

Frankly I have seen a really good movie after a very long time. Surely all men who are patriarchal and pretending to be goody-goody husbands and kind - would find it very difficult to sit through this movie. They might not even understand - what is going on.

It is also possible that many wives and women too would not be touched by the subject shown in the movie

This movie is a brutal truth as a tribute to the Indian wives married in an arranged marriage setup.

I can keep on adding praise - worthy for his movie. It is once in a decade that such movies are made that are not only educational but socially changing.

Brave, exceptional, powerful, must watch, classic - a hard slap on all the Indian mentality (which includes all family members who think women are here to do household chores)

I recommend this movie to every husband, wife, in-laws and family members as compulsory viewing; and have discussion around their own households and daily lives.

I would go with 8.25 out of 10 One of the highest rated movies of mine on IMDB (there are only 2 other rated so high by me)

Apibeurzdé (2020)

Happy Birthday Gift

[7/10 · 12 July 2021]

I saw this wonderful short light hearted almost silent French film Apibeurdze (Happy Birthday) by Director Basile Charpentier starring Phillippe Rebbot

It is a story about a 45-year odd divorcee reclusive and eccentric Pascal (Phillippe Rebbot) who lives in a lonely remote life in a shack-like house away from the town at a Corsican countryside home along with his dog.

He wakes up one morning to realize it is his daughter's birthday. He sees a picture stuck on his refrigerator - drawn by his daughter of a Fire-brigade Engine vehicle (FBEV) and thus decides to buy a gift for his daughter - a toy of a small FBEV.

Thus he collects small change of coins and starts his journey on his small moped along with his dog (Lenny) to go to the town small store where he does buy a FBEV toy and a chocolate.

Right then he runs out of petrol in his moped and thus steals petrol from a car parked there - where a young girl (Alias Gailo) sitting in the car snatches the toy FBEV. Pascal lures the girl with the chocolate and retrieves his FBEV toy but due to his dog's mischief who is sitting on the back seat of his moped - meets with an accident and breaks his FBEV toy.

Leaving his broken moped on the highway he runs back to his workshop and tries to repair, stick and cello-tape the broken FBEV toy but mistakenly sets the place on fire.

On this side - It is evening and his ex-wife and daughter come to visit him at his shackle-like home - only to find Pascal missing there - but the drawing of the FBEV on the table.

At that time - they hear the FBEV sound outside and when the daughter runs out to find her father Pascal stepping out of the FBEV which he has called to extinguish the fire at his workshop (which is a few miles away)

The movie ends with Pascal taking his daughter along with her inside the FBEV and both going to extinguish the fire. The daughter is delighted and happy to receive such a wonderful HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIFT

This is a small and sweet movie - almost shot without any dialogues - just moving events and actions. The movie appeals to the universality of LOVE shown by a poor father and his love for daughter. To what extent he goes to get the FBEV and make her happy.

The ending is good - seeing the daughter happy is so heart-warming.

Writer Director Basile Charpentier has done a marvelous job with this short movie. Philippe Rebbot fills up life in the character of Pascal - and the state of apathy and loneliness he lives but struggles to show his LOVE for his daughter

Director Basile has also succeeded in keeping the dialogues of the movie to the minimum - almost NIL - and let the scenes and events talk for itself - which creates an universal appeal of empathy as there is no dissonance in not understanding a foreign language film.

Director Basile is a physical Therapist for Prisoners and writing is his passion and hobby. To me it seems - he must have germinated this story-idea from the real life incident of a prisoner who might have narrated such a story.

I would go with 7.5 out of 10 for this film - worth watching.

Ghost Town Anthology (2019)

Ghost Town Anthology - The Beginning

[7/10 · 29 June 2021]

I do not believe in Ghosts. But it is nice to see and read Ghost stories. But not many ghost stories are gripping these days. There is no emotional connection with the story or characters.

So nowadays it is a pleasant surprise when we come across an eerie ghost movie. Répertoire des villes disparues is such a story by Director Denis Cote.

It is a story about a small Quebec village where there are hardly 215 people staying. One day an accident takes place and a young boy of the village dies. This incident causes a small stir within the community - who commemorate the funeral of the boy, following up with a small get-together.

No one believes the boy Simon could have been so reckless in driving. There are speculation about the Simon's death - whether it was a suicide or is he still alive?

The brother, and parents await the return of Simon. The Mayor denies psychological support offered by The Federal Agency to villagers.

But within no time - people of the village discuss, feel and see things around the village that worries them.

By the end of the movie - people start leaving the village - thus the name - Ghosttown Anthology - how villages become Ghost Towns with houses but no people staying there.

As this is a village story - there is no central character who is the lead protagonist - but there are a few worth notable - The Mayor, the boy who died Simon, Simon's brother and parents, a man running a small roadside restaurant, a quirky lady who is on psychological treatment and is the first to see and experience ghostly things in her home and the village.

There are no regular cliches of ghost or horror story here which is FRESH- yet the proceedings are eerie.

Director Denis Cote has been successful in holding the narration tight.

I have seen two movies (Vic + Flo ont vu un ours and this one) of Denis Cote - and both these movies are totally different genres and he has handled them very well - I have started liking this Director Denis Cote and would like to see more of his movies in near future.

I would go with 7.5 out of 10 for this wonderful ghostly movie.

Vic + Flo Saw a Bear (2013)

They saw Bear we saw LOVE

[7/10 · 22 June 2021]

This is a LOVE story of two lesbian ex-convicts

Victoria (Pierrette Robitaille) is recently out of prisons and goes back to her small rural Quebec home in the poor wild forest area to stay with her dumb but not yet deaf uncle's at his cottage.

The bossy probation officer Guillaume (Marc-Andre Grondin) often visits her to check on how she is coping with her new life.

Soon after Victoria is joined by her ex-convict lesbian lover Florence (Romane Bohringer) from the same prison.

There are layers of mysteries surrounding the pasts of each character which are much evident between the gaps of the narration like; Victoria's past tussle with another local evil woman in the neighborhood that might have landed Victoria in prison holds the main crux. Another past story that is attraction between Florence and Guillaume (probation officer)

Victoria and Florence are domesticated in their mundane LOVE life of making sex and enjoying each other's company by roaming in the nearby forest and spending gay and fun times in a golf course car.

With probation officer Guillaume coming to spend more time to inspect how these two ex-convicts are doing - Victoria suspects something going on between Florence and Guillaume - and thus feels jealous and fears losing her LOVE Florence to Guillaume.

In the pre-ultimate scene - while sitting at a lake inside the deep forest - Victoria emotionally shares her fears, but Florence re-assures her unconditional LOVE for Victoria.

That's when the unexpected tragedy strikes - when that evil woman of Victoria's past seeks revenge on these two love-birds. (That's where the title is derived from)

The ending is so tragic that this movie feels like a fable LOVE story like Romeo - Zuliet and Layla-Majnun

Despite that the movie leaves a warm feel because as Angels the two LOVERz are shown roaming hand in hand after death in the same forest - Their Garden of Eden..!

The location setting of rural Quebec is shot amazingly. The casting of each character is perfect. The cinematography is magical. The quirks of each character are poignantly engaging and intriguing.

The Writer - Director Denis Cote who loves to make unusual out-of-the-run movies on the fringe topics on outlandish rural societies has maintained a tight grip on the narrative.

Both the main lead characters Pierrette and Romane have played their role as aging lesbian LOVERz beautifully

The ending is very sad and heart-breaking and gives the movie and audiences its final punch for the story to remain alive in our consciousness forever.

Apart from winning best ACTRESS, best director, and best movie award - the movie has been nominated in several categories including screenplay, writing and supporting actress.

Such LOVE Stories are evergreen and priceless because they connect beyond human made boundaries like age and gender stereotypical cliche narratives.

I would go with 7.25 out of 10 for this movie.

Call me Matthew (2019)

This is really a True Story

[6/10 · 27 March 2021]

The movie starts with a TAG - This is a True Story

But after seeing the movie - I laughed at myself and said that - Ah, what a fast one the Director has pulled on the audience by pinching the Tagline - This is a True Story and making us believe in whatever is shown

After two days I simply googled about the case to find out whether such a case was there at all and to my surprise - there was incidentally a real life case.

Now I smile at myself again and get amused by the fact - that I was so wrong in thinking the Director Remy Cayueta has pulled a fast one on his audiences.

The story is about Jean Pierre who has an accident. He wakes up from his long coma and identifies himself as USA Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey. The Doctors are sensitive and want to get along with his new identity and thus requests his family and friends to accept his new identity till he comes back to his real sense of realizing his own self.

The Director Remy has weaved many small incidents in the phase of recovery in a light comedy tone that makes us smile and smirk.

The whole movie is so unbelievable that at the end of it - we scratch our heads doubting its authenticity until we realize that in real life there was this man named Rory Curtis - whose real life story is the same as Jean Pierre.

The movie was okay, but much more can be done beyond the 13 minutes run time. The person who plays the main role is Jonathan Lambert has done a good job in his comedy timing.

At the end of the movie the last-titles says that the patient recovered and was able to identify himself after 6 months of therapy sessions I would go with 5.5 out of 10.

Changing Times (2004)

Time changes, Life changes, but True LOVE lasts Forever

[23 March 2021]

I saw this 2004 French movie.

The story is about a man Antoine (Gérard Depardieu) a successful civil engineer who manages to get posted to Tangiers (Morocco) to seek his 30 years back lost love Cecile (Catherine Deneuve) - who is running a French-Arabic radio programme. She is married twice - first marriage ended in divorce and a kid. Her second marriage is with a younger Morroccon physician Nathan (Gilbert MIlke) who has many mistresses. While Antoine is still unmarried waiting to win back Cecile's heart and love live a life together. He hires a lady Nabila (Nabila Baraka) to send anonymous flower bouquets to Cecile who is not interested in any love interest and thus throws flowers in the dust-bin. Nabila wants Antonie to get over his 30 year old LOVE-spell through witch-craft. Finally when Antonie meets Cecile, she is not interested at all. Cecile's friend Rachel (Tanya Lopert) pursues Cecile to have a brief fling rather than a committed life-long relationship with Antonie, thus she goes to Antonie's hotel room and makes love to him. Later, Antonie suffers a land-slide accident and goes in coma. Cecile and Nathan separate and when Antonie opens his eyes from coma, he finds Cecile holding his hand. The movie ends there.

There are a few sub-plots - 1) The first one of Cecile's son Sami (Malik Zidi) who has a live-in relationship with a single mother Nadia (Lubna Azabal) who has a son Said (Idir Elomri) who come and visit Cecile-Nathan's house. 2) The second sub-plot is Sami is also a homosexual with his boyfriend Bilal (Nadeem Rachati) 3) The third sub-plot is about Nadia and her twin sister Aicha (played again by Lubna Lubna Azabal) 4) The fourth sub-plot is that when Nadia is living in Cecile-Nathan's house, Nathan gets attracted towards Nadia. 5) The fifth sub-plot is after Nathan separates from Cecile he pursues to have an affair with Aicha - the look alike sister of Nadia.

But above all - the main plot is feel-good evergreen LOVE-story. Against the back-drop of various characters this ETERNAL, True, Pure AGAPE LOVE of a man for a woman of his dreamz is perfectly set. This is the dialogue said by Antoine to Cecile when they meet "The more I have tried to forget you - the more I am in LOVE with YOUz"

The Director - Andre Techine does a marvelous job in weaving several sub-plots together show-casing the flimsy lives of modern humans, who are so frivilous and jump from one relationship to another. Amidst all that - he makes Antoine stand TALL and STRONG - with blinded LOVE for Cecile.

Both Gerard and Catherine who play the main protagonist - have acted and done a marvelous job in enacting the feelings of love and lost-love honestly on screen. Both characters are absolutely "make-believe" ones.

The movie was critically and commercially successful and has won a few international awards and nominations - mainly for best picture and screenplay at Berlin and Cesar thus a lot of credit als has to go to the writers - Andre Techine, Laurent Guyot, and Pascal Bonitzer. .

A special mention to the song Moroccon Tumba sung by Angelique Kidja which is beautifully haunting and re-enacts the story of this movie through melodious lyrics.

One needs to have a bit of patience to sit, see and understand the life-styles of several sub-plot to various characters to fully appreciate the meaning of TRUE pure AGAPE LOVE.

I would go with 7 out of 10 for this movie.

Prêtes à tout (2017 TV Movie)

Ready for Anything

[8/10 · 14 March 2021]

This TV movie story is about a contemporary issue of drug abuse among kids and youth in schools.

Aline (Anne Charrier) is a rich lady who is also a teacher in her 15 year old son's Romain (Jules Houplan) school. Nadia (Alika Del Sol) is a single working-class mother in a poor locality and her 14 year old son Samir (Abderahmane Cherif) studies in the same school with Romain. Both kids get involved as drug suppliers to a night out birthday party of a classmate Julliette (Lea Leviant). Aline and Nadia come from diverse societies, ideologies, life-styles and sensibilities.

When their kids are arrested - police interview their mothers who find a common ground to save their sons from the grip of drug racket. That forms the core of the story with repeated flashbacks and incidents.

The story written by Lorène Delannoy (and 2 other writers Laure De Colbert and Pierre Tonachella) is very well researched and extremely tight, sensitive and grappling into various aspects of young minds and mother's angst and worries regarding the safety and security of their children.

Director Thierry Petit has done a marvelous job in being honest to the script and writings - putting forward an issue that is so relevant and burning all over the world.Presenting perspectives and impact by being witness to two mother's lives with empathy is well captured.

Anne Carrier (already awarded best actress) and Alika Del Sol have given award winning performances for their respective roles. The two young boys Jules and Abderehmani have done a commendable acting of restless vulnerabilities of youngsters.

The music, background score and editing are very good. The story manages to gain pace with each new event and scene gripping till the movie reaches an unusual climax.

Overall it is a very well made movie in all departments of film-making bringing out burning issues of drug abuse in schools by kids and how parents deal with it by being ready to do anything to protect their children from this drug menace..

Worth nothing is - upon release this movie already generated a lot of media/ TV debate on this topical issue.

I would go with 7.75 out of 10 for this good movie.

Cet autre hiver (2020)

THIS OTHER WINTER

[7/10 · 12 March 2021]

This is a short film.

A story of Nina (Adele Exarchopoulus) who desperately wants to meet her mother Lily (Lola Deurnas) whom she has not met or seen from last 20 years. Nina lands up in a small town in the cold winter and seeks for Lila who is a piano player in a small bar. Un-announced Nina goes to meet Lili in the changing room. On introduction - the reaction of Lili as mother is bewilderment and sadness. Nina leaves her number with Lili and returns to her hotel room waiting for her mother to call her. Lili does not call and very late night Nina goes back to the club again - but Lili has already left the club. Next day morning Lili comes to meet Nina at the hotel but walks away without meeting her. Lili follows Nina in the car and picks her up - where Nina knows that Lili might be pregnant. In burst of overwhelming emotions - Nina walks away. But they meet again - when Nina takes Lili to a church and probably goes for a confession when Lili ponders and walks away.

There is a small sub-plot in between- In the hotel Nina meets a old man who has come to celebrate his meeting with his wife in the same hotel where they fell in LOVE twenty years back and both souls are seeking solace and resolution of sorts of their feelings.

Though the two main lead protagonist are mother-daughter yet they are strangers and trying to connect with each other after 20 years. There is a feminine -humane bond evidently visible between the two.

Writer-Director Margo Brière Bordier has done a superb job in keeping a tight script yet portraying heart-wrenching emotions from the characters that are so real.

Both Adele and Lola have performed their role to perfection capturing the nuance of their characters aptly. Both are veteran and versatile in their career and the depth of their emotions takes audience's empathy.

The cinematography of a small sea-side frozen town in dark and gray tones is captured so beautifully.

This is a second short of Director Margo - and I will give full marks to her to assemble such a super-cast and present a whole lot of emotionally drenching drama in 15 minutes of run time

I would go with 7 out of 10 for this well made emotional drama

Mademoiselle (2019)

No Age BAR to LOVE

[7/10 · 11 March 2021]

The first shot of the short film starts with a eighty year old lady Mademoiselle Myrian (Michelle Moretti) telling her grown up son - that she wants to marry a friend of her late husband who used to flirt with her. In dis-belief the son Phillip (Marc Pierret) calls his brother to give the news. No one is her family is able to believe Myrian, and all of them including her young grand daughter try to pursue her not to do such a thing. But Myrian wants to feel LOVE and without caring for anyone goes for the alliance she hardly knows because they met only occasionally. The last scene of the movie Myrian is shown with her would be husband - a chair bond paraplegic octogenarian Roland (Gilles Bataile) whose wheel chair she pushes in a garden full of trees and flowers.

Such is LOVEz. the movie captures the charisma of BEING IN LOVE - age does not matter. The debut movie - Written and directed by Simon Grass - is endearing honest.

Veteran actress Michelle Moretti beautifully portrays the emotions of LOVE and brutality of being honest with everyone around her - that she wants to feel LOVE and marry a man whom she does not know but used to flirt with her.

The movie opens up the audience's mind to be OPEN to LOVE - does not matter your age because LOVE is the only and such a strong emotions that keep humans really enjoy life.

I liked the liberal concept of LOVE presented in the movie I would go with 6.5 out of 10 for this short.

Yellow Rose (I) (2019)

I Ain't Going Down

[7/10 · 7 March 2021]

The story is about a undocumented migrants from Philippines Mother Priscilla (Princess Punzalan) and 18 year old daughter Rose (Eva Noblezada) living in Texas USA. Mother works as a cleaner in a hotel, while Rose while studying and aspires to be a musician. Tragedy strikes when Immigration officers arrest Pricilla and Rose survives in the USA with the help of her friend Elloit (Liam Booth) and a local musician Dale (The real Date Watson) while mother is deported back to Manila.

Eva Noblezada (of Miss Saigon -25 anniversary Opera fame) as Rose carries the film on her tiny shoulder with versatile acting skills and musical skills. She is aptly supported by all the others in the cast. Dale Watson (composer and actor) has played his own self in both the earlier short and this movie and he is the one who becomes a catalyst and instrumental in bringing the hidden musical talents of Rose out on the stage in public.

The story is fresh, and the treatment is light. There are many hummable numbers (17) in the movie and some of them are good. In 2017 Directress Daine Paragas had made a short movie (15 minutes) with the same name and similar story. That must have given the seed to this full-feature film.

The background music and the locales are Austin, Texas are very good. It is a feel good story that every aspiring growing girl will relate to.

I would go with 6.5 out of 10 for this movie.

La meilleure manière de... (2018)

The Best Way...

[6/10 · 5 March 2021]

I saw this short French language Belgium movie which goes into the realm of online groups who do not know each other but are connected through a chat website Suicidaire.be. They all are depressed, desperate, lonely and want to end life without pain.

The main protagonist is Florence (Muriel bersy), who is shown as a lonely soul even in a crowded room of family, friends and relatives. She lives alone in an apartment and listens to songs of LOVE. She is angry by the neighbors noise peering through the walls that disturbs her life.

When online she chats with like-minded people and discusses ways to commit suicide without pain. Searches and gets books on commiting suicide in simple steps. Meets people who can help her to die and in such an incident, meets a person who wants to kill her in a swimming pool. Obviously Florence is scared and runs away. At home with her family - her parents, she lies having a nice peaceful life.

When she arranges a personal meeting with another online group chat member at a cafe, she reaches there to surprisingly realize that the person is no other than her own father, who seemed and looks so normal, having a family - wife and daughter - but is a member of an online group who wants to commit sucide without pain (The Best Way)

Florence and her father hold each other's hand and she says - "Now who cares?" This can mean two things - either they will be giving support to each other in resolving their loneliness - or they will be committing suicide together. The movie ends there.

This short film is written and directed by Ingrid Heiderscheidt who has also played a small cameo role in the movie.

The good thing about the movie is that along with presenting the state of lonely people and their online life through chat, Ingrid has managed to keep the tone of the movie frothy and light - hearted with a few chuckles sprinkled here and there.

All the characters have acted well and within their respective role-charts. The ambience and feel is so European and such state of life believable/ It has already found mention in a few International award circuits.

I would go with 6 out of 10 for this short. It is a good one time watch.

Sir (I) (2018)

Will YOU permit yourself to LOVE?

[8/10 · 23 February 2021]

I saw this beautifully nuanced film where two people - Ashwin (Vivek Gomber) a NRI in high class south Mumbai apartment falling in LOVE with his widow maid Ratna (Tilotame Shome) from a small Maharastrian village - two pure hearts fall in LOVE despite their status, class-divide, social-strata and different backgrounds.

It may cross the area of #METOO and exploitative narrative of one in POWER and the other is a position of working under a person who pays salary.

I won't talk about the exact narrative but leave you with the emotions it leaves behind on me - as an audience.

Can LOVEz really happen in such scenarios? Can it be depicted in a typical cliched fashion?

How much one is ready to go? One can just stop at capturing LOVE in a poem, a story, a documentary or a movie.

Does a person have real guts, courage and is brave to stand up and say it aloud "I LOVE YOU" in acceptance - without caring about societal consequences and backlash of what is permissible and what is not?

To what length a person is ready to face life and its humiliations and sacrifices to believe in LOVE and just go ahead - breaking all the barriers culture, tradition, caste, class, religion, education has imposed.

There is subtleness in the way a growing relationship is beautifully portrayed in this movie and the embracing of emotions of LOVE.

Will one permit oneself to LOVE? Will one open up to LOVE? Why? Because LOVE is a great equalizer...!

The movie was easy in its storytelling by juxtaposing a Male in a position of power and a woman as someone working under him. For me the movie would have been much more stark if the roles were reversed..

Because "man" as a decider about relationships can have courage and take the relationship forward... What about a woman from a high class society falling in LOVE with a servant who comes to sweep, swab and clean toilets?

Would that not be a real-game-changer for society to accept as "normal"?

Anyways not to take away anything from the three - the Director Rohena Gera, the actress Tilotama Shome and actor Vivek Gomber to stay in tune with the fine portrayal of a magical LOVE story without being preachy or political.

One (both woman and man) needs to watch this movie again to really put oneself in the shoes of both the characters and question oneself - To what extent one will go in LOVE?

The movie is already having raving reviews and awards galore. I am sure it will remain as a landmark movie in the likes of "Arth" which is so well loved and remembered even after so many years.

I would go with 8 out of 10 for this.

A MUST WATCH

Mama Lova (2019)

Mother's Fighting Spirit

[7/10 · 19 February 2021]

This movie is about a mother Adele (Mata Gabin) whose son has recently died due to a drug gang violence in the neighborhood. She does not want young boys to buy or sell drugs in her area and in stopping that is assaulted by a young lad Tarick (Daniel Joseph). Not knowing what to do - she joins a boxing class to protect herself from future assault. Tarick finds it difficult to run his operations in that area and threatens Adele's daughter of causing harm to her younger brother. When Adele comes to know this she goes and confronts Tarick and in a well directed boxing street fist fight knocks Tarick down.

The movie is of 17 minutes and is Directed by Jean François Taver - who started his journey as an additional crew in 2012 in various departments and learned the ropes of film making. In 2015 - he directed his first short. In a span of 5 years - he has already directed 4 short films. Amazing.

Mata Gabin is casted perfectly as Adele and so is Tarick - played so well by Daniel Joseph. He looks real menacing in that role.

Though the idea seemed just a little bit stretched of a regular Mother knocking down a local drug-gang boy in a boxing street fight, yet it does evoke enough emotional punch to overlook that minor aspect. I would like to specially mention that fight scene which is pictured very well and looks so real.

The short movie has potential to be made in a full fledged 90 minute movie too.

I would go with 6.5 out of 10

Our Children (2012)

Our Children ... Out of Reason

[8/10 · 9 February 2021]

What happens when a boy and girl meet from different cultures?

The excitement, the thrill, the joy of falling in LOVEz and spending life together. The dreamZ - the future plans etc.

Years go by - the babies are born, the work and life eats up the relationship The evil of time - deteriorates and suffocates everything we stood for.

This movie is about two lovers - Mounir (Tahir Rahim) a Morrocan immigrant living in Belgium and a Belgian girl Murielie (Emilie Dequence) falling in LOVEz and supported by the God-father of Mounir - Dr. Andre (Niels Arestrup) from being a catalyst in forming their LOVE-bond to blessing the couple to being with them in their honeymoon, to giving them shelter, money, food and even supporting their children.

Then what could go wrong? Murielie wanted freedom as a couple to live alone - and enjoy life, away from Dr.Andre - who uses kindness as blackmail and trap the young couple. Murielie feels suffocated and whenever she discusses with Mounir he always takes sides of Dr.Andre. Thus slowly and slowly Murielie feels isolated, disintegrated, and depressed becomes a routine housewives, bearing four beautiful children - caged and imprisoned within the burden of goodness and kindness shown by Dr.Andre.

What results in the end is so horrific and chilling that one goes aghast at the outcome.

It leaves the viewers devastated to say the least - viewing a claustrophobic tragedy destined to happen.

This superb movie is based on a true story.

It is a GREAT psychological drama of how slowly un-noticed the depression sets in through "subtle" everyday interaction of routine life and daily household chores. How a person feels isolated, neglected in a relationship, and above all how PATRIARCHY destroys completely a spirited young woman with dreams

The Director Joachim Lafosse has dealt with this very important subject with apt without taking sides and/ or blaming anyone, and left many questions unanswered.

Though in real life - when this incident happened - the society surely wanted a villain and thus was punished in the verdict.

The movie rests solely on the shoulders of Émilie Dequenne - who portrays Murielie so tenderly, graphically - showcasing her angst and silent sufferings with looks and stares. She literally makes an emphatical audience jump off their seat to extend a hand of help and hug her, give her support. It made me an instant life-long fan of Emilie Dequenne.

The remaining cast of Mounir and Dr.Andre too have played their part brilliantly. The director Joachim has extracted marvelous acting from little children.

At points it becomes unbearable to watch the movie and wants us to cry to intervene and turn the clock back.

But the real incident is history and can't be changed. GREAT work of cinema that I will surely remember for years

I would go with 7.75 out of 10 for this journey of joy to tragic despair.

Angèle à la casse (2019)

Girl in the Scrapyard

[7/10 · 3 February 2021]

After her father's death Angele (Pauline Parigot) inherits her father's scrapyard. She comes back from her college to be there because there is no one else to run it. There is a migrant Farid (Mourad Boudaoud) who used to work with her father and continues to work there helping Angele. And there is also a pet dog.

Angele in her depression of losing her father - remembers him with little things of her father that are still around in the scrapyard office - where she sits. She roams alone in the scrapyard/ junkyard aimlessly without a purpose.

One morning a middle-aged-man named Charles (Antoinee Chappey) comes in search of a red Opel Corsa car that might be somewhere in the junk/scrapyard. Angele helps him out to find that car and knows from him that he lost his daughter in an accident in that vehicle.

That night due to barking of the dog, Angele wakes up and finds Charles sleeping in that Red Opel Corsa car. Angele gives Charles a shoulder to lean and cry on and later invites him for a cup of morning coffee in the office.

Both are remorseful and sorry for their state and losses. They find an uncanny silent bond with each other. Charles collects the cassette from the car music player that his daughter was listening to while she was driving when the accident happened. Through Angele - Charles tries to find out today's youth's interests in life - thus a hopeless attempt to connect with his daughter.

Angele misses her father and is not able to bear the pain of this stranger's longing for his daughter who has died.

To hide her tears - she walks away from the office. The movie is sombre, sad, dark and sorrowful.

Directors Matthieu Chatellier, Daniela de Felice have created a beautiful short - through their insightful writing, direction and cinematography.

The movie pitches the right notes of LOVE longings.

All the actors have played their roles well and the scrapyard acts as a full-fledged back-ground character in the movie to create that dark/gray eerie sad feel to the scenes.

I would go with 7 out of 10 for this well made little gem that brings a lump in the throat by the end of it.

Without a Trace (2018 TV Movie)

LIVING WITHOUT THEM

[7/10 · 1 February 2021]

Vivre Sans Eux

I saw this French drama VIVRE SANS EUX inspired from a True Story

A remorse father Martin (Bernand Le Coq) comes to meet his gay son at a mansion where he meets the new occupant Oliver (Gregory Montel). Martin becomes suspicious and spies on Oliver, leading him to meet Adele (Esther Garrel) who has come to meet her gay father - partner of Martin's son. Both start on an odd note but develop an endearing bond for the same purpose of finding their LOVED ones.

One thing leads to another, to reveal the suspense.

The script is very well written by Jean Luc Estebe with unusual plot twists and turns incorporated with relevant flashback stories of Martin and Adele.

Director Jacques Millot maintains a realistic look -unfolding complex human interactions and developing relationships between different characters while maintaining a countryside feel to the narrative.

The casting too is apt - Bernand as a remorseful father and Adele as a strong-willed, opinionated straight-talk daughter portray their characters with much ease. Gregory Montel's character is unlike what he has portrayed till date in his previous movies and he too does gritting justice to his role.

The good thing of the movie is that it does not fall into a typical cliche' sequence of events that we see in a psychological mystery-suspense thriller.

The movie had a good run in various European country telecast,

I would go with 6.75 out of 10 for this Italian production

Ulysses & Mona (2018)

Had potential

[6/10 · 20 January 2021]

This movie is about a young art student Mona (Manal Issa) - who has a boyfriend Camilie (Quentin Dolimaire) - but wants to meet a retired and forgotten - secluded famous art teacher Ulysses (Eric Cantona) who stays in a remote mansion in a deep jungle - living alone, playing tennis with a machine-ball thrower.

Mona goes to meet Ulysses - who immediately rejects her, but Mona persists and they form a unique bond between a mentor Ulusses and a student Mona. Mona looks up to Ulysses and adores him - even gets physically attracted to him. Her LOVE defines Ulysses to reclaim his relationships with his ex-wife and his young son who works as a waiter in a pizza joint.

When Mona is back and reflects on a video of Ulysses - she realizes the journey life takes and she realizes a new maturity within her through a LOVE friendship interactions and knowing Ulysses

The concept of the movie is good - but the execution does not feel complete. Director Sébastien Betbeder who also has screenplayed the movie has tried to present a unique story of pure LOVE relationship but does not succeed fully. Quentin Dolimaire as Ulysses has acted in a limited frame with an equivocal emotional state of cold expression, while Manal Issa fills up freshness and vulnerability in the narrative. But the chemistry between the two leads is not crackling in nature.

There are a few sub-plots - one of Mona's love - her friend and other of Ulysses' neighbor friend, his son , a small boy visiting him occasionally - and an altercation with an unemployed man who comes to rob a department store.

There was potential in the concept of light hearted love story, which was under-exploited. the happenings in the movie - never touches the heart deeply or even brings lasting smiles and endearing emotions.

I would go with 6 out of 10 for this French movie.

Raining Cats and Dogs! (2019 TV Movie)

Whatever life offers never give up on life

[7/10 · 12 January 2021]

I saw this nice feel good drama comedy French movie Cats and Dogs - showing the struggles of a recently divorced (50+ something) City-tour boat Captain Jean (Philippe Rebbot) who has to take care of his three children. On top of that he is evicted for non-payment of rent and he loses his job, his three little children are unhappy, his wife is threatening and seeks custody of all the children. Once custody happens he does not have a place to stay, and ends up with another unemployed struggling young musician friend Victor (Pablo Pauly).

The good part is that amidst all these Jean is so endearing, honest, helpful, vulnerable, patient, joyful, innocent, good natured, loving father, respectful in all conduct - that one feels that come what may - he accepts life as it comes amidst life's struggles contrary to what one expects from life.

Director Edward Deluc keeps the movie's tone light and frothy and does not let the movie be heavy and burdensome. As viewers our heart goes out for Jean and with all his difficulties we want him to be happy.

And that what happens - with a feel good happy ending where everyone is in harmony and joy with each other.

There are several sub-plots surrounding Jean interwoven nicely along with the main story.- Jean's office / job strifes, his drunkenness problem, affairs, marriage counseling, dropping children late at school every day, and a developing love story with his colleague Judith (Laure Calamy) who just adores Jean's positive and good nature - and finally wins him over with her LOVE..

The other sub-plot being of the young musician friend's Victor's struggles, love story, employment and both plotting a robbery and getting caught by police (is so funny).

The lasting memory remains of the main protagonist veteran actor Philippe Rebbot - who plays his age and with "whatever-life-offers-never-give-up-on-life" attitude

All other characters have played their small roles extremely well - especially the small portions of children watching their father's problems and struggles is very heartfelt and touching.

It seems that Phillipper Rebbot's earlier movie (L'amour flou) that he wrote and directed with his wife - had a very similar character sketch - which is carried forward here.

I enjoyed this family drama light hearted comedy movie about daily struggles of life.

I would go with 7 out of 10.

My Lady of the Camellia (2019)

Ma Dame Au Camelia

[7/10 · 6 January 2021]

I saw this nice little short film Ma Dame Au Camelia (My Lady of hte Camellia)

Before you read the review of the short film, it is essential to know the interesting LOVEz story of Camellia.

This is a semi-autobiographical LOVE story written in nineteenth century (1852) by a wealthy 23 year old Alexandre Dumas about his love-affair with a couresian Marie Duplessis - who was considered, discreet, intelligent, well-read and witty. Their illicit relationship is opposed by Alex's father and Marie is sent away, where she dies of TB at 23 years of age. This novel has been adapted in different versions and made into more than 15 plays and 15 movies

With this back-ground coming back to this short film.

The casting director Selenna (Laurence Oltuski) and her assistant Betty (Ingrid Donnadieu) are auditioning young girls for the role of Camellia. Amidst all the girls who have come for auditioning one of them is Patricia (Edouard Montoute) - a middle aged transgender,.Patricia is kept waiting and not even called for an audition. Selenna outrightly rejects her for the role. Patricia persuades Selenna on the logic of modern interpretation of the story by casting a transgender as Camellia and thus hesistantly Betty records her audition, and secretly sent the footage to the Director of the movie. After Selennia shows the way out to Patricia for being unfit for the role - she receives a call from the Director who likes Patricia and wants to cast only her for the role.

This is a nice short light hearted movie - looking at modernity, prejudice, liberal values, human rights, interpretative literature style etc.

This movie is written, screenplayed, directed and acted by Edouard Montoute who plays Patricia in the movie. He is done a formidable job in his debut short - by not only conceptualizing an interesting premise but also being bold enough to act as transgender.

The other casts too have acted well.

The movie has been part of various film festivals and won a Special Jury mention award too.

I liked the movie - and it is 15 minute short - easy and light hearted to watch. Have a go...!

I would go with 6.5 out of 10 for this short.

Where Do Cats Go After 9 Lives? (2017)

One can have everything - but without true LOVE...!?

[7/10 · 31 December 2020]

I saw a nice French short movie

où vont les chats après 9 vies (Where do cats go after 9 lives?)

The movie is about 14 year old girl Lily May (Tiffany Montambault) who is so bored with life, loneliness and everything around her (a sole cat is her pet). One day she decides to commit suicide. First she informs her extremely liberal parents - Mom (Salomé Corbo) and Dad (Paul Ahmarani) who are supportive of legalizing death through euthanasia.

Of course both are shocked with their daughter's decision - Dad outright opposes it and Mom - tied to her liberal stance - comically agrees fanning her EGO on the decision of Lily-May.

Lily-May also informs her school-mates and friends about her decision. When Lily-May goes to meet the doctor (Manuel Tadros) at the suicide clinic - he subjects her to various physical and psychological tests to assess the reasons and motivation for a girl such young to die. He also explains to her about the self-taking of required dosage that Lily should swallow when the date-time is fixed.

Lily-May's boyfriend (Philippe Prévost) comes with flowers - very angry - cries and begs to Lily-May not to commit suicide because he loves her too much.

On the date-time when the toxic syrup is given in a cup to Lily-May to drink - she backs off.. and comes back home - wearing the cat's collar.

She tries to jump and dance - but we know that she is back in her loneliness state.

This is a beautiful second short film Written, produced and directed by multi-talented Marion Duhaime-Morissette whose main skill-set is Art-Director - that is evident in the set design, art-direction, cinematography, camera movements etc.

She has done a fabulous job in narrative a complex subject in under 19 minutes Bringing the vulnerability of a little girl in a PERFECT world - where we get everything we want - except LOVEz and a will to live.

Tiffany Montambault as Lily-May has acted brilliantly and carried the film on her tiny shoulders but portraying confused, vulnerable, adolescent anxieties, innocence and comedy with her poker face.

All the other actors - Mom, Dad, Doctor and Boy-friend have done justice to their roles.

I especially loved the cinematography of the movie - it was excellent. I just hoped that the beautiful shots just lingered for extra 2-3 more seconds for us to enjoy the painting like canvas Marion has created.

It is a nice little enjoyable movie to watch. I liked it.

I would go with 6.75 out of 10

La voie discrète (2019)

When one longs to meet one LOVEs

[7/10 · 18 December 2020]

The movie is about a shy silent delivery boy Wai working in a French Chinese bakery/ eatery run by his maternal aunt (Heling Li) and a capitalist grumpy uncle (Tien Shue).

During one of his deliveries - Wai meets this gentle lonely old poor Chinese dweller Monsieur King (Tapa Sudana) who is staying in an abandoned construction site. Wai becomes friendly with him. King shares with Wai some wisdom (of Patience) and after coming to France how he misses his Chinese friend and asks Wai to write a letter in Chinese for his friend. But before Wai could ask his aunty to finish writing the letter, King dies.

Wai is so touched by the grief of King's unfulfilled longing dream to meet and contact his friend, that Wai steals money from his uncle and undertakes a journey to China to hand-deliver the LOVE-letter to King's friend.

This is a small beautiful movie that touches and tickles the heat's strings. As audience we connect with the pain, longing and grief of King, and hope that in our life too someone should come and be an ANGEL to help us pass on our LOVE feelings to the one we miss and long for in life.

Duke Habib as Wai has acted brilliantly - He perfectly portrays the innocence of adolescents, the vulnerability, curiousness, respectfulness, compassion, and empathy - all put into one - with an underrated performance.

Thanks to the Actor turned writer director Ho Lam - who keeps the story and screenplay tight - till the last frame - when we understand and realize the story unfolding and what happened.

The casting of the movie is very good - especially of Helling LI as aunt and Tien Shue as cribbing mean Uncle.

I recommend this movie and would go with 7 out of 10

Matriochka (2014)

Matriochka - Like Mother - like daughter

[7/10 · 11 December 2020]

Matriochka means a Russian wooden hollow figure toy, where one smaller size toy is found inside the outer bigger toy

A liberal, progressive, feminist, sexually active, caring single-mother Rebecca (Veronica Akopova) lives with her 16 year old daughter Anna (Monica Gallardo), who imitates and lives a care-free life-style just like her mother. Until one day Anna realizes that she is pregnant. To our astonishment Rebecca reacts with much empathy and compassion towards Anna - saying she gave birth to Anna even before she was 16 years of age and wants to have a grand-daughter and sees herself, Anna and the little baby - all living happily together. But Anna does not want the baby and wants an abortion and she finds an ally in the man (Xavier Girard ) of who is ditched and dropped by Rebecca. The man really understands and supports Anna without any questions and Anna feels safe with him. The thing is - Anna has to choose between being with her mother and having the child - or being with this father figure man - and breaking up with her Mom..? This 14 minute short movie ends with this looming question. This short is jointly written and directed by two actresses - Madaleine Marchal and Sarah Monjaret. All the actors in the cast have acted very well, especially Monica Gallardo who has portrayed her 16 year old care-free character with much ease - showing vulnerability, confusion, anger and guilt - all captured in one emotion. Xavier Girard has just a few scenes - with hardly any dialogues but he leaves an impression as a deep, caring, good human being. At times, it is a shock to watch such promiscuous life-style of teenagers (mother and daughter) taking life with so much "I-give-a-damn" life-style.. I would go with 7.25 out of 10 for this well directed movie.