Reviews

An ice-cold folk horror that's as steeped in Scandinavian myth as it is enveloped in the freezing climate, The Damned is patient in its approach, measured in its execution, and makes excellent use of the elements to deliver a silently unnerving & incessantly disquieting chiller that sustains its mystery & foreboding aura with ease and is also steered by strong inputs from its committed cast.

Written & directed by Tholdur Palsson in his feature film debut, the story unfolds in 19th century Icelandic village caught in the midst of a cruel winter and follows a widow tasked with a difficult choice. The setup is terrific, immersing us into its isolated setting effortlessly, and quietly brings claustrophobia into play as weather worsens & death grips the town. Finely scripted too but the ending is a mixed bag.

The remote Icelandic location, harsh surroundings, wintry ambience, ominous mood, controlled camerawork, glacial pace & tense score, all contribute in creating an environment of existential dread which is then elevated by sincere performances. The tension & suspense is bone-chilling at times and the sinister feeling not only lingers but it also gets under the skin every now n then. The finale however didn't work for me.

Overall, The Damned does capture the eeriness of an evil lurking in the shadows but then also doesn't do much with that often repeated setup. Palsson's direction exhibits plenty of promise but his script required more fine tuning, for the ending doesn't provide a satisfying payoff. The slow-burn narrative, terrific use of atmosphere & sturdy work from the cast help make the ride interesting but this Icelandic horror had much more to offer.

A gleefully wicked & delightfully demented sci-fi pierced with elements of horror & dark comedy, Companion is a skilfully crafted & expertly executed genre offering that plays to its strengths, is well-aware of its limitations, and is elevated to better heights by a fiendishly fantastic showcase from its leading lady. Fun, amusing & entertaining, the film delivers the desired goods despite its predictable premise.

Written & directed by Drew Hancock in his directorial debut, the film doesn't bring anything new to the table but it sure plays its cards right from start to finish. Lighthearted for the most part yet addressing the themes with clarity, Hancock sets the story into motion soon after all characters are introduced and then allows the plot to get more twisted as it progresses while also making it easy for us to root for the lead.

The technical aspects are sound, with breezy pace & clever editing complementing the steady camerawork while trimming much of the narrative fat it could do without. The characters don't carry much depth but the performances are still good, with Sophie Thatcher stealing the show. Her range of physicality & emotional output does stand out more than others but the rest offer fine support in their roles, especially Jack Quaid.

Overall, Companion is a welcome entry in its genre(s) that neatly juggles the laughs with thrills and offers an enjoyable ride that concludes with a satisfying payoff. Not amongst the greatest examples of its kind but still promising a wild ride, Hancock's debut feature marks an excellent start to his filmmaking journey, has far more positives than negatives, makes for a biting satire, and is best experienced when you go in blind. Definitely recommended.

An adrenaline-fuelled powerhouse that captures the soaring highs & crushing lows of any sport through its meticulously choreographed & sharply animated game of basketball, The First Slam Dunk is bursting with energy, emotions & excitement when the match is being played and makes for one of the most gripping, thrilling & entertaining sport films to come out in recent years.

Written & directed by Takehiko Inoue, the story follows a high-school kid who immerses himself in basketball after the loss of his brother and covers his struggle with loss, grief, purpose & self-worth in flashbacks. Inoue's direction is at its best when depicting the ebbs n flow of the match being played but stumbles a bit when trying to balance that with the characters' past & origins.

The flashbacks play a key role in characterisation that provides more depth to these players on the basketball court but the back n forth storytelling is also overdone and often disrupt the flow & momentum of the game. The animation implements both hand-drawn & CGI elements into its imagery which gives it a dash of style & splendour. Voice actors do their part while background score heightens it all.

Overall, The First Slam Dunk effortlessly delivers the tension, suspense & nail-biting qualities of any great sport and is possibly the finest film centred on basketball. The picture shoots, scores, dazzles & delights with every slam dunk, keeps the audience invested in the game from start to finish, and delivers an ending that's going to leave its viewers enthralled, satisfied & breathless. One of the best examples of its genre.

Winner of 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Dances with Wolves is by all means a well-intentioned story but its daunting length, deliberate pace & simplistic portrait of the indigenous culture makes it a story of limited scope narrated on a grand scale. There's still plenty to like & admire about this epic western, for it is competently crafted, exquisitely photographed & finely assisted by John Barry's score.

Directed by Kevin Costner in his directorial debut, the story follows a lieutenant who begins to question his purpose after he's assigned to the American frontier and makes contact with the neighbouring native settlement. Costner's direction exhibits ample restraint in his approach & composure in execution as he acquaints us with its period setting, characters, relationships & conflicts without hurrying through the process.

The vast, beautiful & unspoiled vistas of the American frontier is captured with heartfelt warmth & welcome intimacy but there are also times when the film lingers on the landscape for too long. Costner is as good in front of the camera as he's confident behind it but it's the supporting cast that deliver stronger performances. The story in itself takes a little while to warm up to but once the pieces start moving, it makes for a stirring ride.

Overall, Dances with Wolves is quite an impressive feat for a debutant director but whether it will strike the right chord with the viewers depends on how much one is able to connect with the lead character & his transformative arc. It also doesn't help that there are a few empty patches in the journey that it could've done without and it doesn't have enough material to justify its exhausting runtime either. But in all honesty, it is somewhat worthy of its accolades.

From the director of The Invisible Man comes a reboot of yet another Universal Classic Monster, this time offering a modern spin on the studio's lycanthropic franchise. But unlike his impressive last feature, Wolf Man fails to create any sort of intrigue or interest, is formulaic & forgettable in every possible way, and makes for a bland, banal & boring offering with nothing worth investing into.

Co-written & directed by Leigh Whannell (Insidious: Chapter 3 & Upgrade), the premise is paper-thin, characters are poorly sketched & devoid of personality and the plot is predictable from afar with not many (or any) surprises in store. And if that's not enough, the sappy melodrama & lame dialogues don't do the film any favour either. And the ride is furthermore hampered by its lack of suspense.

There is no sense of direction to where the plot is headed, the family unit isn't developed enough and the horror set pieces also lack the expected ferocity & flesh-tearing carnage. Performances are lifeless, and even the werewolf design fails to impress. Whannell intended to address themes of parenting, marriage, sickness & death here but for those to work, the fundamentals needed to be solid which isn't the case here.

Overall, Wolf Man is ineffective in its storytelling, flat in its execution and underdeveloped as a whole. Terribly directed, shoddily scripted, tediously paced & weakly acted, there's nothing that clicks here nor is there anything to latch onto, thus resulting in a finished product that has no bite. An uneven, uninspiring & underwhelming reimagining that's not only devoid of tension & scares but is also lacking in narrative & emotional depth.

From the director of All Quiet on the Western Front comes a competently crafted political thriller set within the confines of the Vatican. Strongly acted & creating just the right amount of intrigue through its portrait of the inner workings of the Catholic Church process, Conclave is mysterious yet not as deep as its premise will have you believe, and manages to steer past the finish line on the strength of its cast.

Directed by Edward Berger, the story follows a Cardinal who's tasked with managing the ancient ritual of selecting a new Pope but soon finds himself at the centre of a faith-shaking controversy. Berger directs with aplomb but the picture is at its most gripping when it's unearthing the plots & ploys influencing the election procedure. The individual ambition & internal machinations at play add to the mix but the ending is rushed.

Where the film earns its marks is in the detailed portrait of the papal conclave, the secrecy of it all, and the burden that our protagonist feels while having a crisis of his own. Performances are the main highlight here, with Ralph Fiennes leading from the front and he is brilliantly supported by Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow & others. The finale however isn't thought through, is rather silly, doesn't carry much weight and isn't rewarding either.

Overall, Conclave is skilfully directed, neatly photographed, expertly staged & excellently acted but the script needed more working as the last act is rather unconvincing and is also over a tad hurriedly. Having an ensemble of reliable actors prove to be this film's saving grace despite the commendable work done by the crew and while Berger is able to keep us invested in the drama, the conclusion still leaves behind an underwhelming aftertaste.

Anchored by a strong central performance from its leading lady, Inshallah a Boy is an indictment of Jordan's absurd patriarchal norms & religious laws and demonstrates the utter ridiculousness of it all through its story of a recently widowed woman who's forced to navigate the bureaucratic maze that's designed & exists to ensure the subjugation & oppression of the nation's womenfolk.

Directed by Amjad Al Rasheed in his directorial debut, the story covers the never-ending ordeal of our protagonist that begins when a relative tries to exploit the country's inheritance laws to lay claim on her house & custody of her daughter in the wake of her husband's death. Pushed into a corner with not many viable options at her disposal, she makes up a lie that quickly spirals out of control.

The drama is gripping for the most part despite the predictable route it takes and the subplots only lend more weight to the critique. However, what keeps us invested in the journey is Mouna Hawa's emotionally draining act that aptly articulates her character's frustration, suffocation, isolation & agony over the injustice of it all while she's helpless. And the patriarchal mindset is also reflected in how her brother treats her.

Overall, Inshallah a Boy is competently crafted & skilfully narrated but it's the performances that do the heavy lifting here and steer the film past the finish line. A more compact structure, tighter editing & better pace may have benefitted the whole proceedings but what it has in store still makes for a thrilling & heartbreaking story that's worth a shot. One of the better films of its year, this is an impressive first feature from the debutant filmmaker.

Nominated for Best International Feature Film at the upcoming Academy Awards, The Girl with the Needle is a silently unnerving & deeply unsettling psychological horror that takes elements from real-life events for its fictional narrative and expertly utilises its grim setting, bleak tone & harrowing revelations to deliver a shockingly brutal chiller that packs a powerful punch.

Co-written & directed by Magnus von Horn, the film exhibits a cold, dark & uninviting look from its opening scene and takes its time to set things up. The period details are aptly taken care of and it does well to capture the post-war atmosphere too. The black n white cinematography is sharp, crisp & sumptuous, Editing steadily paces the plot, and the disturbing bits leave a mark.

However, it's the performances that anchor this narrative and the actors responsibly play their roles. Vic Carmen Sonne leads with a gripping showcase in the eponymous role that keeps the viewers invested in the proceedings while Trine Dyrholm's character is effortlessly charming at first until the sinister truth about her is unveiled. The rest provide solid support but these ladies are the standouts.

Overall, The Girl with the Needle is skilfully directed, exquisitely photographed & strongly acted from start to finish but the quiet pace at which it all unfolds can be bothersome for a select few. While there are sequences that don't add much to the central plot, they still portray the horrors left by war in its wake. Definitely amongst the better films of 2024, this Danish production is not for the easily distressed.

A poisonous love letter to Hollywood that sheds light on the moviemaking industry's darker side in its own enigmatic ways, Mulholland Drive is a surrealist dreamscape about Hollywood dreams, illusion & obsession and is layered with themes & symbolisms that are still open to interpretation after all these years. Occasionally perplexing, effortlessly arresting & incessantly dreamlike, this neo-noir thriller is mesmerising throughout.

Written & directed by David Lynch (The Elephant Man & The Straight Story), the story concerns a Hollywood hopeful who meets & teams up with an amnesiac woman and searches for clues & answers across Los Angeles in order to uncover her identity. Lynch introduces multiple subplots & several characters that take the picture into different directions before connecting it all into a twisting tale that ventures beyond dreams & reality.

Sprinkled all over the narrative are confounding elements that make no sense yet heighten the film's uncanny tone & trance-like atmosphere. The central premise is nevertheless intriguing & engaging throughout, thanks to Naomi Watts & Laura Harring who are brilliant individually and share a wonderful chemistry together. Also contributing to the experience is its unconventional structure, surreal camerawork, languid pace & enriching score.

Overall, Mulholland Drive is everything one expects from a David Lynch feature and then some. Despite the confusion & bafflement the film causes every now n then, there is a strange strong magnetic pull to its mystery that can't be denied. Challenging & mystifying in intoxicating ways, the film is considered by many to be Lynch's magnum opus and it very well may be, for there is plenty about it that stimulates the senses in the most alluring manner. Definitely recommended.

A simple, sentimental & straightforward drama that may seem like an uncharacteristic entry in America's greatest surrealist's filmography but the themes it taps into are no different from his other works, The Straight Story is a sincerely crafted & emotionally resonant odyssey of an old man who embarks on a 240-mile journey on a lawnmower to meet his estranged brother in the wake of him suffering a stroke.

Directed by David Lynch (Eraserhead & The Elephant Man), the film is his heartwarming ode to the America he knows, loves & grew up in and is as personal a story as any in his body of work. And through Alvin Straight's remarkable road trip, he's able to celebrate its preserved richness. The film is about values, determination, kindness, forgiveness & healing and though not surreal in a literal sense, it is a deeply spiritual experience.

Lynch's honest direction steers the narrative with an assuredness that only compels us to invest in the proceedings but it's the intensely captivating performances that bolster it. Led by Richard Farnsworth's celestial showcase of grit, strength & tenacity, the film is entirely dependent on his input and he more than carries this story past the finish line on his feeble shoulders. And adding more enrichment to the ride is Angelo Badalamenti's intimate score.

Overall, The Straight Story is one of Lynch's most personal & moving films and is a testament to his versatility as a master storyteller. A powerhouse of emotions that showcases everything that matters & makes living worthwhile, it's a slice of life that illustrates the beauty in simplicity & the value of kindness and is one picture that audience will appreciate more n more as they get older. One of the best films of its year, the most accessible of all Lynch films & also amongst his finest.

There is often a debate about who's the better filmmaker between Robert Eggers, Jordan Peele & Ari Aster which I've always found funny coz the answer is & has always been Eggers. There is no denying that both Peele & Aster have been expanding the landscape of horror one picture at a time but Eggers is operating on a whole different level and his films are pushing the genre into uncharted realms. And his latest offering is no exception.

An ingenious remake of the most influential vampire film of all time, Nosferatu finds the visionary at the apex of his craft as he finally brings his passion project to screen. A symphony of horror & a gothic tale of obsession that unfolds like a sensual reverie & sinister nightmare simultaneously, the film is as twisted & repulsive as it is powerful & alluring and had me levitating with joy for the sheer craftsmanship on display, for it is Eggers' finest effort since The VVitch.

Hypnotically scary & hauntingly beautiful, Eggers' latest has death & dread smeared all over its tragic & melancholic story that benefits from his painstaking research into the historical folklore, mythology & fantasy and is furthermore bolstered by a star-making performance from Lily-Rose Depp. The authenticity of the atmosphere, setting & environment conjures an evil that feels fully realised here and the pristine use of shadows n lighting only adds to the eerie & foreboding vibe.

Overall, Nosferatu is one of the rare remakes that's possibly better than its source of inspiration and easily ranks amongst the best films of its year. Diabolical, seductive & endlessly fascinating, Eggers has yet again delivered on expectations with an all-round horror masterpiece that grabs us by the throat and doesn't let go. Destined to rank amongst the finest works of its genre in the years to come, Eggers' 4th feature film cements his status as a horror auteur with an unfailingly unique vision.

The standalone version of the titular TV series pilot with 20 additional mins that also provides a closure to the Laura Palmer case, Twin Peaks didn't dazzle me as much as I expected but it still intrigued me enough to check out the first season at least which I plan to do in the coming days. While riveting for the most part, this self-contained story unfortunately doesn't work as a whole.

Co-written & directed by David Lynch, this feature-length episode borrows elements from soap opera & detective fiction but presents it in a wicked, uncanny & offbeat way that the director is known for. The setup is quick, the tone & atmosphere has an unnatural feel to it, and character introductions are interesting to say the least, for almost everyone has some strangeness about them.

For the most part, it works as a perfectly good starting point to something a lot more promising but the alternate ending that brings closure to this narrative feels hurried & unearned. The only thing we get about its eccentric set of characters are first impressions which isn't enough for a satisfying conclusion. Performances vary from effortless to campy while Angelo Badalamenti's score stands out.

Overall, Twin Peaks features segments that strike an impression right away but the last 30 mins or so sways far from the road and ultimately fails to deliver the goods despite tying up the loose ends. I'm curious to find out what's different about the original pilot that leads to more episodes but there is enough in here to keep the audience invested in the mystery even if the ending feels rather underwhelming.

A provocative & politically charged drama that also serves as a scathing critique of oppressive rule through the devastating account of a family's unraveling, The Seed of the Sacred Fig is an increasingly incendiary story that takes its time to acquaint us with the family dynamics before seeds of paranoia & mistrust take root in the household and turn the whole thing into a familial nightmare.

Written, co-produced & directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, the main incident that sets the plot into motion takes place over an hour into the picture but in that time, it does familiarise us with the volatile situation & civil unrest taking place outside the house that complicates things a lot more within the household. Rasoulof is patient in his approach and provides ample space for the characters to breathe.

The first half covers the clash in ideology & perspective that unfolds between the ladies of the house over the real-world riots & protests taking place outside their apartment, the footage of which is interspersed within the narrative. The film is expertly shot but the narration is rather clunky and only held together by strong performances from the cast. The runtime is also often felt, and the final act overstays its welcome.

Overall, The Seed of the Sacred Fig is a bold, brave & audacious effort from Rasoulof who risks his own life & puts everything on the line to deliver a scorching indictment that's timely & urgent in more ways than one. The slow-burn pace makes the length all the more daunting despite the premise being interesting on paper and the film as a whole needed to be more tightly-knitted to make its powerful message heard with thunderous clarity.

From the director of The Night Comes For Us & May the Devil Take You comes a vicious, violent & vengeful action thriller that delivers on the action front with its no-holds-barred approach yet is undermined by its needlessly overlong & half-baked story that actually could've done without a whole subplot. Within its bloated 145 mins runtime, there is a lean n mean 90 mins action film that would've sufficed.

Written & directed by Timo Tjahjanto (Killers & Headshot), The Shadow Strays concerns a young assassin who goes on a killing rampage to save a boy from a crime syndicate. Tjahjanto's direction is lot better than his writing, for the action set pieces & fight choreography are utterly impressive but the dramatic portion is weak, character bits lack depth, storytelling is mediocre, plus it piles up extra baggage for no reason.

The picture would've been thoroughly gripping if it was solely focused on a single tightly-knitted plot instead of branching out in multiple directions and didn't need to be as long as it turned out to be, for it unnecessarily complicated a simple, straightforward premise. Performances are fine when it comes to the physicality of the roles but isn't compelling on the emotional front. And the journey also gets repetitive after a while.

Overall, The Shadow Strays is packed with bloody, intense & gruesome scenes of carnage but there is also a much better film buried beneath all the insipid attempts at creating a sprawling crime drama at which it fails. The story is at its most gripping when it features our protagonist slice, dice, stab & slash her way through endless bodies and yet every time the film decides to take a breather, the interest fizzles out and it all comes to a standstill.

The 2nd feature-length film in the famed Wallace & Gromit series, Vengeance Most Fowl marks the return of the definitive screen villain of our age whose evil perfection is only matched by his cold dead expressionless beady eyes, and is a masterwork of top-notch storytelling & first-rate craftsmanship that brims with as much creativity & imagination as it does with heartfelt charm.

Directed by Nick Park & Merlin Crossingham, the premise is simple & straightforward like before and is crafted with the same zest, soul & passion as their earlier works. The story takes a dig at our over-reliance on technology but in a gentle, amusing fashion, and it is at its most interesting when featuring the evil penguin concocting his revenge on the eccentric inventor & his loyal dog.

Still, there are a few empty stretches in the narrative as there isn't enough material in the script to properly cover its 79 mins runtime, and the picture as a whole would've sufficed as a shorter, tightly-knitted & more compact adventure. The wonderful wit & simplicity in execution does aid the experience, and the claymation on display leaves a lasting imprint of its own with clever set pieces.

Overall, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is yet another fascinating entry in the franchise that's as delightfully captivating as it is endlessly endearing. Despite the film not scoring as high as Aardman Animations' finest examples, there is a pleasant quality & universal appeal to it that inspires affection & exudes comfort throughout, thus making it one of the most fun & wholesome offerings of the year.

A gorgeously rendered & emotionally captivating work of animation that follows a solitary cat's perilous adventure in the wake of a great flood, Flow (Straume) packs as much heart & warmth as it is overflowing with nail-biting segments and makes for one of the most beautiful, arresting & soul-stirring films of the year despite featuring no dialogues.

Co-written & directed by Gints Zilbalodis, the premise is a simple one about a group of animals trying to survive together and it's wordlessly narrated. No reason or explanation is provided for the events that set this plot into motion and relies entirely on these animals' gestures, instinct & behaviours to articulate their emotions & feelings to us with unfailing clarity.

The animation has a distinctly familiar yet undeniably fresh feel to it, thanks to the rich textures, dreamy quality & breezy flair it exhibits. Also notable is the smooth camerawork, employing long takes, vivid palette & exquisite lighting to enrich the environment. The film also utilises only real animal voices which add to character authenticity while the wonderful score enriches the mood some more.

Overall, Flow is an irresistibly enchanting fantasy adventure that's effortless in its execution and offers a cinematic experience that's as emotionally vibrant as it is visually spellbinding. Possibly the best animated offering of the year and undeniably the most endearing of them all, there is a genuine intimacy & cinematic ingenuity on display here that dazzles & delights the senses. And it flows so well from start to finish.

DreamWorks Animation's first traditionally animated film is a biblical adaptation that chronicles the life of Moses from being a prince of Egypt to becoming the chosen deliverer of his people. A masterwork of its medium that conjures pure magic on screen with its breathtaking animation & first-rate storytelling, The Prince of Egypt is a fascinating retelling of The Exodus and one of the finest examples of its genre.

The story is simple, straightforward & surprisingly accessible and focuses on the bond between the two brothers that's challenged when they learn of their identity & destiny. Brilliantly directed & deftly scripted, the narrative elements are sound, the conflicts carry considerable weight and the expert execution of technical elements not only keeps the audience invested in the fable but also enriches the viewing experience.

The visual flourishes, rich textures & gorgeous renderings result in an animation spectacle that dazzles & delights in equal measure. Camerawork is splendid, making ingenious use of lighting, colour & shadows. Hans Zimmer's score is as majestic as it is evocative. Editing keeps the plot tightly-knitted and steadily paces the 99 mins runtime. And the voice cast play their respective roles responsibly and share fine rapport with each other.

Overall, The Prince of Egypt has only grown in stature over the years and for good reason. The film takes an age-old story, centres the plot on the relationship between two brothers, and lets the timeless quality & hand-drawn wizardry of traditional animation elevate it to better heights. Visually striking, emotionally resonant, aesthetically pleasing & no less than an artistic triumph, DreamWorks Animation's sophomore feature is one of their greatest efforts.

A powerfully melancholic & profoundly intimate slice of social realism that's further bolstered by outstanding performances from its trio of ladies, All We Imagine As Light is as perceptive as it is patient, as vociferous in its silence as it is contemplative in its portrait and is as expertly crafted as it is sensibly told, thus announcing the arrival of a bold & fresh creative voice from the Indian filmmaking scene.

Written & directed by Payal Kapadia in her feature film debut, the film is an earnest reflection of everyday life in the bustling cosmopolitan that is Mumbai and makes for a sobering observation of the confines & constraints within which women of Indian society exist. Kapadia takes her time to acquaint us with her characters, gives them ample space to breathe and shows their plight & desires with tenderness.

What stands out about Kapadia's direction is the compassion in the sketching of her characters and gentleness with which each scene is shot. The cinematography is breathtaking, illuminating the rain-drenched, dimly-lit streets & spaces of the city in gorgeous colour palette, with camera angles that add to its mesmerising quality while additional enrichment comes from the excellent performances, evocative score & layered depths.

Overall, All We Imagine As Light inclines more towards an arthouse endeavour than mainstream offering and isn't going to satisfy every palate. The first half of the film is thoroughly riveting but once the setting changes from Mumbai to the beach town, the story slows down considerably & its runtime is deeply felt too despite the closure it brings. Ruminating on womanhood, loneliness, female desire & insecurities, Kapadia's film is a poetic meditation on migrant life in modern India.

The first Sub-Saharan African film by a native filmmaker to gain international acclaim, Black Girl (La Noire de...) follows a Senegalese woman who moves to France hoping for a better life only to find herself slaving away as a domestic help for a white family. The story covers the discrimination, marginalisation & subjugation she suffers at the hands of her employers, and the resistance she puts up in response.

Written & directed by Ousmane Sembène in his directorial debut, the story goes back n forth to highlight the contrast in the titular character's life in Senegal & France and addresses racism & colonial oppression dynamics through the mistreatment & loss of identity she undergoes during her stay with the couple. Also, there's a subdued rage that underlines the imagery here that will resonate best with viewers from former colonies.

The story is simple, the execution is straightforward and despite being only an hour long feature, the film ends up saying plenty about the injustices of colonialism without explicitly stating it. Mbissine Thérèse Diop's performance has a restrained & simmering quality to it that quietly boils to the surface before spilling over in her last act of defiance and she articulates every bit of that with nuance. And the ending that follows afterwards is powerful too.

Overall, Black Girl is an essential & illuminating piece of African cinema that provides a valuable perspective of the colonised demographic and portrays the immigrant experience with both flair & clarity. Sembène in his very first feature exhibits a clear grasp of every filmmaking aspect and imbues the story with rich details, resonant themes & subtle touches that add to the experience. A landmark film from the continent, this French-Senegalese drama is worth a shot.

From the writer-director of Mary & Max comes yet another stop-motion animation gem, this time a bittersweet memoir of a melancholic misfit who looks back on her life marred by tragedy, misfortunes & mundanity. Taking ideas & inspiration from the director's own life, Memoir of a Snail addresses loss, grief, loneliness, depression & more through the trials & tribulations of the lonely misfit from childhood to adulthood.

Written, produced & directed by Adam Elliot, the film is darkly funny & downright devastating as we journey more into the life story of our protagonist. Elliot employs slices of his own experience to narrate this memoir that starts on a poignant note but slowly finds its way towards hope as it unfolds, ultimately finishing with a life-affirming statement that we can only connect all the dots looking backwards while living forwards.

The painstaking stop-motion process impresses without doubt but it's the voice performances that leave a stronger imprint along with the deft script, splendid camerawork & excellent score. The story does get repetitive after a while and the slow pace becomes a bother but there is an earnestness in the storytelling that shines through and compels the audience to stay on board, and makes its message heard loud & clear in the end.

Overall, Memoir of a Snail is a skilfully directed, neatly scripted, ingeniously animated, expertly photographed & intimately scored tragicomedy that ranks amongst the better films of the year. It is heartbreaking yet heartwarming, disquieting yet comforting, tragic yet amusing and all the things that makes life worth living. A plea that asks its viewers to get out of their shells in order to experience the beautiful tapestry of life, this memoir is worth a shot.

From the director of Back to the Future Trilogy & Forrest Gump comes a supernatural horror that does brim with tension & mystery but it takes so long to get where it needs to be that the interest is already lost by the time that moment arrives. What Lies Beneath has several elements working in its favour but its lengthy runtime, tedious pace & repetitive segments only diminish its impact.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis, there are some obvious references to Hitchcock's works and many scenes are even filmed in similar fashion to homage their sources of inspiration. Zemeckis moves the camera around fluidly and envelops the story with a silently unsettling atmosphere. Editing is where it hits a snag as the build-up is allowed to simmer for too long & the ending isn't worth the wait either.

The smooth camerawork, intelligent use of jump scares & Michelle Pfeiffer's performance are a few positives here, and the actor is really committed to her role even if no one else seems to be. Harrison Ford is just there, doing nothing. And the rest are more or less forgettable. The ending also overstays its welcome, the misdirections are a tad too many, and there are few scenes the film could've done without.

Overall, What Lies Beneath relies on its atmosphere & few well-timed scares to deliver the thrills but the slow-burn narration & predictable storyline only fizzle the interest instead of intensifying it. Pfeiffer does give her all here and almost single-handedly steers this story past the finish line but she needed better support from the rest. Failing to offer anything worth investing into, What Lies Beneath only impresses in bits n pieces.

A delicious blend of horror, comedy, romance & coming-of-age drama that's as endearing as it is life-affirming, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is sharp in its humour & sweet in its bite, offers an amusing yet heartfelt look at suicide & depression, and is wonderfully steered by quiet performances & gentle chemistry between its likeable leads.

Co-written & directed by Ariane Louis-Seize in her feature film debut, the story follows a young vampire who's too sensitive to kill until she finds an unlikely solution in a young man with suicidal tendencies. It is a wickedly funny premise that's directed with confidence and establishes the vampiric society among humans with finesse. And the central dilemma only leads to hilarious situations.

The plot hinges on the two soft characters, each broken in their own ways, who discover a new side of themselves through their awkward conversations & strange predicament. And both the actors deliver on that front. Their performance has a gentle touch, melancholic quality & warm tenderness that compels us to invest in them, and they are brilliantly supported by the rest of the cast.

Overall, Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person deftly utilises the vampire motif to present a familiar human world in a new light and addresses its delicate themes with a light-hearted flair. The darkly-lit camerawork, steady pace, splendid music & kind-hearted moments only enrich & elevate the experience, while the elegant direction & earnest execution makes it a fantastic debut feature.

Powered by another fantastic showcase from the ever-reliable Song Kang-ho, The Attorney is a riveting slice of South Korean history that brings an infamous incident to screen and delivers as a consistently captivating legal drama about an ambitious tax lawyer who decides to represent & defend a group of students arrested by the military regime on fabricated charges.

Co-written & directed by Yang Woo-suk in his directorial debut, the story first acquaints us with the titular character, the rise of his law firm and the events that ultimately lead to him taking up the notorious case. The other subplot depicts the human rights violations that was perpetrated by the military power during its rule before the two storylines clash & unravel in the court of law.

The non-linear narration has its hits n misses but it keeps the interest alive. The film starts as a light-hearted drama and takes its time to establish the protagonist which helps us invest in him despite his differing views which are then challenged & changed by the court proceedings. The performances are gripping, with Song adding another impressive work to his acting oeuvre and leads from the front.

Overall, The Attorney is a skilfully crafted & brilliantly acted historical account of South Korea's dark past that rides almost entirely on Song's fantastic input to steer past the finish line, and is by all means a promising start for its debutant director. Informative, enlightening & entertaining throughout, the film isn't as provocative or politically charged as it could've been but it delivers the desired goods with finesse.

Immortal for its contribution to sci-fi cinema, influential for its groundbreaking use of prosthetics, and laced with sociopolitical themes that are relevant even today, Planet of the Apes is an iconic landmark of its genre that spawned a media franchise that still breathes today and delivers as a sci-fi adventure, a modern-day parable & a cautionary tale all at once.

Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner (Patton), it's interesting how desolate the first act is and takes ample time to setup the calm before the storm. Schaffner is not only patient in his approach but also confident in his execution of the material and renders the ape society to life with conviction. The plot is simple & straightforward but there's also a cheekiness to it that hasn't aged well.

The steady camerawork, measured editing & unsettling music play their part but the one aspect that leaves an indelible mark is the special effects wizardry employed to bring its ape civilisation to cinematic life. Performances are solid, with Charles Heston leading from the front but the film is at its most interesting when it is illustrating the primitive details of a world turned upside down.

Overall, Planet of the Apes is as intriguing as it is entertaining and makes for one of the classic works of science-fiction. The film may have lost some of its potency over the years but it is still quite capable of surprising the newcomers with its artistry, imagination & racial allegories. The ride isn't as smooth as expected but that shocking final revelation still packs a strong punch & ends the journey on a fitting note.

Kiran Rao's sophomore feature finds the director once again tapping into the rural landscape of India to enlighten & entertain the viewers with another strongly desi-flavoured crowdpleaser. An intelligently scripted & expertly acted comedy drama shedding light on domestic issues that are still prevalent in the country, Laapataa Ladies is amusing & empowering in equal measure, is an apt critique of how ladies are treated in Indian society and also delivers the underlying message without preaching any of it.

Brilliantly directed and further strengthened by convincing performances from its cast, the story is gripping from the get-go, is narrated with striking flair, and never for once loses its funny side. Addressing patriarchy, corruption, gender roles, womanhood, cultural barriers and the liberating power of discovering your own strength through the misadventures of two young brides who get mixed up during a train ride, this coming-of-age delight is funny, moving, chaotic, heartwarming & above all, life-affirming. Don't miss it.