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Daddio (2023)
A Quiet Masterpiece of Human Connection
I can't stop smiling. Seriously, from beginning to end, Daddio captivated me in a way that felt almost personal, like a secret shared between myself and the screen. It's the kind of film you want to experience on your own-or maybe with a partner-where every moment feels intimate and alive.
In Daddio, the magic lies not in grand spectacles or flashy plot twists, but in its ability to transport you. From the very first frame, the film pulls you into the pulse of New York City-its energy, its moods, its contradictions. I found myself swept away by the simplicity of its storytelling, which somehow made me feel more connected to the city, to the characters, and to the experience of living. It's rare to find a film that so perfectly captures the spirit of a place and a moment.
But Daddio isn't about grandeur; it's about those quiet, fleeting moments that happen between people. The film's true beauty is in its honesty, its rawness. There's something refreshingly unpolished in the way the characters move, speak, and connect with one another. It's not about judgment or analysis-it's about feeling. In that way, the film transcends the usual "craft" of cinema and instead speaks to the heart of what makes film so powerful: the ability to move us with its simplicity and truth.
And the performances-wow. Dakota Johnson gives a magnetic, emotionally rich portrayal of a woman who is both delicate and strong, her presence nearly impossible to look away from. There's a softness to her that's balanced by an undeniable strength. The lighting and framing work in tandem with her performance, especially in moments where she simply exists in the space around her. Whether she's bathed in soft light or caught in a harder contrast, her silver hair and timeless beauty demand your attention.
Then there's Sean Penn, whose subtle, nuanced performance brings depth to every moment. There's a scene-a simple, intimate gesture-where he offers his hand for a handshake. It's framed so perfectly, so delicately, it's as if the very action holds a thousand unspoken words. Even the small detail of his eye glistening with emotion is exactly the right amount of subtlety. It's a testament to both his talent and the director's keen sense of pacing and sensitivity.
Speaking of direction, the way Daddio is put together feels like a masterclass in restraint. It's not flashy or overly ambitious-it's a quiet meditation on human connection. And yet, there's a deftness to the direction that elevates it above anything else in recent memory. The moments between the two leads are so perfectly timed, so attuned to the rhythms of real life, that you forget you're watching a movie. You're simply there, in that world, sharing in these delicate exchanges.
At its core, Daddio is a film about the beauty and complexity of human connection, about the way we reach out, touch, and hold each other, even if just for a moment. It's a celebration of those small, profound instances that make us feel something real.
Oh, and did I mention-I can't stop smiling while watching the whole film? It's rare to find a film that makes you feel this much without ever raising its voice. Hollywood, this is why I love you. More movies like Daddio, please.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
Excited for the New Trilogy!!
The 'Planet of the Apes' reboot franchise is one of my most favorite movies. Each film in the franchise is impressively rich, both technically and in storytelling, evoking awe throughout their durations. After a satisfactory conclusion to the storyline and reboot trilogy with the death of Caesar, I had no expectations for this new film other than hoping to enjoy their standard visual effects marvel.
The movie started off slowly, and it took me quite some time to get engaged, as the film didn't offer much novelty to captivate me. At the same time, do not let me mislead you into thinking it was not good or sub-par. All these portions were well-executed and had a compelling storyline. However, I was looking forward to the part where they introduce the philosophical arguments they tend to explore in each of the films in the reboot trilogy.
Once the film reaches its halfway point, the human-ape dynamic and the philosophical questions of existence it poses are brought to the surface, along with a long, enjoyable, and terrifically executed action sequence towards the end of the film. The performances were great, particularly that of the ape Noa. At this point, I'm not quite sure to whom to attribute the credit for the performance-does it largely belong to the actor who played the character, or to the visual effects team?
Additionally, there's another common scenario in many movies that I find distracting: a character engaged in some activity or chore suddenly becomes captivated by something off-camera. This might seem like a minor detail, but it often takes me out of the movie-watching experience, many times due to the performance, but other times due to how the scene is edited or directed. This led me to believe that one who pulls off such a moment is a very good actor. And gladly, that happened in this film, where the character of Noa's mother did just that during a beach scene in the latter part of the movie. And I'm going to remember this moment as a benchmark.
Anyway, the movie ends on a high note, making me elated to see that the film could pave the way for a new and exciting trilogy. I'm sold on the next movie, if and when it comes.
Race Gurram (2014)
A solid film in every facet!
What should I say about this film? I am writing this review almost a decade after its original release. Yet, the film continues to work big time for me, just as it did at the time of its release. Everything about it works for me. Allu Arjun's solid performance, Vakkantham's engaging writing, Thaman's terrific BGM, songs, and re-recording, along with the master storyteller Surender Reddy's impeccable and impactful direction, all stand out.
I don't know who came up with the title, but it is such a befitting title for this adrenaline-rush-inducing movie. The direction, editing, performances, and music all complement each other brilliantly. The interval block is one of the best in TFI so far. This block is a testament to the caliber of Surender Reddy. He manages to achieve something extraordinary out of this block, which, in the hands of many others, would've fallen flat. Damn!!!
Once again, every element, including, Brahmi's block in the climax, Sruthi Haasan's track, Prakash Raj's track, and the terrific casting with Ravi Kishan, who killed his role, stands out. Every time I see him, he performs solidly, and his scenes are executed so well that they are blood pumping, Mukesh Rushi's dubbing, the terrific comedy, including Saloni's, MS Narayana's track, and Posani's track... It's impressive that they had so many elements in the movie, yet they all blended so seamlessly.
But it is also kind of sad that Surender Reddy hasn't directed or chosen an original project such as this or Kick since then. Looking at the projects that followed this movie, I presume he had to take some out of compulsion rather than his choice. Nonetheless, in Surender Reddy, I continue to believe. Thank you, sir, for giving us this gem of a movie.
Samajavaragamana (2023)
A repeat watch!
2023 has given me two films that I will continue to watch many times throughout my life. One is Samajavaragamana, the other is Hi Nanna.
When you think of it, we usually say that a movie is good or bad. It worked for me; it didn't work for me. Or it's worth the money, not worth the money, or it's a one-time watch. If you consider all those reactions as one league, feeling and knowing that you will revisit a film over and over many times in your life is an entirely different league. It is sort of a gift for the audience. And I'm thankful for the filmmaker for making this film and giving it to us.
1 - Nenokkadine (2014)
Fine story, badly executed.
To begin with, it was refreshing to witness a departure from the typical genres and stories often seen in mainstream commercial Telugu films. Credit goes to Mahesh Babu and Sukumar.
That being said, the film suffers from an overkill of complexity. Rather than crafting a smart and well-structured plot, it seems that a considerable amount of effort was invested in convoluting the storyline and narration unnecessarily. While Sukumar undoubtedly had some interesting ideas both in terms of the story and its narration, the constant push for unconventionality at every turn only served to detract from the central storyline, rather than enhancing it.
Prometheus (2012)
A Mixed Bag
Being one of the big budgeted movies this year and with the return of Ridley Scott to his very own sci-fi genre after a long wait, expectations are high for Prometheus. This bar was further raised when successful TV series LOST co-writer Damon Lindelof was pulled in to use his screenwriting skills. With all those promising previews and promos, leave alone the well outreached viral campaign, did the film finally lived up to the huge expectations? Read on to find out.
Set in 2089, chronologically much before Alien, the film starts with quick glimpses of the events leading to the deep space voyage in search of our creators coined as 'Engineers'. Waking up from hibernation, the crew was presented a holographic message from old & weary Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce). It's a disappointment for all those who expected a young & rough looking Guy but only has to settle with the mumbling voice beneath all those thick layers of makeup. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green), take over to present their archaeological discovery and further evidence suggesting possible existence of our creators. The crew doesn't find the evidence strong enough to pursue the mission and denounces immediately.
Starting from the landing of Prometheus over alien planet, the next 45 minutes is a carbon copy of Alien screenplay but is a much refined and rational version. The technology shown is far better and intriguing than Alien but in post-Avatar era, the level of sophistication is still a minion. Sensitive viewers may find it irritating when Fifield (Sean Harris), who until then fears of a possible living alien species, tries to pet a reptile-looking alien creature and gets attacked into his helmet. The stupidity can further be noticed when the whole crew except the only sane Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) tries to take in Holloway, by then highly infected with alien serum into the ship for which Vickers refuses. Director Scott somewhere lost the line of space adventure and touched Zombie horror in-between, but somehow made it back to the line leaving no major damage.
Performances of artists are top notch. Michael Fassbender deserves special credit for his portrayal as android David. Well suited for an android role, he is interestingly mysterious in expressions, dialect and body language leaving him both dangerous and funny at times. Though Theron through her mannerisms suggested a robot character, her humanness was revealed early through playing emotions. Rapace, well known for her method acting skills very comfortably slid into the character of Shaw exposing her sensibilities and courage simultaneously.
There are few technical inaccuracies like the aborted alien turns into a gigantic monstrous octopus like creature despite absence of host. The multiplicity in its size and organic matter developed is utterly implausible. It is also absurd to watch the captain and his cabin crew gets convinced to commit suicide in order to stop the alien ship from making its way to the destruction of earth over a casual two-line from Shaw. They die happily cracking jokes!!
Leading to the end, a large amount of the screen time was used for setting up a sequel. Leave alone these not-so-petite issues, Prometheus has the nerve and could've been a trendsetter of its own, but ended up a distorted Alien.