Guild Reviews by Film Page 94 of 112
Senna
Drama, Documentary (Portuguese)
Fascinated by cars since childhood, Brazilian racer Ayrton Senna became a sports legend — until tragedy struck, changing Formula 1 forever.
Cast:
Gabriel Leone, Kaya Scodelario, Matt Mella, Patrick Kennedy, Arnaud Viard, Steven Mackintosh, Camila Márdila, Marco Ricca, Susana Ribeiro, Gabriel Louchard
Director:
Vicente Amorim, Julia Rezende
Writer:
Gustavo Bragança, Alvaro Campos, Álvaro Mamute, Rafael Spínola, Thais Falcão
Thu, December 19 2024
Expensive-looking but shoddily written, Netflix's biographical drama about Ayrton Senna is among the streamer's most disappointing shows of the year.
If nobody were to speak in the new Netflix show Senna, it would immediately warrant at least two extra stars. But each time any of its wafer-thin characters opens their mouths, you’re likely to be overcome by an intense desire to pump the breaks and make a pit stop, or perhaps rewatch Asif Kapadia’s seminal documentary on the subject. Based on the life and career of the legendary Brazilian Formula One driver Ayrton Senna, the six-part biographical drama is flat, uninteresting, and most criminally, boring. It is perhaps the least effective way in which his extraordinary career, and lasting influence, could’ve been commemorated.
Woman of the Hour
Crime, Drama, Thriller (English)
An aspiring actress crosses paths with a prolific serial killer in '70s LA when they're cast on an episode of "The Dating Game."
Cast:
Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Tony Hale, Nicolette Robinson, Autumn Best, Pete Holmes, Kathryn Gallagher, Kelley Jakle, Matt Visser, Jedidiah Goodacre
Director:
Anna Kendrick
Writer:
Ian McDonald
Thu, December 19 2024
Anna Kendrick makes her directorial debut with the darkly comedic thriller, about a woman who comes face to face with a serial killer on a dating reality show. The movie is available on Lionsgate Play in India.
Sometimes, the wiser thing to do is to scale down. Not every film needs to be a sweeping epic, especially not one that demands a tight telling. Directed by the debutante Anna Kendrick, the darkly humorous thriller Woman of the Hour is based on an intriguing real-life story, but suffers from an under-confident execution. The movie would’ve worked wonderfully as a claustrophobic chamber piece, but feels compelled to jump across timelines and juggle between characters with an haphazardness that only does it harm. Kendrick is like an overeager Indian mum, checking the pressure cooker more often than she needs to, thereby releasing all the steam.
Sat, November 30 2024
Anna Kendrick stars in and directs this engrossing real-life story about a serial killer that almost got away.
The saying ’truth is stranger than fiction’ hits harder in films adapted from true-crime stories. The drama feature, Woman of the Hour, tells the unbelievable story of a serial killer who somehow ended up on a dating show as an eligible bachelor in the late 1970s. The shocking story is told by actress Anna Kendrick in her promising directorial debut that is sure to leave an impact.
Joy
Drama (English)
A young nurse, a visionary scientist and an innovative surgeon face opposition from the church, state, media and medical establishment, in their pursuit of the world’s first ‘test tube baby’, Louise Joy Brown.
Cast:
Bill Nighy, James Norton, Thomasin McKenzie, Charlie Murphy, Rish Shah, Cecily Cleeve, Eoin Duffy, Mariam Haque, Abbiegail Mills, Olivia Sellers
Director:
Ben Taylor
Writer:
Jack Thorne
Thu, December 19 2024
Netflix's cloying film about the birth of IVF takes a formulaic approach to what could have been a radical narrative
A well-intentioned drama that teeters on the edge of self-parody, Joy is a film that absolutely deserved to be made, but certainly not in this form. Some years ago, the utterly forgotten The Current War had all the messy ingenuity that a film about the creation of literal electricity demanded — the movie’s tone captured the spirit of its themes. Joy, which dramatises the events leading up to the first in vitro fertilisation (IVF) birth, would have you believe that all conception — let alone that of the artificial kind — is a cakewalk.
The Piano Lesson
Drama, Music, Horror (English)
A brother and sister's battle over a prized heirloom piano unleashes haunting truths about how the past is perceived — and who defines a family legacy.
Cast:
John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Fisher, Michael Potts, Corey Hawkins, Gail Bean, Jerrika Hinton, Stephan James, Skylar Aleece Smith
Director:
Malcolm Washington
Thu, December 19 2024
Starring John David Washington and directed by his brother, Malcolm, the new Netflix movie is a tightly-wound drama about sibling bonds, inherited trauma, and the horrors of the past.
It is easy, one would imagine, for a filmmaker to be overwhelmed by the words of the great August Wilson. Especially if they’ve never made a film before. Musical and marauding, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright’s language is a vessel for the ambition and anger of his people. Netflix’s The Piano Lesson — the latest adaptation of Wilson’s celebrated Pittsburgh Cycle of plays — is directed by the debutante Malcolm Washington, whose father, the legendary Denzel Washington, has publicly devoted this stage of his career to shepherding Wilson’s work onto the screen.
The Teacher
Drama (Arabic)
A Palestinian school teacher struggles to reconcile his life-threatening commitment to political resistance with his emotional support for one of his students and the chance of a new romantic relationship with a British volunteer worker.
Cast:
Saleh Bakri, Imogen Poots, Muhammad Abed Elrahman, Stanley Townsend, Paul Herzberg, Mahmood Bakri, Andrea Irvine, Asmaa Azaizeh, Ruba Blal, Muayyad Abd Elsamad
Director:
Farah Nabulsi
Writer:
Farah Nabulsi
Tue, December 17 2024
A house, lived in for years, bulldozed by the Israeli military in front of its inhabitants, leaving behind a pile of tangible memories under the rubble. A youth resisting the burning down of an Olive orchard shot down by a settler with practised ease and nonchalance, just as if it were the most normal thing to do. Soldiers violently barging into every single home in a village in search of an Israeli military man who was abducted.
Young Hearts
Drama, Romance (Dutch)
14-year-old Elias increasingly feels like an outsider in his village. When he meets his new neighbour of the same age, Alexander, Elias is confronted with his burgeoning sexuality.
Cast:
Lou Goossens, Marius De Saeger, Geert Van Rampelberg, Emilie De Roo, Dirk van Dijck, Jul Goossens, Ezra van Dongen, Olivier Englebert, Olga De Saeger, Wim Opbrouck
Director:
Anthony Schatteman
Writer:
Anthony Schatteman
Tue, December 17 2024
Sometimes, the most gentle turns in a film can create a considerable emotional impact on the viewer. The filmmaker need not necessarily move a mountain to achieve that. Belgian filmmaker Anthony Schatteman’s Young Hearts, with its fresh take on teenage gay romance, is filled with several such moments that flow organically one after the other. Being screened in the World Cinema section at the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), this rather small film about young people has gained appreciation amid a flurry of bigger films boasting wider festival play.
Pierce
Drama, Mystery, Thriller (Mandarin)
Shy and sweet-natured Zijie spends his time learning the art of fencing and listening to his widowed mother, Ai Ling, sing at a local nightclub. When Zijie’s older brother Zihan – a three-time national fencing champion – is released from juvenile prison, Zijie remains intent upon seeing him, despite his mother’s wishes. As Zihan starts mentoring his younger brother, their bond strengthens. But as Zijie develops newfound skills as a fencer and a romance with his teammate blossoms, Zihan’s innocence becomes more questionable.
Cast:
Tsao Yu-ning, Hsiu-Fu Liu, Ding Ning, Rosen Tsai, Benjamin Tsang
Director:
Nelicia Low
Writer:
Nelicia Low
Tue, December 17 2024
In Singapore, I picked fencing because two of my favourite movies growing up had swordplay – Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. So actually it was my love for film that led me to fencing, says the filmmaker.
While watching Pierce, the debut feature of former Singapore national fencer Nelicia Low, one would assume that the sport inspired the film, for fencing is at the very centre of the narrative which deals with brotherly affection and psychopathic tendencies. The trademark moves in the sport, which one character defines as chess played with swords, also parallels the behaviour of the characters in the film, screened in the world cinema section at the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) on Saturday (December 14, 2024).
Kaalratri
Mystery, Drama (Bengali)
When the chilling prophecy of the impending death of Debi's husband comes true the day after her wedding, she finds herself trapped in a web of secrets and scandals of her new dysfunctional family.
Cast:
Soumitrisha Kundu, Koushani Mukherjee, Anujoy Chattopadhyay, Indrasish Roy
Director:
Ayan Chakraborti
Tue, December 17 2024
Directed by Ayan Chakraborti, the thriller also has Anujoy Chattopadhyay, Debesh Chattopadhyay, Rajdeep Gupta, Indrasish Roy, and many others.
Devi (Soumitrisha), who only remembers the past six years of her life, gets married to Rudra Roy Burman (Indrasish Roy) — a drunkard and lecherous son of Samaresh Roy Burman (Debesh Chattopadhyay). Devi’s mysterious friend Maya (Koushani Mukherjee) — known for her ominous presence – predicts that Rudra will die the next day after their marriage. Her prediction becomes real.
Talmar Romeo Juliet
Drama (Bengali)
A budding romance stirs up an all-out war between two rival families in the little hamlet of Talma, where a shocking twist flips everything upside down. Will love conquer all, or will history repeat its tragic end in this quirky twist on William Shakespeare's classic?
Cast:
Debdutta Raha, Hiya Roy, Anirban Bhattacharya, Anujoy Chattopadhyay, Joydeep Mukherjee, Kamaleswar Mukherjee, Ujan Chatterjee, Payel De, Buddhadeb Das, Durbar Sharma
Director:
Arpan Garai
Tue, December 17 2024
Directed by Arpan Garai and penned by Durbar Sharma, Talmar Romeo Juliet is a love story that broadly borrows the outline of Shakespeare’s tragedy.
Badal Majumder (Kamaleswar Mukhopadhyay) and Liyaqat’s (Joydeep Mukherjee) families harbour animosity for each other for years. Badal’s eldest son Somnath (Anujoy Chattopadhyay) and Liyaqat’s nephew pugnacious Mostaq (Anirban Bhattacharya) do not see eye to eye. However, Rana – Badal’s younger son, and Jahanara – Liyaqat’s daughter and the apple of his eye, love each other. All this drama takes place in a small town, Talma.
Pushpa 2
Action, Drama, Thriller, Crime (Telugu)
As his smuggling empire grows, a brazen Pushpa longs for power and respect on his vengeful journey, while facing old rivals and new.
Cast:
Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, Fahadh Faasil, Jagadeesh Bandari, Rao Ramesh, Sunil Varma, Anasuya Bharadwaj, Ajay, Kalpalatha, Pavani Karanam
Director:
Sukumar
Tue, December 17 2024
Sukumar crafts a sequel that’s as audacious as its protagonist, brimming with wild energy and unforgettable visuals. Yet, beneath the swagger and spectacle lies a film grappling with uneven writing and an ending that falters
Why do we like Pushparaj? He doesn’t care to look conventionally attractive. His shoulders are lop-sided, his hair unkempt, his speech brimming with contempt. His work? Smuggling red sanders. His retribution? A fierce defiance of systematic oppression, making him a figure of political utility. And his manner of retribution? Ruthless. As he says, he kills “without mercy.” In this sequel, Pushpa seems almost possessed, his machete slicing through limbs as though they were branches from a tree.
Sun, December 8 2024
“Pushpa naam nahi hain, Pushpa matlab brand hain”, (Pushpa is not just a name; it signifies a brand) states Srivalli, portrayed by Rashmika Mandanna, in this sequel anticipated to shatter all box office records. This statement prompts reflection on whether it is the character speaking or if the filmmakers are conveying their confidence through her words. Following the success of Pushpa (2021), the sequel is grander in every aspect, running an exhausting 200 minutes, though it does not necessarily surpass its predecessor. The filmmakers have amplified every successful element from the first installment, leaving no stone unturned in terms of scale and ambition. However, the narrative, or lack of it, remains unchanged—if the first part emphasised “Pushpa flower nahin, fire hai main”, the second part shifts to portraying him as a wildfire, whatever that may imply.
Sun, December 8 2024
Despatch
Drama, Thriller (Hindi)
Determined to break the next big story and refashion his complicated personal life, Joy embarks on a relentless odyssey through the heart and gut of Mumbai.
Cast:
Manoj Bajpayee, Shahana Goswami, Archita Agarwal, Anand Alkunte, Mamik Singh, Riju Bajaj, Veena Mehta, Rii Sen, Kabir Sadanand
Director:
Kanu Behl
Writer:
Ishani Banerjee, Kanu Behl
Tue, December 17 2024
इस फिल्म का बेहद कसा हुआ, तेज़ रफ्तार ट्रेलर दिखाता है कि मुंबई के एक अखबार ‘डिस्पैच’ का क्राइम रिर्पोटर जॉय बाग एक ऐसे मामले की तह तक जाने की कोशिशों में लगा है जिसमें हजारों करोड़ का घपला है और बड़े-बड़े लोग शामिल हैं। ज़ाहिर है कि इतना सब है तो खतरे भी बड़े हैं। जॉय बाग कर पाएगा इस काम को? कैसे करेगा वह इसे?
Mon, December 16 2024
Sat, December 14 2024
With persuasive performances and immersive camerawork, Kanu Behl’s press procedural on journalist J Dey’s murder case cuts close to the bone
Those who have experienced Titli and Agra would vouch that Kanu Behl’s cinema is not easy to watch. Always reflecting dark shades of everyday reality, the filmmaker has this knack for scratching the soul of his desperate characters struggling to cling to their little power structures and, in the process, leaves impressions on the conscience of the audience.
Agni
Action, Adventure (Hindi)
In a city plagued by a strange rise in fires, fireman Vithal and his policeman brother-in-law Samit reluctantly team up to solve the escalating crisis. Battling personal conflicts, they race against time to crack the case and save Mumbai.
Cast:
Pratik Gandhi, Divyendu Sharma, Jitendra Joshi, Sai Tamhankar, Saiyami Kher, Udit Arora, Kabir Shah, Pramod Pathak, Kundan Roy, Sakhi Gokhale
Director:
Rahul Dholakia
Writer:
Rahul Dholakia
Sat, December 14 2024
Filled with warm and chilling moments, Rahul Dholakia’s social thriller provides firefighters with their moment under the sun
In Indian tradition, fire alludes to love and conflict, devotion and anger, eternality and death. The ever-youthful element that demands sacrifice plays the central character in director Rahul Dholakia’s ode to the unstinting spirit of the firefighters. Capturing a daze’s multiple faces and colours, Dholakia removes the smokescreen that covers the firefighters’ work and opens a window into the lives of those who keep us out of its fury but whose services are not duly acknowledged by the system and society. The action takes us into the heart of the evacuation process, the drama unravels the sacrifices firefighters make and the thriller elements seek to find the answer to the source of the firestorm.
Fri, December 13 2024
Rahul Dholakia's film honours the commitment that heroic firefighters have to their jobs, even as they rail against ‘the system’ which doesn’t give them the support they need.
Hindi movies have played with fire several times before. Those with long memories will remember such films as the 1980 adventure ‘The Burning Train’, which may have picked up inspiration from an earlier Hollywood blockbuster ‘The Towering Inferno’, but those who fight the flames at the risk of their own lives, have never been in the limelight.
Wed, December 11 2024
The film builds momentum as an action-packed social drama, but takes a jarring turn in its second hour.
I couldn’t help but be left with the feeling that there’s an enjoyable disaster film somewhere within Rahul Dholakia’s Agni, which surely owes a debt to The Burning Train (1980). There is more than one echo of the Ravi Chopra-directorial, where the spectacle is foregrounded by professional rivalry – Danny Denzongpa and Vinod Khanna’s in the 1980 film; emulated by Pratik Gandhi and Divyenndu’s characters in Dholakia’s directorial. The innate Bollywood melodrama after an unexpected death, the high-voltage social commentary and righteous anger fuel both spectacles. Both Chopra and Dholakia’s film balance a strong ensemble, offering everyone their moment, and yet Dholakia’s film fails to stick its landing. It might have to do with what Hindi films have become in 2024 – too self-conscious, cautious, and reverential towards any uniform.