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harshakick
Reviews
Sila Samayangalil (2016)
Perception drives reality
'Sometimes' succeeds in setting the mode, tone and character nuances for the idea that was intended to be conveyed. Right from scene 1, you find yourself amongst the anxious people who put their fate to 'test' at a clinic while waiting what it feels like forever, to be reported on their HIV contraction. The entire movie is a situation that most of us would witness in our daily lives at a hospital/blood test center. The emotions of each character inject themselves into your mind slow and strong that although you may constantly try to judge why they behave the way they do, you however are constantly in understanding the root cause of said actions. Everyone has their own reasons, justifiably simple and realistic. Toward the end, you are left with a minute discomfort, which makes you think about it all over again. This movie does strike the right cord. Every actor played their part with subtlety and within bounds. A valuable lesson on how to make a movie. It screams directorial excellence to me.
Rangasthalam (2018)
Rustic, raging and real. Rangasthalam
Watch the characters speak. Listen to the background score speak. Feel the visuals speak. Read the writer/director speak. A revenge drama. We have watched millions of them, yes. But this will take its spot among the rare few best in this lot. Ram Charan gives a lifetime performance as Chitti Babu. His role, his expressive histrionics owing to the disability (plays deaf), his characterization (not heroic by pretense but through sheer nature). Samantha as the female lead, looks like your typical Indian village belle, shows just how much efforts she has put into this project. Devi Sri Prasad bags yet another life time album which isn't complete with the re-recording. All the characters enter and exit the 'Rangasthalam' (stage) with perfect timing and apt presence. You feel Rangasthalam for the 170minutes. The writing and taking however, takes the top seat as it moulds a pretty known plot into something that's intriguing all through. Art direction takes a special mention. Like his earlier flicks, this one too undeniably has the - SukkuMARK !
Dunkirk (2017)
Virtual reality sans the bane of headsets
Christopher Nolan. A captivating storyteller. Dunkirk, his brainchild, is the exaltation of directorial passion.
Dunkirk is a poem. It has no heroics, no drama, no emotional flashbacks, even, no words for the most part, yet, immensely succeeds in conveying the entirety of it's message towards the end, to the already visually spellbound audience.
When you watch Dunkirk, you are not a third person. You are the wounded soldier, you are the killing one too. You are the rescuer, you are the pilot in the spitfire. You are at war within yourself, torn between the happenings that occurred during the World War's infamous evacuation.
Adding to the visual treat it is, the sound shall have no less of a mention either. There has not been a better score for a war movie to date. The simple sound has regained the throne it's once lost to the digital/techno music. The mood, context and above everything, what comes next has been so craftily elevated with the score, thanks to Mr. Zimmer.
Right from the opening shot, you are there. You hear the battle as a soldier does. You endure the explosions just as they do.
No movie-goer is eligible to critique this work of mastered art.
One can however, only enjoy the experience.