Want to blow your mind? Watch 90s' Agneepath and 80s' Scarface right after each other. They are truly classic films and belong almost wholly to their respective stars: Amitabh Bachan and Al Pacino. These rags-to-riches gangster films have it all: haunting soundtracks, extremely troubled protagonists with memorable stylised carriage. The violence, the origin stories, the tragedy, the memorable monologues are really worth it. I've always felt that Amitabh Bachan was inspired a lot by Al Pacino and this film is an homage to Scarface and its star. (They also both have these intense murderous big eyes) I wouldn't cheapen Agneepath by saying it was copied by Scarface. It is still a highly compelling and powerful film with an iconic performance by the great Bachan. Do watch them together.
You know what else I realised after watching all 3 Soderbergh Ocean movies together? Everyone has forgotten how hypocritical it is to criticise Dubai for its vulgarity, gaudiness and ridiculousness when the original sin city is Las Vegas itself. In these films, Las Vegas as excess-in-the-dessert is never once slighted in these highly stylised, entertaining and humorous films. The whole criminal gang is adorable while romping about in the desert and lights and other big towns around the world. So, why hate on Dubai?
I love watching space movies and series. In these past months, I've seen everything from Another Life to Nightflyers, from The Cloverfield Paradox to Oxygen. I think I particularly like the crew in space stories where everyone is constantly solving problems, fighting mental space fevers or aliens and studying physics. It keeps inspiring me to get off the sofa and do something!
My favourite new genre has to be horror. Good horror. There's classic horror which makes us afraid of haunted cupboards, demon kids and slashers. But the new horror has managed to broaden its horizons. There's Get Out and Us which truly highlight racism as horror. In India, there's also investigation of social issues using the horror genre i.e. Bulbul, Boomika, Kaali Khuhi, etc. I don't think these Indian examples have touched those sublime notes that American cinema /TV has with Get Out or the Haunted series. Mike Flanagan's Haunting of Hill House, Haunting of Bly Manor, and Midnight Mass are masterpieces. There is so much grief, sadness and madness, tragedy and poetry in these series. One of the most memorable and striking moments is from Viola's transformation from a dead soul into a faceless ghost and how the force of her being and will creates a trap everyone on Bly Manor. The way in which the story is told is a haunting idea of ghosts, the dead, of unrequited desires, and families. Similarly, the tragedy that befalls characters in these series , some self-made and some out of control, wholly sucks you in and , it is hard to actually hate any character except for perhaps Bev in Midnight Mass.
Moving on, can I say how sick I am of Meryl Streep? She seems to be everywhere. Yes, she's a grand master of cinema but it feels like she's hogging everything. Give it a rest, Meryl.
Danny Devito's character in Jumanji 2 is exactly like Aboo!
Finally, can I gush over Indian Netflix which killing it? I mean, where do we start?
From Bombay Begums to Ajeeb Dastaans , from Pagglait to Ray, from Ankahi Kahaniya to Navi Rasa and, Paava Kadhaigal. I think I particularly love the story series. They are stunning.
And, in Pakistan, our biggest star went from appearing with her covered head to wearing glasses in a new TV ghissa phitta gharailoo drama.
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