Unlike in the case of Sully, I knew very little about Lala Land except that it is a musical. Lala Land feels very fresh. It resurrects the musical genre but does it in a way that our current sensibilities are not offended. The most interesting part of the film is how it vi- sually told story. I almost need to see the film one more time to put my finger on how what made it visually so appealing. It sometimes moves seamlessly between what is real and what is fiction. I enjoyed the most the the opening and closing scenes. Lala Land is fun. At times you simply want to get up in your seat and start dancing. Enjoy!
Continue ReadingSully has been nominated by many critics as a top film of the year. I knew why many critics loved the film. Sully rejects landing a plane that lost both engines safely on the Hudson River and saving the lives of all 155 passengers makes him a hero. He insists that he was just doing his job. He also insists that he was not doing the alone. There was his co-pilot, the crew, the emergency response team of NYC.
Continue ReadingChristmas 2016. This wonderful film from Japan landed in my house during the holidays. It has been circling the airwaves since 2008. I am glad it finally reached me. The film won an Oscar for best foreign film and it is a treat fitting the holiday spirit. At the center of Depatures is Daigo, a thirty something cello player (Masahiro Motoki) in Tokyo whose classical orchestra closes down. Because he just had spent $US 150,000 on a cello he is now in a real fix. The event triggers soul-searching.
Continue ReadingI saw this film on the weekend after Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. The Donald as the commander-in-chief of the most powerful military in the world is not a comforting thought.
Continue ReadingEnchanted by The Hunt for the Wilderpeople, I rented Taika Waititi’s earlier film Boy. It is not as mesmerizing as the The Hunt but it still a tour de force of creativity.
Continue ReadingI did not jump onto this train voluntarily. I was dragged on it. After watching it, I can at least confirm that the low IMDB rating is right on target. Now the most interesting question is why would this book become a bestseller? I suspect because it allows women to feel victims of their controlling husbands. This film will not withstand the test of time. In 100 years—I confidently predict—it will be completely forgotten.
Continue ReadingOn a recent plane ride, I watched three films. Demolition, Mr. Right, Everybody Wants Some. Demolition was the best among the three. It tells the story of a hardworking man on Wall Street who on his way to work into the city has car crash in which his wife is killed. As he is mourning his wife’s death, he is learning that his wife unbeknownst to him was not happy in their relationship. He now starts to demolish his old life to find out why.
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