4v291o
Watched on Monday June 2, 2025.
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Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is a masterful fusion of horror, history, and cultural critique that resonates profoundly in today’s sociopolitical climate. Set in 1932 Clarksdale, Mississippi, the film follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack Moore (both portrayed by Michael B. Jordan) as they return home to open a juke t, aiming to create a sanctuary for their Black community. Their endeavour, however, is threatened by supernatural forces—vampires symbolising the insidious nature of white supremacy and cultural exploitation.   
Visually, the film is stunning, with cinematography that captures the haunting beauty of the Mississippi Delta and the eerie allure of its supernatural elements. The performances are equally compelling, with Jordan delivering a dual portrayal that is both nuanced and powerful. 
In Sinners, Coogler has crafted a film that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking, using the horror genre to confront uncomfortable truths about race, religion, and cultural identity.
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Paris, Texas, directed by Wim Wenders, is a slow-burning, emotionally rich masterpiece that transcends traditional melodrama through its poetic visuals, deep character development, and powerful emotional themes of loneliness, alienation, family, and redemption.
Harry Dean Stanton delivers a standout performance as Travis, a man recovering from emotional collapse, who reconnects with his young son and embarks on a journey to find his estranged wife, Jane. The film avoids clichés through Wenders’ European sensibility, creating unpredictable, layered storytelling.
The climactic hotel scene in Houston—where Travis reunites Jane with their son—is one of cinema’s most powerful. It combines haunting cinematography, psychological complexity, and deeply moving performances, especially in the intimate scenes between Stanton and Kinski. The scene’s ambiguity—hopeful yet uncertain—underscores the film’s emotional depth.
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Ray’s Aparajito, the second chapter in Apu’s journey, offers a poignant glimpse into a world both beautiful and unforgiving, seen through the eyes of young Apu. Ray masterfully captures Apu’s innocence and growing curiosity as he transitions into adolescence. Yet, the emotional core of the film lies in the deeply moving performance of Apu’s mother, whose anxious care, quiet strength, and profound loneliness resonate powerfully. While the film is steeped in sorrow and hardship, it ultimately tells the story of Apu’s resilience—how he endures personal loss and gradually comes of age.
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Watched on Saturday May 31, 2025.
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Woman in the Dunes is best watched with no prior knowledge, as its strange premise unfolds naturally. A Japanese entomologist becomes trapped in a sandpit with a woman who has accepted her harsh fate. Director Hiroshi Teshigahara and cinematographer Hiroshi Segawa use striking visuals and claustrophobic shots to evoke heat, discomfort, and existential dread. The film explores themes of absurdity, futility, and human resilience, aligning more with Camus and Beckett than Zen philosophy. Sensual moments between the leads highlight the human need for connection amid despair. Despite its grim tone, the film offers glimpses of meaning and dignity through perseverance and creativity. It’s a haunting, thought-provoking experience.
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To dismiss Dial M for Murder as one of Alfred Hitchcock’s “lesser” films would be doing it a serious disservice. While it may not receive the same widespread acclaim as Psycho (1960) or The Birds (1963), this 1954 thriller remains a tightly crafted, elegant example of suspense storytelling—one that deserves far more recognition than it often gets.
Adapted from Frederick Knott’s stage play (which he also scripted for the screen), the film retains much of its theatrical origin by unfolding primarily in a single London apartment. This limited setting might seem like a restriction, but in Hitchcock’s hands, it becomes a crucible of tension. Rather than feeling constrained, the film thrives on its intimacy and claustrophobia, with Hitchcock using deliberate pacing, strategic blocking, and precise camera movement to create an atmosphere of mounting unease.
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Besides the Israeli propaganda, mid level marvel.
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Watched on Sunday May 25, 2025.
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Watched on Sunday May 25, 2025.
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Mission: Impossible - Fallout" is the sixth entry of the "Mission: Impossible" series and the best entry thus far. "Fallout" is a masterpiece. It continues the tradition of the series, where it gets better with each film. This one improves on the older films in every aspect. It has pretty much everything: the action, the stunts, the visuals, the twists. It's a thrilling experience where the viewer is kept on their toes at all times.
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Watched on Saturday May 24, 2025.
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Being married to someone who is cheating on you isn’t just humiliating—it’s a kind of emotional paralysis.
That’s exactly what In the Mood for Love felt like to me. Wong Kar Wai’s masterpiece tells the story of two people—both abandoned emotionally by their spouses—who find each other in quiet, fleeting moments. Their encounters are tentative and careful, hidden from prying eyes. They try to reconstruct what’s lost, replaying the roles of absent partners, trying to understand why and how love slipped away.
What struck me most was the visual poetry. The use of light and shadow—those narrow corridors, half-closed doors, dim stairways—created an atmosphere of secrecy and intimacy that felt deeply familiar. The characters don’t speak much, but every look, every small gesture says what words cannot.
Color and music carried their emotions too. The deep reds and blacks seemed to rise and fall with their ion—intense, then retreating, like smoke dissolving in the air. Just when I thought they might give in, they pulled back, bowing to society and their own conscience. It reminded me of how hard it is to want something deeply and still choose to walk away.
The music—oh, the music. Songs like “Te Quiero” floated in like a memory, echoing a romantic past that made me ache and smile at the same time.
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The film deeply moved me with its quiet portrayal of finding joy and meaning in everyday life through mindfulness and presence. By following Hirayama’s simple, intentional way of living, it reminded me of the beauty we miss when distracted by modern life. The final scene, full of emotion, left me inspired to live more consciously.
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Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning aims to be a grand and emotional farewell to the iconic franchise, but ultimately lacks a true sense of finality. While it delivers spectacular action and standout performances—especially from Angela Bassett—it struggles with an overcrowded cast, inconsistent character handling. The nonstop action, though impressive, loses impact due to its relentless pace.
Despite its flaws, the film is a fitting tribute to the franchise’s legacy, cementing it as a high point in action cinema.
Ghost Protocol, the fourth film in the Mission: Impossible series, improves on its predecessor M:I-3, compensating for the weaker second installment. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is imprisoned for undisclosed reasons, and the team faces a new challenge when they are framed for bombing the Kremlin while investigating a nuclear threat. Simon Pegg returns as the tech expert, providing comic relief and contributing in the field. The film revisits the theme of Ethan being disavowed, giving the team free rein to thwart the villains without oversight. Ethan’s character development is evident as his wife from the previous film is no longer part of his life. The addition of Jeremy Renner’s character adds depth, as he brings both vulnerability and skill to the team. The film features spectacular stunts, such as the Burj Khalifa climb, along with emotional and thrilling moments. Overall, it’s a fast-paced action movie with engaging characters and human elements.
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"Who are you? What's your name? Do you have a wife? A girlfriend? Because if you do, I'm gonna find her. I'm gonna hurt her. I'm gonna make her bleed, and cry, and call out your name. And then I'm gonna find you, and kill you right in front of her." - Davian
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Boooooooooooooooring
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Watched on Saturday May 17, 2025.
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Watched on Thursday May 15, 2025.
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Carrie Mulligan is, as always, fantastic, and I love how 'Promising Young Woman' mixed in some elements of comedy and even romance into what was such a searing indictment of rape culture. For a film making such a strong statement, it's layered and intelligent, bringing out emotional aspects not usually present in revenge-type films. Instead of indulging in the bloodlust of a killing spree, it has her character trying to make others feel something - what it's like to be deceived, frightened, vulnerable, exploited, humiliated, or scarred for life.
The film goes after not just the bros who believe themselves to be nice guys and offer pathetic excuses for their behaviour, but also the power structure protecting them, and it does so in a stylish way. The conversation with the dean of the medical school who looked the other way because she didn't want to """ruin a young man's life""" was particularly devastating, and yet isn't that what happens all the time?
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“The Holdovers” is Alexander Payne’s brilliant treatise on loneliness and friendship. Set during the holidays in 1970, the film is a poignant throwback, yet it timelessly reflects everyday life and longing. In other words, Payne crafts a movie about the human condition and the loveliness and messiness that goes with it.
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Watched on Saturday May 10, 2025.
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Watched on Thursday May 8, 2025.
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Watched on Wednesday May 7, 2025.
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Watched on Sunday May 4, 2025.
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Based on Cornell Woolrich’s short story It Had to be Murder, the film follows a wheelchair-bound photographer, L.B. Jeffries, who becomes obsessed with watching his neighbors and suspects one of murder. Hitchcock’s genius lies in forcing viewers to adopt Jeffries’ voyeuristic perspective, making them complicit while casting doubt on his credibility. The film’s brilliance is also attributed to James Stewart’s expressive performance, Grace Kelly’s charm, strong ing characters, detailed set design, and noir-inspired cinematography. Ultimately, it’s celebrated as one of Hitchcock’s finest works, exploring themes of curiosity, isolation, and the dangers of ignoring those around us.
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Phantom Thread is a beautifully crafted, incredibly intentional film that doesn’t waste a single frame. The performances from Krieps and Day-Lewis will make you feel like you are watching a ceremonious dance performed by two highly seasoned veterans of the arts. It’s playful and powerful and above all else, a completely intoxicating watch.
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Cape Fear, directed by Martin Scorsese, is a stylized thriller about a family terrorized by a vengeful ex-convict, Max Cady (Robert De Niro). The film embraces an exaggerated, pulpy tone, marked by striking visuals, a bold score, and De Niro’s intense, scene-stealing performance. While the ing cast is strong and the film delivers moments of suspense, its impact is undercut by an overly long runtime that weakens its tension. Ultimately, it’s a visually and emotionally charged but uneven thriller.
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Watched on Thursday May 1, 2025.
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Watched on Thursday May 1, 2025.
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Watched on Thursday May 1, 2025.
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Watched on Monday April 28, 2025.
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Watched on Monday April 28, 2025.
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Watched on Saturday April 26, 2025.
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Close-up is a 1990 Iranian film directed by Abbas Kiarostami that blends documentary and fiction, based on a true story. The film follows Hossein Sabzian, a ionate fan of filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf, who impersonates Makhmalbaf to gain the trust of a family. He promises to make a film with them, even borrowing money, until he is eventually exposed and arrested. The courtroom scenes reveal Sabzian’s struggles with poverty and his deep emotional need for artistic expression, blurring the lines between deception and personal pain.
Kiarostami read about the case in a magazine and decided to recreate the story using the real people involved, rather than actors. The film explores themes of identity, truth, and the power of cinema, while also offering a glimpse into the socio-economic conditions of Iran. Close-up is widely regarded as one of Kiarostami’s most powerful and thought-provoking films.
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Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cure is a haunting psychological thriller that blends elements of horror and police procedural to explore deeper questions of identity, free will, and the nature of evil. At its center is Kunio Mamiya, a mysterious, amnesiac young man who possesses a chilling ability to hypnotize others into committing brutal murders. His eerie, repeated question—“Who are you?”—challenges the stability of his victims’ sense of self, unraveling their identities with terrifying ease. Though the concept of mind control in the film is supernatural, it resonates with real-world anxieties about ideological manipulation, such as religious extremism or political fanaticism. Cure ultimately becomes a disturbing meditation on how fragile our sense of self can be, and how susceptible the human mind is to external influence.
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If in your movie, arjun comes out to be the only bright spot, you know you have fucked up as a collective film.
Embarrassing stuff by rohit shitty (not that i expected any less from him).
This works as a great agnostic movie. Rationality prevails at the end and regressive practices are questioned. Ohh, if only this was the reality in today’s world.
Don't know if any director would have the balls to make movie like this in today’s india.
Watched on Monday March 31, 2025.
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Sorry son, I should have done better
Cried like a baby.
Watched on Sunday March 16, 2025.
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Watched on Tuesday March 11, 2025.
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Dune: Part Two amplifies the ambition of its predecessor with breathtaking visuals, immersive world-building, and intense action. The film expands on Part One’s grandeur, showcasing the vastness of Arrakis and the eerie majesty of off-world locations like the Emperor’s domain. A standout moment occurs in a Harkonnen colosseum orbiting a black star, where the monochrome setting heightens the brutality of the scene. The film blends stunning set designs, dynamic action sequences, and Hans Zimmer’s powerful score to create a vivid and immersive sci-fi epic.
Dune: Part Two is a blockbuster that exhilarates and immerses but also intrigues and captivates through its cinematic subversions. It captures the spirit of the novel in its textual and subtextual levels, creating a spellbinding epic whose themes and spectacle are brought to life through unrivaled mastery of craft. Sci-fi storytelling rarely gets better than this.
The movie fails to live up to the hype, excelling in visuals and sound but lacking real horror. Lily’s performance shows promise but is weakened by overacting, and the slow pacing and lack of scares make it feel less like a horror film. Nosferatu seems more like an old man with a strange voice than a terrifying vampire. While it has a few good moments, it ultimately feels underwhelming and forgettable.
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“Anora” is a film defined by its final scene, where the tough exterior of its protagonist, a sex worker caught in a whirlwind romance with a Russian oligarch’s son, completely crumbles. Throughout the movie, Anora proves her resilience—defying the oligarch’s enforcers, standing up to a cruel mother-in-law, and even physically confronting a colleague. But in the closing moments, when shown true kindness, she breaks down, revealing her vulnerability. The emotional impact of this shift is profound, making viewers reconsider everything that came before. Director Sean Baker once again crafts a deeply humanizing story about a character many might initially dismiss, turning her into a fully realized person with a rich interior life.
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Watched on Saturday March 1, 2025.
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I loved A Complete Unknown. To me, it is a story of lost innocence-a modern fall from Eden. Dylan's relentless chase for what he thinks will make him happy only highlights his longing for what he has already lost. The problem is, he doesn't know who he is. His evolving relationships mirror the changes in his music, and by the end, he seems to realize that whatever he's become, he regrets some of his choices because there's no going back.
And the soundtrack? Absolutely killer-every track perfectly captures Dylan's transformation and inner conflict.
Watched on Monday February 17, 2025.
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Watched on Sunday February 16, 2025.
]]>"Cinema" : Martin scorcese
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
- Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
- Spider-Man: No Way Home
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- The Avengers
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Avengers: Endgame
- Iron Man
- Doctor Strange
...plus 28 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>- Taxi Driver
- GoodFellas
- Raging Bull
- The King of Comedy
- Silence
- Killers of the Flower Moon
- The Irishman
- The Departed
- After Hours
- The Wolf of Wall Street
...plus 5 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>"Violence is one of the most fun things to watch"
Tarantino. 🦶👣
🕷️🕸️🕸️
]]>- Nayakan
- Iruvar
- Thalapathi
- Dil Se..
- Bombay
- Ponniyin Selvan: Part I
- Roja
- Ponniyin Selvan: Part II
- Yuva
- Guru
...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>🕒🕑🕐
- Interstellar
- Oppenheimer
- The Dark Knight
- Inception
- The Prestige
- Dunkirk
- Memento
- Tenet
- Batman Begins
- Insomnia
...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>- Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 1
- Ugly
- Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2
- Black Friday
- No Smoking
- Dev.D
- Manmarziyaan
- Raman Raghav 2.0
- Gulaal
- Paanch
...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>May the force be with you
]]>...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>🧟🧟♀️🧟♂️
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