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Oru Njayarazhcha (2019)
An outstanding film
It isn't often you find real humans in Malayalam films. Malayalam films relentlessly distort reality into cliched spaces for the sake of humor and social compliance. It isn't unusual for a filmmaker or an actor (mostly the female lead) to be under serious flak and abuse for showing on screen the slightest of deviation from the cinematic conditioning mainstream filmmakers has imposed upon the viewers for decades. Agree that this is a constant feedback loop between films and the traditionalist Kerala society.
A Sunday however is a real contrast to everything I wrote above. It was indeed overwhelmingly refreshing to find some real humans in a Malayalam film. Human beings can be flawed, vulnerable and insecure and they are constantly exploited by oppressor class using the chances bestowed to them by an underlying social repression. A reference is the voyeuristic man at the beach who demand money from the couple by making use of their vulnerability.
Another feature of the film is not being judgmental; look at the sane behavior of the man/husband for instance, who came out of the garden to have a drink and exhibit some great integrity. It also infers the fact the drinks and cigarettes are mere consumables that neither deserved to be celebrated nor scorned. This is something Shyamaprasad, the director has often done in the past too with Hey Jude, English etc.
To conclude, it was such a great film and I am content to have watched a good Malayalam film.
Mayaanadhi (2017)
The first of its kind
The two protagonists of Mayanadi, Apu and Mathan could have been one of the most loved couples if they happened elsewhere but in a Malayalam film. It isn't that they are unanimously denied by the people of Kerala. They are being the victims of a planned and organized attack from a certain sect of 'bhakts' who are just very very loud ever since the movie was set to hit the cinema. Of course there is a political situation this film industry is through right now and as in any part of the world, the beholders of the name 'bhakts' hold zero intelligence and hence their logic behind this campaign remain irrational, naïve and more significantly foolish.
However this does not stop a whisker, from the movie being appreciated. I can't think of many movies in Malayalam that came out presenting love. There had been a lot of films which represented love but they have all been timid, implicit and terrified of presenting love. Mayandi is different, the first of its kind and never did shy away from the reality of love.
Mayanadhi is a film that also presents you with well-developed characters whom you so often tend to realistically relate to yourself especially if you had ever been in love and I assume that to be everybody.
Into the plot and characters, it isn't certain whether Apu and Mathan are more similar or different or they are a filigree of contradictions. Apu thinks Mathan is a survivor and his cattitude gets him out of all situations and she trusts herself there. But then the truth is Apu is a product of a privileged household who has throughout her life clung onto her privileges whilst Mathan's survival instincts were more of a necessity than a character trait like Apu thinks and he could only survive so far. Though Apu hasn't loved anyone else in her life, Mathan remains only an option for her. Maybe that she lost the trust and needs time for repair. Nevertheless she shows constant apathy. However for him she is the last chance of survival. Now that's the enormity of the gulf in life circumstances of the two. The movie is so strongly built that as a viewer, these differences despite being implicit are so obviously felt. As in the case of sex, Apu can have sex with anyone she loves especially on a happy day. Mathan is a clear no there. It's either Apu or none.
When it comes to verbal skills (English), Apu hasn't been great in the past but she develops it thriving to survive. Mathan evidently is not the greatest of speakers but then it does not matter. Apu picks his thoughts easily even if it is loosely used language. He calls her a prostitute after her claim of sex not being a commitment. He meant to call her a whore or a slut or any random word that does prosper in character assassination but then it didn't matter. She picks it. It isn't that she didn't know that prostitutes are not bad people and they are just people who took up the profession either by choice or were falling victims. Mathan didn't mean any of those either. He only meant insult. He wasn't thinking too highly of her at that moment when he called her a prostitute. Not since he thought prostitutes were bad people either. He was being denied by Apu and he spontaneously wanted to inflict insult but was crippled by his verbal skills. However the intent did get to her and both were on the same page.
It isn't for a reason all these subtle distinctions and delicate qualities of the characters were cinematized nor are they random expressions contributing to the film's political proclivity alone without being part of the plot. The movie is well consolidated when Apu leaves Mathan to destiny and cattitude and herself choosing to live in earnest hope and despair. Her class has thrived her to struggle only so far. Doesn't it sound easier to let it go when the dynamics of struggle changes from what you are historically used to? This is exactly where the movie is thought to have done justice to its character development and that's so different from plots where the naïve villager at the face of threat grows up super-human with no evident training or supernatural ancestral genes and ends up beating the hell out of all the bad guys.
Mayanadi isn't all about Apu and Mathan either. There are these three friends, the wise Ashan, the jobless homeopathic mom, the pro-kiss of love brother, of course the three police men, a group of strong and independent urban women, voices against the institution of marriage, the trans-woman who isn't frowned upon, the extent to which the Muslim female is oppressed no matter how liberated they seem, how sex is about love and choice of expression and not a commitment, how easy, cruel and disturbing are encounter killings and how wrong it would be to celebrate them . In the end, such a splendid movie and it doesn't take a lot of intellect guessing its politics.
The Straight Story (1999)
All I can say is 'Its beautiful'!
The Straight Story is a beautiful film. Shot in the North-eastern part of the United States, it never missed any flavors available. I just didn't want the movie to be over. And beyond the beauty of the movie, the real beauty lies in the characters. It seems there are only good people in this world. Right from the loving father and daughter, the doctor, Alvin's friends and neighbors,the lawn mover seller, the bus driver, the women on the bus, the woman who hit the deer, the cycle riders, the family who recovers his lawn mover, the old man who buys him the beer, the mechanic brothers, the padre...everyone of them. I just wish if the world was like that.
I'd like to mention a few incidents too. Alvin's friends though they ask him not to go never laughs at him when he returns with the broke carriage. They rather express their empathy. The woman hitting the deer gives the impression that she is upset for her car or time but it ain't. She says she loves deer. The family who receive Alvin want to drive him to his brother's and the scene where the husband tries to convince his wife about this is exceptional.
Even that run away girl proved to be loving. And of course the great message that war is not fought between countries, not even between soldiers but between innocent men who just want to earn for their lively hood.
And of course the cinematography was excellent and the scoring was sublime. Altogether a must watch especially if you don't get disheartened by the slow pace.
Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
Charlie Wilson tries to save Afghanistan from the Soviets
Of course great work done... But how many times have American films gone ahead and defended their fatherland's atrocities. Here comes another example..America has been imperialistic for more than two centuries while Soviets were totally against. Charlie Wilson's war is another classical example which is a fabricated justification of the American arrogance.
These are some facts
1. Its CIA who sowed the seeds of Mujaheddin & other Islamist extremist organization which is now a real set back.
2. Don't you ever forget the Vietnam war??? American Brutalities!!!
3. Unlimited funding to Pakistani military expansion who use it against India rather than fighting terror or feeding their own people.
4. Soviet Union and other so called iron curtain countries were totally against imperialist expansion at least according to their manifesto.
5. Finally the soviets were falling into a trap well set up by president Nixon in Afghanistan.
The Soviets were no saints in Afghanistan but they were far better than the their American counterparts.
Now analyze the Movie...great production but this is an injustice to history.