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CINEMA 2020

I watched less than 170 movies in the year 2020. But that should perhaps be the smallest complaint one may have with the year. Of course, if the MAMI Film Festival were held, my usual score of 200 would be reached. The year 2021 is almost half over. Unfortunately, my movie count remains low. I will hope to improve this by the time the year ends. For now, keeping a record of some of the most interesting movie experiences I had in 2020.

MODERN ENGLISH-LANGUAGE MOVIES THAT WORKED FOR ME: 'Jojo Rabbit' (2019), '1917' (2019), and 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' (2020) were the expected titles. I really enjoyed 'Uncut Gems' (2019), so much so that I wish I had time to study its screenplay. Personally, I also loved 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' (2019) and remember being moved deeply by it at the movie theatre. Another very interesting film I'd like to mention is 'Swallow' (2019). Very gripping and extremely well-made. 'Burn Burn Burn' (2015) was super fun too.

The best MODERN FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILMS I watched were the biggies 'Parasite' (2019) and 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' (2019) - both absolutely great. But there were some wonderful, lesser-known ones too: 'All of a Sudden' (2016), 'The Load' (2018), 'All is Well' (2018), 'Echo' (2019), 'The Fever' (2019), and the weird but entertaining 'The Children of the Dead' aka 'Die kinder der toten' (2019). The now famous 'The Invisible Guest' (2016) was quite entertaining too. However, the one that totally blew me over was 'The Platform' (2019) on Netflix. You need such original works once in a while to keep your movie experience unpredictable and exciting. Also, 'Gamak Ghar' (2019) was special.

Some NON-FICTION MOVIES that I'd like to mention are 'Fire in the Blood' (2013), '13th' (2016), 'Talking About Trees' (2019), 'One Child Nation' (2019), 'To Be and to Have' (2002), and 'For Sama' (2019). All of these were brilliant, easily among the very best movies I watched this year.

From WORLD CINEMA, I managed to watch some celebrated ones like 'Tartuffe' (1925, Germany), 'Kiki's Delivery Service' (1989, Japan), 'Babam ve Oglum' (2005, Turkey), and 'Body' aka 'Cialo' (2015, Poland). But certain titles were pure discoveries. 'Mr. Klein' (1976, France), 'Buffet froid' (1979, France), 'Sitcom' (1998, France), 'The Band's Visit' (2007, Israel), 'Oslo, August 31st' (2011, Norway), and the French-language animation 'Ernest & Celestine' (2012).

Similarly, some celebrated ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CLASSICS that I watched for the first time in 2020 and liked were 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner' (1967), 'Night of the Living Dead' (1968), 'Midnight Express' (1978), 'The Blues Brothers' (1980), 'Tootsie' (1982), 'Wall Street' (1987), 'Atonement' (2007), and 'Super 8' (2011) - and 'Creep' (2014) and its 2017, and even better, sequel 'Creep II'. But the best surprises were reserved for these movies I hadn't heard of: 'He Walked by Night' (1948), 'The Small Black Room' (1949), 'The Lavender Hill Mob' (1951), 'Kansas City Confidential' (1952), 'Accident' (1967), 'Long Weekend' (1978), 'Hopscotch' (1980), 'The Hit' (1984), 'Light Sleeper' (1992), ' Bound' (1996), 'Buffalo '66' (1998), 'The Interview' (1998), 'Lantana' (2001), 'Baghead' (2008), and 'The Ruins' (2008). Possibly the greatest of all was 'The Servant' (1963). I don't even remember why it impressed me so much but it surely would invite a revisit. Some powerful filmmaking there.

Rewatches of 'Short Term 12', 'Lagaan', 'Inside Out', 'A Quiet Place', 'Kumbalangi Nights', 'The Green Mile', 'The Shawshank Redemption', and 'The Silence of the Lambs', and episodes from 'Silicon Valley', 'Mindhunter', 'Paatal Lok', 'Better Call Saul', 'The Handmaid's Tale' and 'Escape at Dannemora' (this last mini-series is brilliant) well completed my experience of the year.

Since I have mentioned dozens of movies already, the point of this post was getting lost. Hence, I chose to mark fifteen out of these (in bold) which stood out for some reason or the other.

Cinema 2019: Top Modern Foreign-Language Films

These are the top ten foreign-language movies from the last five years that I saw in 2019:

Bacurau (2019/ Brazil/ Kleber Mendonca Filho and Juliano Dornelles)

Capernaum (2018/ Lebanon/ Nadine Labaki)

Deerskin (2019/ France/ Quentin Dupieux)

Honeyland (2019/ North Macedonia/ Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov)

It Must Be Heaven (2019/ Palestine/ Elia Suleiman)

I Lost My Body (2019/ France/ Jeremy Clapin)

Keep an Eye Out (2018/ France/ Quentin Dupieux)

Midnight Traveller (2019/ Qatar-UK-Canada-USA/ Hassan Fazili)

Les miserables (2019/ France/ Ladj Ly)

Pain & Glory (2019/ Spain/ Pedro Almodovar)

Discovering the cinema of Quentin Dupieux has been a highlight of the year. Two of his movies feature in this list and I have not watched more. I definitely want to watch 'Rubber' (2010), 'Wrong' (2012), 'Wrong Cops' (2013) and 'Reality' (2014).

Cinema 2019: Top Foreign-Language Classics

These are the top ten foreign-language classics I watched in 2019. All of these were made available to me by MUBI. I wasn't aware of these titles before I watched and loved them. This shows how important MUBI is for a film-buff.

• Cabaret Balkan (1998/ Serbia/ Goran Paskaljevic). This filmmaker is still making films. I must look more into his filmography.
• Europa Europa (1990/ Germany-France-Poland/ Agnieszka Holland). Need to watch 'In Darkness' (2011) and 'Spoor' (2017) by the same director.
• Fantastic Planet (1973/ France/ Rene Laloux)
• Home (2008/ Switzerland/ Ursula Meier). 'Strong Shoulders' (2003) and Sister (2012) are some of the movies I look forward to watching.
• A Hundred and One Nights (1994/ France/ Agnes Varda)
• Jacquot de Nantes (1991/ France/ Agnes Varda)
• King of Devil's Island (2010/ France-Norway/ Marius Holst). How will I find these films by the same filmmaker? 'Cross My Heart and Hope to Die' (1994), Dragonflies (2001), and Mirush (2007).
• Natural Sciences (2004/ Argentina/ Mattias Lucchesi)
• Philanthropy (2002/ Romania/ Nae Caranfil)
• Quai des Orfevres (1947/ France/ Henri-Georges Clouzot)

Cinema 2019: Top Modern English-Language Films

These are the top ten English-language films from the last five years which I watched in 2019:

   American Honey (2016)
   The Favourite (2018)
   Ford V Ferrari (2019)
   Free Solo (2018)
   The Irishman (2019)
   Joker (2019)
   Marriage Story (2019)
   Sorry to Bother You (2018)
   Toy Story 4 (2019)
   Us (2019)

Cinema 2019: Top English-Language Classics

These are the top ten English-language classics I watched in 2019.

• (500) Days of Summer (2009)
• 8 Mile (2002)
• Away from Her (2006)
• Buried (2010)
• The Driver (1978)
• Election (1999)
• Hot Fuzz (2007)
• The Shop Around the Corner (1940): Must Watch Before You Die #51
• Toy Story 1, 2, 3 (1995-2010)
• Vera Drake (2004)

Cinema 2018: Top Foreign-Language Classics

Out of about 40 foreign-language classics (movies at least five years old) I watched for the first time in 2018, these are my top ten (in alphabetic order):

• 'City of Life and Death' (2009/China) by Lu Chuan: Stunning black and white cinematography and war sequences choreographed with such detail, precision, and ambition that it will leave you awestruck. Looking forward to watch more movies by the director, especially 'The Missing Gun' (2002) and 'Mountain Patrol' (2004).
• 'The Four Times' (2010/ Italy) by Michelangelo Frammartino: Strictly for art-house lovers, the film had an award-winning premiere at Cannes. The director's 'The Gift' (2003) is now on my wishlist.  
• 'Goodbye, Dragon Inn' (2003/ Taiwan) by Tsai Ming-liang: Another art-house piece that celebrates cinema in the most unique way, this is the fourth film that I have watched of its director. Unforgettable, to say the least.
• 'Kung Fu Hustle' (2004/ Hong Kong) by Stephen Chow: Nominated for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe award, this is the perfect movie to watch with friends. A hilarious action-comedy, this is as good as martial art movies get. Need to watch 'Shaolin Soccer' soon.
• 'Landscape in the Mist' (1988/ Greece) by Theo Angelopoulos: Perhaps my most favorite film on this list, and definitely most heart-breaking, I watched it thanks to the subscription of mubi.com I took last year. Definitely need to watch the director's 'The Travelling Players' next - his most acclaimed film, they say.
• 'The Misfortunates' (2009/ Belgium) by Felix van Groeningen: Watched this film as part of my research on alcoholism, and loved it. The director is more commonly known for his Oscar-nominated 'The Broken Circle Breakdown' and last year's 'Beautiful Boy'.
• 'Neighboring Sounds' (2012/ Brazil) by Kleber Mendonca Filho: The director is better known for his later more controversial 'Aquarius' (2016), but I loved 'Neighboring Sounds' way more. I could watch it thanks to mubi. Looking forward to his third feature - 'Nighthawk' that will come out this year.
• 'The Piano Teacher' (2001/France-Austria) by Michael Haneke: A big winner at Cannes, this is perhaps the most acclaimed film on this list and my sixth Haneke film. I hope to watch 'The Seventh Continent' and 'Time of the Wolf' this year to finish watching most of his acclaimed works.
• 'A Room in Town' (1982/ France) by Jacques Demy: My fourth Demy film, this one was a delight. Every line of the film is sung, and it works so, so well. Need to watch 'Bay of the Angels' soon.
• 'This is Not a Film' (2011/ Iran) by Jafar Panahi: The political context of this film cannot be separated from it, and without the context the film may not appeal to many people. But this film is special for exactly the same reason. For its use of the medium, and the story behind it, this, and many films by Panahi, will never be forgotten. I need to watch 'The Mirror' (1997) and '3 Faces' (2018) to finish his entire filmography, so far.

Cinema 2018: Top English-Language Classics

For this list I have considered all English-language films which are at least five years old and I watched for the first time in 2018. About 72 movies were considered and I am glad that the final list is so diverse in genre.

• 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford' (2007): The first Andrew Dominik film I watched, this one is a true epic. Beautifully shot by Roger Deakins and some great acting by Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck. I definitely need to watch more from this director, and hope to watch 'Chopper' and 'Killing Them Softly' this year.
• 'The Blair Witch Project' (1999): Totally worth all the hype, this film is a text-book on terror. The film grossed four thousand times its budget and started the trend of found-footage horror.
• 'Blue Valentine' (2010): I was aware that this is a sad film, but didn't know why or how. It took me by surprise. 2018 was the year when I was amazed by the acting of Michelle Williams. Two movies on this list feature terrific performances by her.
• 'Good Night, and Good Luck' (2005): How have so many American stars managed to direct such amazing films, especially in the 21st century? George Clooney has done so well, directing this political drama. Although his other films have received mixed reviews, I think 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind' may be worth-watching.
• 'JFK' (1991): More than three hours long but such a gripping narrative! My favorite Oliver Stone film, perhaps. This, or 'Platoon'. Need to watch 'Salvador' and 'Wall Street' soon.
• 'Margaret' (2011): 56-year old Kenneth Lonergan has made only three feature films in eighteen years. I have watched all three and now the time has come to rewatch them. To study how he uses his actors so well. To study how he writes with such psychological depth. If 'Manchester by the Sea' is a study of grief, 'Margaret' is a study of guilt.
• 'Mean Girls' (2004): I never expected I would love this film so much. Not only I was amazed by it, I also studied its screenplay around year end. What this film has done to me is enormous. I am now going to be way more open to chick flicks and rom coms than I ever was.
• 'Munich' (2005): I have watched 22 Spielberg films so far. And his work continues to amaze me. So many genres, such different stories, and such mastery over the craft. I need to watch 'Temple of Doom', 'Empire of the Sun', 'The Color Purple' and 'Minority Report' this year.
• 'Notting Hill' (1999): Again, I wasn't expecting to be so impressed by this film. Truly enjoyed it and learnt a lot about the rom-com genre.
• 'Wendy and Lucy' (2008): This 80-minute gem finally made me a fan of Kelly Reichardt ('Old Joy' and 'Certain Women'). Need to watch 'Meek's Cutoff' soon. And need to rewatch 'Wendy and Lucy' again and again.

First Class

For the last several years, I have been following this wonderful list of 1000 Greatest Films. It is updated every year, and hence is a dynamic list. Currently it includes movies from year 1895 to 2012. They represent about forty countries and range from a one-minute short to a 900-min epic.

Eleven Indian films feature in the list, four Hindi ('Mother India', 'Pyaasa', 'Kaagaz Ke Phool' and 'Sholay') and seven Bengali ('The Apu Trilogy', 'Jalsaghar', 'Charulata', 'Meghe Dhaka Tara' and 'Subarnarekha').

I reached the 250 mark (a quarter of the list) in November 2010.
Exactly one year later, I reached the 333 mark (a third of the list), in November 2011.
I hit 400, my next landmark, in February 2013.
And reached mid-way, the score of 500, in August 2014.

It took me almost four years to reach the 600 mark. Last July, with Michael Haneke's 'Code Unknown' I reached this score. I have watched hundreds of movies in these four years, but not too many among the most acclaimed ones. This is something I intend to correct soon.

My score today is 617 and I hope to watch fifty more movies from this list to reach the next landmark of 667. Finishing two-thirds of the list can be considered an achievement as a film-buff, finally, as the endless greatness of cinema continues to humble and delight us.

Cinema 2017: Favourite Classics

I have been away from this blog for five months. And I could watch only 140 movies in the last one year. The reason behind this will be known to you soon. Meanwhile, as the year ends, let me share with you the list of the ten classics I loved most in 2017. For this, I have considered all movies released before 2013 but first watched by me in the last twelve months:

1. Berberian Sound Studio (2012/ UK) by Peter Strickland
2. The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005/ Romania) by Cristi Puiu
3. Far From Heaven (2002/ USA) by Todd Haynes
4. Happiness (1998/ USA) by Todd Solondz
5. Monsieur Lazhar (2011/ Canada) by Philippe Falardeau
6. Mysterious Skin (2004/ USA-Netherlands) by Gregg Araki
7. The Road Home (2000/ China) by Yimou Zhang
8. Scarecrow (1973/ USA) by Jerry Schatzberg
9. Summer Hours (2008/ France) by Olivier Assayas
10. West Side Story (1961/ USA) by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins

Also loved: 'The Believer' (2001/ USA) by Henry Bean, 'Fitzcarraldo' (1982/ West Germany) by Werner Herzog, 'Funny Games' (1997/ Austria) by Michael Haneke, and 'Road to Perdition' (2002/ USA) by Sam Mendes 

And some unforgettable ones: 'The Cabin in the Woods' (2012/ USA) by Drew Goddard, 'District 9' (2009/ New Zealand-USA-South Africa) by Neill Blomkamp, 'Old Joy' (2006/ USA) by Kelly Reichardt, 'Post Tenebras Lux' (2012/ Mexico-France) by Carlos Reygadas, and 'Suspiria' (1977/ Italy) by Dario Argento

Cinema 2017: Modern Favourites

I have been away from this blog for five months. And I could watch only 140 movies in the last one year. The reason behind this will be known to you soon. Meanwhile, as the year ends, let me share with you the list of the ten modern movies I loved most in 2017. For this, I have considered all movies released in the last five years but first watched by me in the last twelve months:

1. Dunkirk (2017/ UK-USA) by Christopher Nolan
2. Get Out (2017/ USA) by Jordan Peele
3. Kubo and the Two Strings (2016/ USA) by Travis Knight
4. Lion (2016/ Australia-UK) by Garth Davis
5. Manchester by the Sea (2016/ USA) by Kenneth Lonergan
6. Rams (2015/ Iceland) by Grimur Hakonarson
7. Taxi Tehran (2015/ Iran) by Jafar Panahi
8. Toni Erdmann (2016/ Germany-Austria) by Maren Ade
9. What We Do in the Shadows (2014/ New Zealand) by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi
10. Wonder Woman (2017/ USA) by Patty Jenkins

Also loved: 'Hacksaw Ridge' (2016/ USA-Australia) by Mel Gibson, 'Moonlight' (2016/ USA) by Barry Jenkins, and 'The VVitch' (2015/ USA-Canada) by Robert Eggers

And some unforgettable ones: 'The Lure' (2015/ Poland) by Agnieszka Smoczynska, 'The Tribe' (Plemya) (2014/ Ukrain) by Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi, and 'Hard to Be a God' (2013/ Russia) by Aleksei German

21st Century Film Festival

After a very ordinary 2016, during which I watched very few great movies, I have been persistently trying to do better this year. And hence, this June I organized another film festival for my lone self. This time I selected ten movies from the 21st century, movies which are considered great but which I had not watched. 

For this festival, I tried to have an interesting mix, from narrative features to animation and documentary films, and the list boasts of some of the greatest film-makers active today. I included some very popular titles as well, movies which most people around me have watched but I hadn't. It has been a tremendously rewarding experience and I may come up with a second edition of this festival very very soon.

• Gladiator (2000/ UK-USA) by Ridley Scott: This epic historical action-drama was the opening film of my festival. It had won five Oscars, including Best Picture and it was one of the most popular American films I hadn't seen yet.
• White Material (2009/ France) by Claire Denis: This drama set in the backdrop of an unnamed African nation torn by civil war is the fourth film I have watched of the very acclaimed French director, Claire Denis. To be honest, I still need to watch more of her work and more time to form an opinion of her.
• The Gleaners & I (2000/ France) by Agnes Varda: Perhaps the most acclaimed documentary of this century, it was a playful watch that left with lots of images and thoughts in my head. I'm glad I selected this for the festival. 
• District 9 (2009/ New Zealand-USA-South Africa) by Neill Blomkamp: This sci-fi mockumentary film was quite a revelation. I was aware of its name but I had no idea that this was going to be anywhere close to this. Such a refreshing take on aliens (OR such a refreshing take on civil unrest everywhere in the world with the metaphor of aliens!) The film was nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture.
• Grizzly Man (2005/ USA) by Werner Herzog: Again a very reputed documentary of this century, on the life and death of bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell, it was an unforgettable experience - those images of faith and horror, and the narration by Herzog. 
• Erin Brockovich (2000/ USA) by Steven Soderbergh: Another popular movie that I had not watched yet, this drama film tells the story of the real-life Erin Brockovich who despite no formal education in the law was instrumental in building one of the biggest lawsuits in American history. Quite an entertaining film, I thought, for which Julia Roberts won an Oscar. But it is only the fifth Soderbergh movie I have watched. A lot remains.
• L'Illusionniste (2010/ France-UK) by Sylvain Chomet: This Oscar nominated animation was an out-and-out art-house affair, and hence very refreshing for me. With hardly any dialogue, and lacking any remarkable drama, it quietly tells the story of a magician's unending struggles.
• War Witch (2012/ Canada) by Kim Nguyen: This war drama, again set in a civil unrest in an African nation, premiered at Berlin, winning the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and Best Actress for the teenage actor. It was Canada's entry at the Oscars that year and eventually got nominated into the top five.
• A Scanner Darkly (2006/ USA) by Richard Linklater: Out of the thirteen Linklater movies that I have watched, this might be among the two-three least favorite. But this was pending for years, and I had to do it. I was mostly unmoved by it, but the last ten minutes did something and I felt it was an exercise worth taking.
• Summer Hours (2008/ France) by Olivier Assayas: What a movie to close the festival's first edition. This is a heartwarming drama about a family and its generations and how they deal with their ancestral house and inheritance while sorting out their own priorities. One of the best movies I have seen this year so far, this is also the 100th film I watched in 2017. Hoping for another 100, at least.

Cannes in Andheri Film Festival 2017

As the world's most reputed film festival unfolded over the last couple of weeks in Cannes, I conducted my own personal film festival, like previous years. I curated films that have won awards at Cannes over the last few decades and watched nine movies as part of this one-man film festival:

• Crimson Gold (2003/ Iran/ Jafar Panahi) Winner of Un Certain Regard Jury Prize. The film is a crime drama involving a pizza delivery man who increasingly gets attracted to the idea of quick money.
• Songs from the Second Floor (2000/ Sweden/ Roy Andersson) Winner of Jury Prize in the Main Competition category. This film is the first of the 'Living Trilogy' of exceptionally original comedies, followed by 'You, the Living' and 'A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence'.
• Gate of Hell (1953/ Japan/ Teinosuke Kinugasa) Winner of the Grand Prix, the top prize at that year's festival. It went on to win an Oscar for Costume Design and another Honorary Foreign Language Oscar. A period samurai story of obsessive love, reminded me of our very own 'Darr'!
• Scarecrow (1973/ USA/ Jerry Schatzberg) Winner of Palme d'Or and OCIC Award at Cannes. Discovering this movie was a big surprise. No one talks about this one, although it is so good at so many levels. It is a road-movie as a sailor and a con-man forge a beautiful friendship on their way back home.
• Fitzcarraldo (1982/ West Germany/ Werner Herzog) Winner of Best Director. Inspired by the true story of an Irish adventurer and his endeavors in South America, this film has an imposing scale and an incredible tale to tell. 
• If.... (1969/ UK/ Lindsay Anderson) Winner of Palme d'Or. This British comedy-drama shows us the ridiculous tradition at play while running an apparently prestigious boys boarding school. Frequently jumping from color to b&w, with several surrealistic sequences and an explosive climax, I could figure why this film must have garnered acclaim. However, it was kind of tough for me to watch it.
• Post Tenebras Lux (2012/ Mexico-France/ Carlos Reygdas) Winner of Best Director. A film like this is essential to complete your movie experience. A slow-paced drama with some sequences so bizarre you don't even care if it had any meaning. But with brilliant cinematography, and natural effective performances, you know this is something special. For me, just the opening sequence was worth anything, and the shocker at the end that I won't tell you about made it really memorable.
• The Sugarland Express (1974/ USA/ Steven Spielberg) Winner of Best Screenplay. One of the lesser know Spielberg movies, its screenplay was co-written by Matthew Robbins, who wrote 'Saat Khoon Maaf' and 'Rangoon' with Vishal Bhardwaj. The movie is on the lines of 'Bonnie and Clyde' but has more comedic elements involving a massive chase of a crime couple, based on true incidents. 
• The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005/ Romania/ Cristi Puiu) Winner of Un Certain Regard Award. Perhaps the perfect movie to close the festival. A drama set over a few hours of a night, it works almost like a thriller in the closing half an hour. And it looks so real it is hard to believe it is a movie.

Cannes 2017: Nominees for Palme d'Or

• Fatih Akin (43, Germany) with 'In the Fade' starring Diane Kruger. Previously awarded film at Cannes: 'The Edge of Heaven'. Also known for 'Head-On' and 'Soul Kitchen'.
• Noah Baumbach (48, USA) with 'The Meyerowitz Stories' starring Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman. Also known for 'The Squid and the Whale', 'Greenberg' and 'Frances Ha'.
• Joon-ho Bong (48, South Korea) with 'Okja' starring Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano. Previously nominated films at Cannes: 'Tokyo!' and 'Madeo'. Also known for 'The Host' and 'Snowpiercer'.
• Robin Campillo (54, France) with '120 Beats per Minute'. Known for 'Eastern Boys'. He also was one of the writers on Palm d'Or winning film 'The Class'.
• Sofia Coppola (45, USA) with 'The Beguiled' starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst. Previously awarded film at Cannes: 'Marie Antoinette'. Previously nominated film at Cannes: 'The Bling Ring'. Also known for 'Lost in Translation' and 'Somewhere'.
• Jacques Doillon (73, France) with 'Rodin'. Previously awarded film at Cannes: 'Raja'. Previously nominated films at Cannes: 'La drolesse' and 'La pirate'. Also known for 'Le petit criminal', 'Le jeune Werther' and 'Ponette'.
• Michael Haneke (75, Austria) with 'Happy End' starring Isabelle Huppert and Jean-Louis Trintignant. Previously awarded film at Cannes: 'The Piano Teacher', 'Cache', 'The White Ribbon' and 'Amour'. Previously nominated film at Cannes: 'Code Unknown' and 'Time of the Wolf'.
• Todd Haynes (56, USA) with 'Wonderstruck' starring Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams. Previously awarded film at Cannes: 'Carol'. Previously nominated film at Cannes: 'Velvet Goldmine'. Also known for 'Far from Heaven' and 'I'm Not There'.
• Michel Hazanavicius (50, France) with 'Redoubtable' starring Louis Garrel as Jean-Luc Godard. Previously nominated film at Cannes: 'The Artist' and 'The Search'.
• Sang-soo Hong (55, South Korea) with 'The Day After'. Previously awarded film at Cannes: 'Hahaha'. Previously nominated films at Cannes: 'Virgin Stripped by Her Bachelor', 'Woman is the Future of Man', 'Tale of Cinema', 'The Day He Arrives' and 'In Another Country'.
• Naomi Kawase (47, Japan) with 'Radiance'. Previously awarded films at Cannes: 'Suzaku' and 'The Mourning Forest'. Previously nominated films at Cannes: 'Shara', 'Hanezu', 'Still the Water' and 'Sweet Bean'.
• Yorgos Lanthimos (43, Greece) with 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer' starring Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman. Previously awarded films at Cannes: 'Dogtooth' and 'The Lobster'. Also known for 'Alps'.
• Sergei Loznitsa (52, Ukraine) with 'A Gentle Creature'. Previously awarded film at Cannes: 'In the Fog'. Previously nominated film at Cannes: 'My Joy'. 
• Kornel Mundruczo (42, Hungary) with 'Jupiter's Moon'. Previously awarded films at Cannes: 'Delta' and 'White God'. Previously nominated films at Cannes: 'Johanna' and 'Tender Son: the Frankenstein Project'.
• Ruben Ostlund (43, Sweden) with 'The Square'. Previously awarded films at Cannes: 'Play' and 'Force Majeure'.
• Francois Ozon (49, France) with 'L'Amant Double'. Previously nominated films at Cannes: 'Swimming Pool' and 'Jeune & jolie'. Also known for 'Water Drops on Burning Rocks', '8 Women' and 'Potiche'.
• Lynne Ramsay (47, Scotland) with 'You Were Never Really Here' starring Joaquin Phoenix. Previously awarded film at Cannes: 'Morvern Callar'. Previously nominated film at Cannes: 'We Need to Talk About Kevin'.
• Joshua and Ben Safdie (30s, USA) with 'Good Time' starring Robert Pattinson and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Previously nominated film at Cannes: 'The Pleasure of Being Robbed'. Also known for 'Heaven Knows What'.
• Andrey Zvyagintsev (53, Russia) with 'Loveless'. Previously awarded films at Cannes: 'Elena' and 'Leviathan'. Previously nominated film at Cannes: 'The Banishment'. Also known for 'The Return'.

Oscars Festival 2017

During the last few weeks I had my own Oscars Festival during which I watched movies competing at this Oscars along with some old winners in different categories. In the end, I watched seventeen movies during this festival of mine. I think I should do this every year.

OPENING FILM: The Awful Truth (1937): Director Leo McCarey won the award for his work on this film that was also nominated for Best Picture, Screenplay, Film Editing, Actress and Supporting Actress. It was a rare classic comedy that I enjoyed and it also made me realize that I had misunderstood the term 'Screwball Comedy' all along!

Braveheart (1995): Perhaps the biggest winner on this list, I did not really enjoy the movie. Well, it is one of those movies which a film-buff must have watched, so I checked that. But otherwise, its performance at the Oscars makes me feel that this entire list of mine is futile! It won five awards: Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, Sound Effects Editing and Make-Up and was nominated in five other categories: Costume, Sound, Score, Film Editing and Original Screenplay.

Moonlight (2016): Watching the latest top-winner in an Indian movie theater completely ruined it for me. I need to watch it again, with all the scenes intact and subtitles to help me comprehend the dialogues better. The movie won three Oscars: Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Supporting Actor and had five more nominations: Director, Supporting Actress, Cinematography, Film Editing and Score.

Hacksaw Ridge (2016): The winner of Film Editing and Sound Mixing, it was also nominated for Best Picture, Director, Actor, and Sound Editing. I really loved the movie and was surprised that it was nominated for its writing.

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016): This was where my festival actually started going somewhere. What a beautiful film! It did not win any Oscars but was nominated for two, Best Animated Feature and Visual Effects. 

Hidden Figures (2016): I wish we could tell more true stories in India than we do. Quite a powerful, entertaining film, nominated for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Supporting Actress although it didn't win any.

Silence (2016): It remains a mystery to me why 'Silence' did not get nominated for Best Picture. It had only one nomination, for its stunning Cinematography, and ended up without any win. It was a difficult watch, yes, but what a brilliant movie!

Manchester by the Sea (2016): Watching this movie gave me a moment of epiphany where I was forced to consider the kind of stories I am telling or should be telling. If I work on it, this movie might be one of those which shaped my life. It won two very well-deserving Oscars for Best Actor and Original Screenplay while it was nominated for four more: Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress.

Lion (2016): I do not remember which other movie has made me cry so much in recent years. I pity the intellectuals and cynics who fail to be moved by this beautiful human story. It did not win any Oscar despite being nominated in six categories: Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Cinematography, and Score, but it was a highlight of my festival.

Jackie (2016): Nominated for Best Actress, Costume and Score, it was a Hollywood film only because of its casting and the spoken language. In every other sense, it was world cinema, difficult to watch but I am sure it will definitely improve in the second watch, and also if I do some reading about its characters.

Fences (2016): It won the award for Best Supporting Actress and was also nominated for Best Picture, Actor and Adapted Screenplay. To be honest it was too 'play-like' for my taste but it worked because of its universal subject matter, parenthood and love within a family, and the brilliant performances.

Arrival (2016): I re-watched it on big screen after my first watch last year. Winning the Oscar for Best Sound Editing, it was also nominated in seven other categories: Best Picture, Directing, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Mixing, Cinematography and Production Design. It should also have won two more nominations - Best Actress and Original Score. 

Black Narcissus (1947): I never knew this film was set entirely in India. Was definitely a stunning watch and won the well-deserved Oscars for its Cinematography and Art Direction. However, I did not enjoy it too much. Will not revisit this film unless absolutely necessary.

The Quiet Man (1952): Easily the worst film on this list, although very acclaimed. I somehow endured it. Will never recommend this to anyone. And I really don't care that it won two Oscars - for Best Director and Cinematography (Color) and was nominated for five more: Best Picture, Screenplay, Supporting Actor, Sound Recording and Art Direction (Color).

Road to Perdition (2002): I loved this! It won the award for its stunning cinematography while it was nominated in five more categories: Art Direction, Sound, Sound Editing, Score and Supporting Actor for Paul Newman in his last movie appearance.

Misery (1990): A thriller-horror like this is essential to make a festival complete. But such movies hardly ever get nominated for the Academy Awards. This one was, in one category, and it won that - Best Actress for Kathy Bates. I'm glad I watched this movie and then realized there are so many acclaimed movies made on Stephen King's works.

CLOSING FILM: Toni Erdmann (2016) I really liked 'The Salesman' but in my opinion the Foreign-Language Oscar should have gone to this German film. How outrageous and unforgettable! It was nominated in only one category and obviously did not win any, but for its sheer originality, brilliant performances, and being so sad and so funny at the same time, I recommend it as a must-watch-before-you-die (#49). 

Sundance in Andheri Film Festival 2017

The latest edition of Sundance Film Festival concluded recently. I watched the following movies sitting at my home, movies which have won awards in some previous editions of the festival, to celebrate my own Sundance in Andheri Film Festival. It was an extremely rewarding experience because of the following reasons:

• Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995/ USA) by Todd Solondz was the Opening Film of my festival. I've seen coming-of-age dramas or dramedies, but this one was a coming-of-age black comedy. It won the Grand Jury (Dramatic) Prize at Sundance and launched the career of writer-director Todd Solondz ('Happiness', 'Storytelling' and 'Life During Wartime') whose work appears to be really interesting.
• Primer (2004/ USA) by Shane Carruth had won the Grand Jury Prize and the Alfred P. Sloan Prize at Sundance. It is unlike any science-fiction movie I have seen and I hardly understood much of it. Shance Carruth wrote, directed, produced, edited and scored for the movie and also played the lead role. He made the film for only $7,000 and it eventually gained a cult status. I have seen Carruth's next film as well, 'Upstream Color' and do not remember much except it was interesting and unique and not too comprehensible as well. A perfect Sundance-kinda guy!
• The Road Home (2000/ China) by Zhang Yimou is a beautiful romantic-drama that moved me deeply with its simplicity. Also stunningly picturized, the film won Audience Award (World Cinema) at Sundance and went on to win Jury Grand Prix and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at Berlin. This was my ninth film by the Chinese master. I should soon watch 'The Story of Qiu Ju' (1992), his most acclaimed work I am yet to see and take that score to 10. 'The Road Home' also was the debut film of actress Zhang Ziyi ('Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon', 'Hero' and 'Memoirs of a Geisha').
• You Can Count on Me (2000/ USA) by Kenneth Lonergan won the Grand Jury and the Script award at Sundance. Featuring a young(er) Mark Ruffalo, as endearing as always, the film went on to earn two Oscar nominations - for actress Laura Linney and for Lonergan's original screenplay. It marked the directorial debut of Lonergan who since then has earned three more Oscar nominations - for co-writing 'Gangs of New York' and for writing-directing the recent 'Manchester by the Sea'.
• The VVitch (2015/ USA-Canada) by Robert Eggers won him the Directing Award at Sundance and established him as the name to look out for after this powerful debut. It will be interesting to see him work in genres other than horror and pick themes that are not as bleak as this atmospheric supernatural film of his. However, I won't mind if he keeps telling the stories of the dark side if he is going to do it so well.
• Frozen River (2008/ USA) by Courtney Hunt went on to win Oscar nominations for Hunt ("Original Screenplay") and actress Melissa Leo after winning the Grand Jury prize at Sundance. The director's second fim came eight years later. 'The Whole Truth' (2016) has not been received too well. Guess I'll wait for Hunt's next.
• The Believer (2001/ USA) by Henry Bean won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance and launched then 20-year old Ryan Gosling as a leading man. A powerful film about a Jewish neo-Nazi, it was the kind of drama I love to watch, introducing me to worlds I was not too aware of. This has been a common feature among these movies - showing me new stuff, about life and cinema, and 'The Believer' was the perfect Closing Film for my tiny festival.

Cinema 2016: Top 10 Discoveries

For me, 2016 will be the year when I discovered the power and potential of TV Shows. I watched all the six seasons of 'Breaking Bad' and the first season of 'Fargo' and 'The Office' and several episodes from 'Black Mirror', 'House', 'Friends' and 'Game of Thrones'. I definitely feel like a novice with respect to shows, the way I used to feel before 2006 about anything beyond contemporary Bollywood. But, I hope I will slowly bridge the gap.

Meanwhile, exploring cinema from new sources, both heard and unheard, continues. Following are the top reputed film-makers (listed in alphabetic order) I discovered only in 2016. I definitely feel richer than ever.

1. J.J. Abrams (USA, 1966-) Since I have not watched 'Star Trek' or 'Super 8', it was 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' (2015) that introduced me to Abrams. I then realized, he is the creator of the TV series, 'Lost' and is touted as the 'next Spielberg'. Also watched this year 'Cloverfield' and '10 Cloverfield Lane' of which he is one of the producers. What next: There is no news on his next directorial venutre yet. So I think I should watch the titles mentioned above for the time being and then wait for what he comes up next.
2. Tran Anh Hung (Vietnam-France, 1962-) With the incredibly beautiful 'The Scent of Green Papaya' (1993) I have discovered another Asia-born modern film-maker to follow. He won the Camera d'or with his aforementioned debut film and has directed only five more features in the next twenty-three years. What next: His second film, 'Cyclo' (1995) looks like the next film to watch from his filmography.
3. Lav Diaz (Philippines, 1958-) I watched his latest, 'The Woman Who Left' and instantly knew he is another modern film-maker I must follow. What next: Looking at the run-time of his movies, I don't know if I'll be able to watch any soon. Perhaps I should start with the shortest of his most reputed works, 'Norte, the End of History' which is a little over four hours long. And eventually, may be, I'll manage to watch 'From What is Before' (almost 6 hours), 'Melancholia' (7 and half hours), 'Heremias' (9 hours) and 'Evolution of a Filipino Family' (9 hours). 
4. Kinji Fukasaku (Japan, 1930-2003) Every time I discover a Japanese master, I realize how limited my understanding and knowledge of cinema is, because Kurosawa-Ozu-Mizoguchi were all I knew about Japanese cinema for a very long time. Watching 'Battle Royale', the superbly entertaining blood-bath, I thought of him as a successor of Kitano. I was wrong again. Fukasaku had been making movies since the 60s. I must watch more of him, hoping for more bloodshed. What next: The sequel to 'Battle Royale' is a must. His other famous movies are 'Under the Flag of the Rising Sun' (1972), 'Battles Without Honor and Humanity' (1973), 'Graveyard of Honor' (1975), 'Fall Guy' (1982), 'House on Fire' (1986), 'Crest of Betrayal' (1994) and 'The Geisha House' (1998).
5. Alejandro Jodorowsky (Chile-France, 1929-) Of course I had heard of him and his famous surreal films, but it was his latest, 'Endless Poetry', that introduced me to his cinema. I really hope to watch all of his acclaimed films very soon. What next: I think I will watch this year four of his most reputed works: 'El Topo' (1970), 'The Holy Mountain' (1973), 'Holy Blood' (1989) and 'The Dance of Reality' (2013).
6. Andrei Konchalovsky (Russia, 1937-) Another master filmmaker I had not even heard of. I discovered him through his latest, 'Paradise', that is among the top nine movies contending for the foreign-language Oscar this year. He has directed more than twenty films. What Next: His early work, 'The Story of Asya Klyachina' (1967), his four-part epic 'Siberiade' (1979) and his Hollywood films 'Runaway Train' (1985, based on a Kurosawa screenplay) and 'Tango & Cash' (1989) promise some great variety.
7. Alexander Mackendrick (USA, 1912-1993) 'Sweet Smell of Success' was one of the few great classics I watched in 2016. And through this movie I discovered Mackendrick. Of course I had heard of him and his other famous works. I now realize he directed only nine feature films in his career. What Next: The Ladykillers (1955), The Man in the White Suit (1951), and Whisky Galore! (1949) appear to be his most reputed films.
8. Delbert Mann (USA, 1920-2007) Primarily a TV director, Mann won the Best Director Oscar for 'Marty', the delightful film that made me discover him. What next: His most acclaimed movies are perhaps 'The Bachelor Party' (1957), 'Separate Tables' (1958), 'Lover Come Back' (1961) and 'That Touch of Mink' (1962). I'll try to watch some of these this year.
9. Vilker Schlondorff (Germany, 1939-) 'The Tin Drum' was unforgettable and it introduced me to this Oscar-winning director. His latest film 'Return to Montauk' ccomes out this year and I'll look forward to it. What next: I should start with 'Young Torless' (1966) and 'The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum' (1975).
10. Edward Yang (Taiwan, 1947-2007) is the fourth Asian filmmaker on this list. I discovered him through his last film 'Yi Yi' (2000), perhaps my favourite movie-experience of last year, and then watched his second, 'Taipei Story'. I was saddened to know that he is no more, Yang succubed to cancer at the age of 59 and I'm eager to watch the remaining five features directed by him. What next: 'A Brighter Summer Day' (1991) should be my top choice, followed by 'The Terrorizers' (1986), 'That Day on the Beach' (1983), and 'Mahjong' (1996).

Cinema 2016: Top Modern English-Language Films

Last year, I watched about forty English-language films that were released during the five year period of 2012-16. The following list (in alphabetic order) is of my favorites out of those.

• 'The Duke of Burgundy' by Peter Strickland was a revelation. Using the traditional structure of a passionate but doomed love affair, it offers everything new. It plays with your mind and pleases your senses in every way. Yes, it is art-house and proudly so. Modern English-language films rarely get the kind of treatment this rare British gem has.
• 'Ex Machina' by Alex Garland was just the right kind of sci-fi movie. Psychologically intense and thrilling, it was an extremely well-craft and suspenseful film with some really good performance. And yes, those VFX!
• 'Hell or High Water' by David Mackenzie might just be my favorite of this entire list. Perhaps it is my weakness for the Westerns, or my compulsive need to back the underdog. But I also know that as a screenwriter I will study its screenplay as many times as I can. Brilliant in every department, this crime drama is actually a moving story about love and duty.
• 'I, Daniel Blake' by Ken Loach has to feature in this list. It is a drama about a man's struggles with the system and we have seen so many great movies like this. But it still works, and works so well. It has tremendous emotional value and a deceptively simple design. Pure genius.
• 'The Jungle Book' by Jon Favreau was a wonderful trip to the childhood memories of Mowgli. But it was also the best use of CGI I have seen on big screen. I can watch this movie again and again, not for its story or characters, but for the rich beauty of the jungle that it brings for us. May be in a hundred years, India will make a film visually as magnificent as this.
• 'La La Land' by Damien Chazelle is the film everyone is talking about. I am so glad we got to watch it on big screen in India much before the Oscar nominations are out. Easily a film that improves with every re-watch, I wonder what more this film-maker has to offer. He is younger than me and look what he has achieved. Thanks for humbling and inspiring me, Damien.
• 'The Revenant' by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, honestly, did not work for me too well. But then, perhaps I should blame it to the enormous hype that surrounded its release. I also believe that it will improve with the knowledge of its boundaries in my next watch. But yes, this too, like many in this list was a memorable visual treat.
• 'Room' by Lenny Abrahamson now sounds old. Everyone has been talking about this movie since Toronto 2015, although I saw it very late. We can be confident that this drama-thriller will feature in every list of greatest modern movies. And it will be studied by every film-maker who wants to shoot a film in a cramped space. It will also be known as the film that brought the brilliant Brie Larson the fame and the glory she deserved.
• 'Swiss Army Man' by the Daniels is audacious and adventurous and colorful and meaningful and utterly unforgettable. Films like these keep reminding us of the great medium we worship and give us the hope of new discoveries cinema will make. It is a fable that should reach more and more audience.
• 'Zootopia' by Byron Howard and Rich Moore, perhaps the most accessible film in this list, has all the tropes of a studio animation movie. It also has the imagination of perhaps the most genius order and the detailing of the most painstaking type. And it also has a really funny tribute to Don Corleone!

Special Mention: 'Arrival' for its brilliant mood, 'It Follows' for such originality in horror, 'Spotlight' for being one truly complete film and 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' for successfully and honorably reviving a legacy.

Cannes in Andheri 2016

The regular readers of this blog must be aware of these festivals I organize for myself at my place - a mini-version of the big global festivals. This May, synchronising with the Cannes, I organized another Cannes in Andheri Film Festival. But this time I was not alone. My students at AIB First Draft joined me and the screenings were held at our movie-cum-lecture hall. We screened eight movies this time:

'Apocalypse Now' (1979/ USA) by Francis Ford Coppola: The OPENING FILM of our festival was the 3 hr 22 min long 'Redux' version of this anti-war classic. Winner of the highest honor at Cannes, the Palme d'Or, the film went on to win two Oscars - for cinematography and sound and is regarded today as one of the greatest films ever made. Watch it to know why. It is nothing short of a wonder!

'The Tin Drum' (1979/ West Germany) by Volker Schlondorff: This surrealistic black comedy, based on the novel by Nobel laureate Gunter Grass, is unforgettable! Winning the Palme d'Or with 'Apocalypse Now' it eventually also won the Best Foreign Language Oscar. The film introduced me to the work of Volker Schlondorff - a veteran director of feature, documentary and TV. At the age of 77, he is still making films.

'12:08 East of Bucharest' (2006/ Romania) by Corneliu Porumboiu: This minimalistic dark comedy in the typical Romanian New Wave style was the feature debut for Porumboiu and won him the Camera d'Or at Cannes - arguable the most prestigious award for a debutant director.

'Marty' (1955/ USA) by Delbert Mann: I had never even heard of this and what a revelation this film was! It is one of the two films who have won both the Palme d'Or and Best Picture Oscar. It also went on to win Oscars for Direction (for Delbert Mann in his feature debut), Screenplay (for Paddy Chayefsky who also wrote 'Network') and Actor. The film was shot over 19 days and its box office revenue was nine times its small budget. Moving and thoroughly entertaining.

'The Scent of Green Papaya' (1993/ France-Vietnam) by Tran Anh Hung: The first film of the Vietnamese director won the Camera d'Or at Cannes and then became the first Vietnamese film to be nominated for the Best Foreign Film Oscar. It is one of the most beautiful films you will see. It will leave you with a meditative calm that will stay for very long.

'The Double Life of Veronique' (1991/ France-Poland) by Krzysztof Kieslowski: When this Kieslowski film won three awards at Cannes - Best Actress, the FIPRESCI Prize, and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury - it brought Kieslowski to world stage. His Three Colours Trilogy and the rediscovery of Decalogue followed, making him a master in world cinema. My favourite film-maker, and it was a joy to rewatch this film after six years.

'Son of Saul' (2015/ Hungary) by Laszlo Nemes: Widely acclaimed as one of the finest films of last year, this Oscar-winner had started its journey at Cannes with four wins: the Grand Prize of the Jury, the Francois Chalais award, the FIPRESCI Prize and the Vulcain Prize for Sound Design. Very unique in its style, the film sets the wait for the next film by this Hungarian filmmaker.

'Secrets & Lies' (1996/ UK) by Mike Leigh: This great British drama by seven-time Oscar nominee, the great Mike Leigh had won three awards at Cannes - Best Actress for Brenda Blethyn, the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the top honour - Palme d'Or. The film had five Oscar nominations - Best Picture, Direction, Screenplay, Actress and Supporting Actress. I may watch 100 more movies this year, but I doubt many will come close to the greatness and emotional depth of 'Secrets & Lies' - the perfect CLOSING FILM of our festival.