Movie Reviews

One-line review: A buddy movie for the ages about hope and happy endings. The universal fan-favorite Shawshank Redemption needs no review almost three-decades after its release, so this piece explores why the movie still resonates with the audiences: it’s always showing on some channel and yet always difficult to skip. The film’s shaky journey from […]

One-line review: An adult coming of age story, aided by a kid. Mike Mills’ new black and white offering feels like a documentary, a faithful recording of a memorable period in radio journalist Johnny’s (Joaquin Phoenix) otherwise routine life. Johnny decides to help take care of his young nephew Jesse (Woody Norman) when his mom

One-line review: Entertainment (not CGI) fuels this smashing Malayalam superhero movie. Minnal Murali, Kerala’s first superhero movie, is a pan-Indian and global hit. Netflix almost over-promoted the film, but MM lives up to the hype. This is because, at its core, MM is a wholesome family entertainer that would have worked even without the superhero

One-line review:  An impressionist painting of love in the 70s.  What is the stamp of a PTA movie? Most films of the small group of writer-directors are easily recognizable, like Woody Allen and Tarantino’s unmistakable dialogue, and in Allen’s case, the Woodyesque leading man. Others work in similar genres like Del Toro, Tim Burton, or

One-line review: A crackling comedy about Kerala’s rabid politics couched as a family drama.  Sandhesham was a modest hit when released but has become one of Malayalam cinema’s foremost political satires over the years. Director Sathyan Anthikad remembers scriptwriter Sreenivasan telling him that although he was unsure if the film’s story would appeal to the

One-line review: A transfixing tale of two trans women’s hustle.  Tangerine will forever be known as the film shot on an iPhone, but no publicity is bad publicity if the hype leads to more people watching this gem of a film. Director Sean Baker often pairs rookie actors with seasoned actors, but the latter (like

One-line review: Bank robbers or Banks that rob their clients, who’re the real criminals?  Scottish director David Mackenzie is the master of walking the tightrope between masculinity and sentimentality. His previous film, Starred Up, a brutal and moving prison drama, landed him the unlikely job of directing Hell or High Water. This film is firmly

One-line review: Unhinged, without missing a beat. After you watch Birdman, you are not sure whether to bawl, guffaw, go silent, or go rogue. But you know you’ve been in the presence of explosive greatness: the kind that happens only when the creative process is jointly ruled by the mind and heart, with both operating

One line review: Distrust fuels this high octane cat and mouse mob drama. Martin Scorcese finally won his directorial Oscar for this light-footed outing, a breather, and a return to the present for him after back-to-back period dramas. The Departed is serious and gory stuff, but it’s also exuberant and entertaining. It is also deeply

One line review: The original ROFL. The Coen brothers’ highly anticipated next outing after their debut hit, Blood Simple, defies all expectations. If Blood Simple was dark, this movie is giddy light. If Blood Simple’s characters were smart two-timers, this film’s characters ooze goodness but are sadly let down by their sub-par brains, much to