Defending Jacob (2020) Series Review - A comparison with Indian Crime Web Series.

While scrolling on Youtube yesterday, I found a series called Defending Jacob. It got good reviews and it was a crime suspense drama. So, I thought to give it a look so that I would be warmed up to watch some bigger English series like Breaking Bad or Money Heist. Also, I was curious about the differences between the Indian Web Series based on crime and the english ones. Considering all these aspects, I watched the series today on Apple TV+. Let us see how it is:(SPOILER FREE REVIEW)

Defending Jacob is a 2020 crime suspense drama miniseries directed by Mortem Tyldum and written for the screen by Mark Bomback. It stars Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery and Jaeden Martell in lead roles. The story revolves around a mysterious death in a park in the community of Newton. When Jacob Barber is accused of murdering this child, the Barber family try to prove themselves not guilty. So, is Jacob not guilty? Find out in the series. 

The screenplay of the series I should say is good but it has some significant negatives. This series is an adaptation of the book with same name written by William Landay. So, I was expecting riveting stuff as a book can give a lot of matter to work with. The writers really did their best with it. The best thing which worked for the series is the central family dynamic. They are projected to be a happy family before the accusations come along. Then, whatever they showed after the accusations is too realistic and if we think from their shoes, maybe our situation would have been similar to theirs. The character design of them is also commendable. Also, the acting by Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery and Jaeden Martell as Andy Barber, Laurie Barber and Jacob Barber do a terrific job in their roles. Their best comes in some scenes where it is absolute turmoil in the family. Next thing I liked about the series was the relation between Andy Barber and his father. The actor who played and his character is a spoiler and I am sure you will be surprised. It is really fascinating, the dynamic between them and how they behave. It also adds to the whodunit element of the series. The first three episodes set up things very beautifully and I was really becoming a fan of the series at that point. Episode 4 and 5 slow things down a little bit but I thought it happens to every webseries. Then, Episode 6 picks up speed and Episode 7 was really the best episode of all. It gets the courtroom drama perfectly as we are reminded of all details and we make sense of everything. But, then from the end of Episode 7 things go off the rails. (SPOILER ALERT). At the end of episode 7, Leonard Patz confesses the murder which is a very simple ending for all the build-up and suspense built. It was odd because there was another episode remaining. Then in Episode 8, they go to Mexico on a vacation and some shit happens which is linked to Jacob. First of all, this did not make sense at all and it was unnecessary. I would have accepted it if the series would have given me a proper ending. It pisses me off when there is no proper ending. It is not an open ending. Nope. They say Laurie is pissed off at her son and speeds the car to go off road and hit herself on the edge of the tunnel. Then, both of them are in hospital half alive and Laurie forgot that she intentionally hit the car. You can make a decision about it. 

Now, the comparison of this series and the Indian crime web-series. One thing I have to say that this is linked to the cultural roots of India and America. Both countries have different family systems. You get to really understand it with the Coronavirus cases count. Just think about it. So, you should have been observing excessive cuss words and intimate scenes in many Indian web-series. But, the curious part I observed was how it was put to a minimal in this series. Taking out F*** , which has lost its meaning there were no cuss words and the one intimate scene was deserved by them keeping their circumstances in mind. This is because of one thing. Such scenes are very common in their culture and they are not here. Indian audiences get attracted to such scenes because they are not allowed to view them. When comparing the most recent Indian web-series Paatal Lok to this web-series, I would choose this series because it is so realistic in its portrayal. Sure, it ending got screwed but some of the moments in this web-series were far too worse than this ending. I can understand taking inspiration. I would not mind it. But, take the right stuff from it. I would say TVF is the best example about it. The concept of web-series is to tell a story which cannot be squeezed into a film. So, TVF takes stories from our Indian roots and tells them in a clean and efficient manner. Take the example of Kota Factory, their most well-known series. They told the story of students in Kota already a unique story that cannot be filled into a film. They gave it some memorable writing inspired from real situations without any vulgar scenes having some clean romance. 

Hope you have enjoyed my blog. Make sure you follow my blog and my insta @rursreviews. I am reviewing movies and shows from all around the world that you should or should not watch. It would be helpful if you support it. 

Pon Magal Vandhal (2020) Movie Review

Frankly speaking, I was not looking forward to this film. In the past 2-3 years Jyotika has not been giving her best work. In fact I can say, they have been pretty mediocre. So, I thought it was a good move by Suriya's 2D Entertainments and Jyotika to premier this film on Amazon Prime Video today. So, did this courtroom drama surprise me or is it what I expected? Here is my take on Pon Magal Vandhal:

Pon Magal Vandhal is a 2020 Tamil courtroom drama starring Jyotika, R. Parthiban in lead roles. It is directed by JJ Frederick. The story is about Venba and how she proves Jothi who is termed a serial killer innocent. 

The screenplay is very mixed. First of all, the story and messaging of the film is very good and noble. They could have helped the film to be a very strong courtroom drama. But, several aspects of the screenplay actually weigh the film down from its absolute potential. The comic touch given to some scenes in the beginning were unnecessary as in they water down the intensity of the first 5 minutes which were very well staged. Then, the court scenes themselves. They were not so strong as they should be. They run on emotions rather than running on evidences. These scenes could have made sense if the director would have made it clear with evidences. Also, this film repeats the crime story 2 times. Not kidding, the same crime story is repeated two times. Once it is told to us by Jyotika and the other one it is shown to us with Jyotika's narration. This really frustrated me. So, this film has a very good story and a very noble message but it is botched down with the glaring flaws in the screenplay.

The acting department too reflects the flaws of the screenplay. I am not a big fan of Jyotika. She tends to overact when the situation demands subtle emotions. In this film too, it shows. While dark imagery is being shown in the background, the goofy over action of her really puts me off the mood of the scene. But, I have to say, her acting as a lawyer was good. Considering all aspects though, she is not the perfect fit for this role. R. Parthiban as the prosecutor is the best this film offers. His body language, expressions blend in well with the natural demeanour of the actor to give his role some respect. Other actors in the film do serviceable jobs in the film. The junior actors in this film like any other Tamil film overact a lot which is also a flaw for the film. 

The technical department was perfectly serviceable. The cinematography and editing were functional but I feel they could make full use of a beautiful location like Ooty. The music by Govind Vasantha is nice. I like the Ilayaraaja touch he gives to his music. I have a question for the creative team of the film? Would bronza make the lead actor look like a village person? I ask this because I was not able to convince myself that Jyotika was a village lady migrated from Jaipur.  The costume-design too was fine.

Overall, I would say that this film is best suited for OTT. It is a perfectly serviceable courtroom drama that you can pass time with. The messaging and story gets full points but the screenplay was not upto the mark and the acting except Parthiban was lacklustre. So, if you want the film you have to lower your expectations a fair bit.

My Rating : 5.5/10

Public Demand Thursday 5 - Predestination (2014) Movie Review

2 weeks ago, when I announced the Public Demand Thursday segment, an instagram channel named "@filmy_emporium" suggested me to watch Predestination which I knew very little about. After watching this movie though, I want to thank the guy for suggesting me this movie. This review will be very short. I do not want to give away spoilers as it may ruin your experience completely. So, get ready for an appreciation blog about Predestination.

Predestination is a 2014 Australian sci-fi drama starring Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook and Noah Taylor. It is directed by Michael Spierig and Peter Spierig. It is based on the short story "---

I will not and must not reveal the story of the film. It will be an understatement to say that this film is mind-bending. It has a deep philosophy. Thinking about the film, the elements which I thought were not making sense actually make sense. The acting of the film too is terrific. Ethan Hawke is an established actor in Australia and this film proves the fact. Sarah Snook gets to play a character with multiple shades. She kicks it out of the park with her performance. Her character and Ethan Hawke's character are huge spoilers. It is engaging, thrilling, mind-bending, unexpected awesome film that you need to watch no matter how. It is available on Netflix.

At this point of time, you should not care about the rating and watch about it.

Public Demand Thursday 4 - Rush (2013) Movie Review

Since my Ford vs Ferrari review, my car lover friend has been recommending me this film. He even states this film to be the first choice for car lovers where I stated Ford vs Ferrari as the first choice. So, I watched the film today. This review will have some comparisons between both the films to know which film is the best for car lovers. So, let us check out what us the best film between the two?

Rush is a 2013 biographical sports drama starring Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl in the lead roles. It is directed by Ron Howard. The story talks about the rivalry between Niki Lauda and Chris Hemsworth in the 1976 Formula One season. It also covers upon both their personal lives, growth and the reasons for their rivalry.

The screenplay is excellent. The best part of the film is the characters of Niki Lauda and James Hunt. Niki is serious and is a genius in setting up his cars. No wonder he was given a contract by old man Ferrari himself. On the other hand, James Hunt is a playboy and enjoys his life with full freedom. The force of both these lives is the passion for driving and the rivalry between the two. It really pushes them to their fullest potential. Yet, they respect they each other. The climax of the film really hits us with how opposite both their lives go. While James Hunt retires and runs out of money, Nikki Lauda is back to work and becomes the world champion back again. While Ford vs Ferrari has some known cliches of sports dramas blended into a real story, this is mostly accurate to the source material. The rivalry in the film is exaggerated to a certain degree but we don't care about it. The racing scenes in the movie are good but I feel the scenes in Ford vs Ferrari are better and more fluid than this film because of the cuts. One visual I really liked was the accelerating piston. Used 4-5 times it really sums up the film itself. A well-oiled machine which accelerates our body throughout the course of the film.

The acting contributes in the on-screen rivalry. Chris Hemsworth acts like himself in the film with the swagger he carries but in some important scenes he really goes under the skin of the character and really gives us a kick. Daniel Bruhl as Niki Lauda is perfectly cast. His acting too is the best of the film. He really shows his acting prowess in the scenes where he gets vulnerable as he gets married and he starts getting doubts in mind. The rivalry both Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl share in the few scenes they talk is excellent. Other actors get small and not-so-prominent roles. I would say the actors who played the wives of Niki Lauda and James Hunt looked beautiful and did serviceable acting. 

The technical aspects of the film too are perfect for a sports film. The cinematography achieves to get the vibes of the 1970's. It is revving with finesse with minimal use of shaky-cam which is used regularly in some of the films. The editing is very good. It has a quick pace and you might not know when did you end it because it is that fast. The score by the legendary Hans Zimmer is grand and CD worthy. It's use of rock really amps up some of the racing moments of the film. The costume design, hairstyling department and the set designer have to be lauded because the sets look realistic and contribute the on-screen grandeur. The smaller contributions of VFX also should be praised. 

So, the final question? Which of the two films is the first choice film for car lovers? Ford vs Ferrari or Rush. Both of them are solid drama films. While Ford vs Ferrari is more of a drama than a sports biography, Rush is a pure sports drama. I prefer the racing scenes of Ford vs Ferrari as they are more fluid than Rush. But, Rush has a quicker pace than Ford vs Ferrari. Both the films have strong characters. If we see through the car aspect, before you watch both the films you will some considerable knowledge about cars as these films assumes the fact that these film will be watched by car lovers the most. Keeping that in account I would say Rush is the first choice for car lovers while Ford vs Ferrari remains my favourite of the two as the drama in this film is a little more heart touching.

IMDb Rating : 8.1/10

My Rating : 8.5/10

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) Movie Review

Well, this film was on my watchlist quite a while ago and it has 13 Oscar nominations at the 81st edition. So, I thought to have a look at the film. This is my first David Fincher movie review. So, I will make sure that I will review more of his filmography. How did I feel about this film? Here is my take on The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an adaptation of the short story of the same name written by F. Scott Fitzgerald directed by David Fincher. It stars Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in lead roles. The story as the title suggests talks about Benjamin Button, who ages in reverse and his entire life.

The screenplay is really good but it has its issues. This film has a concept with which they could have made a web-series full of content. It is that great of an idea. The story and screenplay writers, Eric Roth and Robin Swicord squeeze it effectively into an almost 2hr 50min length. This film takes a cliched approach with the beginning i.e., a diary narration. Although we cannot question it, maybe some change should have been made there. But, when the main story begins, we are hooked to it immediately and it is a very smooth and steady ride with him. But, in between some of the film's best moments, the film stretches a bit and some particular patches of the film get boring. This is caused because of the indulgent nature of the film. But, pushing all these aside, the last hour of the film where the main romance of the film really takes centerstage, the film becomes very rich and emotional in its storytelling and gives us a very solid climax to end the film. Special props to those guys who have inspired from some particular scenes in the film and made some interesting films like Paa and Nannaku Prematho. This screenplay engages you for almost 3hr despite the boring patches which is an achievement.

The acting in the film is very very good. Brad Pitt in some of his most challenging works period delivers a strong performance. His husky voice and old man like body language works well in the film. His expressions cannot be seen due to some heavy make-up but we tend to forget it because of reasons which I will talk about in the next section. But, in his younger portions, he gets to shine really well as his goodwill and innocence show in his face brightly. Cate Blanchett too copes up well with the make-up and gives a really good performance. The chemistry between both Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett works out well and brings out appropriate emotions. Taraji P. Henson as Queenie gives a

very good performance showing the love of a mother very effectively. Credit to all the other actors in the film as they deliver their best in their limited screen time.

This film is a technical achievement beyond your expectations. For 2008, this film was a sensation. It also aged well. First, the make-up department. Bollywood is still struggling to get the receding hairline right and Hollywood has shown a complete man's ageing process that too in 2008. The complete make-up department won their Oscar with some highly award deserving hyper-realistic make-up work. The VFX helps the make-up team a lot with very photo-realistic old-man effects and very beautiful to look at backgrounds. They too won their Oscar with some ground-breaking effects. If a certain de-ageing process would have been discovered, this film could have been much better. The locations and sets of the film are super stunning to look at. With the film's historical setting spanning both the World Wars and the retro style from the 1960's, the designers get some real work to do and they deliver with ease. The costume design add to this fact. The cinematography of the film is quite good by capturing all the hard work of the art department in some beautifully crafted frames. The editing could have better by avoiding some of the duller moments of the film particularly the Russian Romance. 

Overall, this film is one of those films that you should never miss as it's high on concept idea and rich screenplay transport us into the the Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It is available on Amazon Prime Video in the Best of Oscars section. Go have a look and enjoy.

IMDb Rating : 7.8/10

My Rating : 8/10

Marriage Story (2020) Movie Review

When I thought of some English films, I thought to cover some Oscar nominated films from across 40-50 years. So, why not start from the 2020 Oscars? I have already reviewed 1917, Joker, Ford vs Ferrari and Parasite. So, I took a look at Marriage Story which received 5 Academy Award nominations including Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress and Best Picture in which Laura Dern won the best supporting actress award. How did I feel about the film? Let's find out:

Marriage Story is a 2019 drama film starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson in lead roles. It is directed by Noah Bumbach. The story revolves around Charlie and Nicole, who are on a coast-to-coast divorce and the rest of the story is how they try to stick together. 

The screenplay of the film is really good. You have to know that this film is based on the American family system. Glad I am a part of the Indian family system. So, this film may not connect to Indian audiences. Also, it is a dialogue-heavy film. So, we have to strain our ears a bit to understand the situation. Other than these, this film is a very deep. The concept and story of the film is not unheard or something but the direction and screenplay of the film really makes it stand out. It boils itself to some universal concepts such as marriage, love towards your child etc. Around them, it writes some beautiful scenes both visually and dialogue-wise to make it a very engaging film. It begins slow showing the smaller differences between those who already decided to divorce themselves. When this couple turns to the law, it gets very ugly and tremors begins between them leading to some of the best scenes of 2019 (The Fight). The climax of the film too is boom. It pulls your heartstrings. It is actually quite refreshing that it shows us the conflict without the usual fights. The subtlety and the unique touch of Noah Bumbach really brings out our emotions without the necessary emotional scenes. Observe some of the fine details he gives to some scenes and how they amplify the scene's emotions 10 times. Overall, it is a very understated movie which really brings out our emotions.

The acting is sensational. This film is my introduction to Adam Driver, the actor. He does everything perfectly. The body language, the expressions and every single detail in the film has worked in his favour. Scarlett Johansson also gives a powerful performance. She is some of those elite actresses working right now who can cry at ease and can convince us. Both of them were worthy for Oscars and both of them should have won it but I have no idea how Laura Dern won it. It is true that she gave a very good performance. But, according to me there are much superior performances out there that outshine her performance. All the other actors also give very solid contributions from their side although it is not the level of Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver who absolutely smash it out of the park. 

This film is technically very sound. First of all, the cinematography take a bow. He and the director together put in some meticulous frames in the film that visually tell us everything about the scene and the progression of the film. The music by the famous Randy Newman seamlessly blends itself into the film and its environment. The editor did a fabulous job to keep this film running with a smooth pace. There was a risk of over-indulgence in such films but the team made it a crisp edit. The locations and the costume-design of the film also very realistic and very fine-tuned. 

Overall, I had a very emotional experience with this film. It is not that film which will make you cry but it will make you think about your marriage and its progression. The director's unique touch added with the sensational Oscar worthy performances by Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver really make this film a very good watch. It might be slow to some and many Indian audience may not connect to it because it is about a broken Family System as a whole. Check this film out on Netflix as I go watch another Oscar nominee tomorrow.

IMDb Rating : 8/10

My Rating : 9.5/10

Appatlo Okadundevadu (2016) Movie Review

If I have to talk about today's film Appatlo Okadundevadu, I just have to say that this film was forgotten very quickly. When it released on 30 December 2016, audiences and critics really loved this movie and that is why, it was a modest hit at the box office. But, a certain film called Dangal was stealing profits of many such films to become an all time blockbuster. Maybe, that is the reason it was forgotten slowly. I watched Dangal on 31st December 2016, one day after the release of this film and at that time I never knew this film released. It took years for me to know about the film. So, I watched the film today. How was the film? Let's find out:

Appatlo Okadundevaadu is 2016 sports crime drama film starring Sree Vishnu and Nara Rohith in lead roles. It is directed by first-timer Sagar K. Chandra. The story revolves around Railway Raju, an aspiring cricketer whose life turns upside down due to unforeseen circumstances. When Imtiaz,  police officer is found responsible for it, a cat and mouse game between them. 

The director of the film should get credit for a unique brand of direction. I have to say, this screenplay is perfect. No doubt. The screenplay writing of the film is really on point and really brings out the emotion in us. The main plot of the film i.e., the cat and mouse game between Raju and Imtiaz is established really well. In the first half, they connect both their stories with a naxalite backdrop. I was thinking they might go the political route and mix in some philosophy in it but it is ended at the right time as it was kind of pointless in this setting. The comedy of the film is directly connected to the main story which is very rare in films. It also has a natural flow which make them work. The second half too keeps the pace of the first half with some gripping screenplay. We are left in confusion because both the sides have valid and reasonable arguments. Then in the last 20 minutes, the story is really well resolved but we are left with smaller questions as in the final 5 minutes. The romantic track of the film was kept to a minimum which I appreciate but maybe it could have been removed entirely as it is kinda pointless in context to the film. Overall, this film is really good.

The acting in the film is really good. Sree Vishnu steals the show. He was a rising star and with this film really grabs our attention. We have to appreciate the effortless nature of his acting as we just connect with him right away. Nara Rohith has been choosing such unique scripts and he proves with this role too that he is a gem of an actor. I had doubts of how he would enact a Muslim role as he never looked the part. But, he did justice to the role and convinced us from his side. Bramhaji, Prabhas Sreenu gets some important roles in the film and they really had a good rhythm and flow that made the lighter scenes of the film work. The heroine of the film is a glamour touch-up to the film and there is little acting scope for the film. Other actors too give good performances in their respective roles. 

The technical aspects of the film give good output with a minimal 2.5 CR budget. The first to get the praise are the cinematography and editing. The cinematography really brings out the 90's films vibe and gets some beautiful frames. The editing is super sharp and tight. The make-up especially the old guy getups are not that good. Other aspects too are good.

Overall, this film is an underrated film. I really recommend this film to all the film lovers here. Enjoy this film in Amazon Prime Video and Youtube.

IMDb Rating : 7.8/10

My Rating : 9/10