Give Me an Assignment! What Movie Should I Watch and Review?

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It’s fall, I need tasks! Like, little homework assignments. And it’s exhausting assigning them to myself and giving myself deadlines and then feeling guilty when I let down myself. So you do it for me! Give me a movie to watch and review.

I’ve missed so many movies in theaters and on streaming over the past few busy summer months, and even more are coming out now. It’s too much! I can’t decide, so I end up watching nothing.

Give me an assignment! Classic film, new film I’ve missed, whatever. I’ll let y’all fight it out in the comments as to what is the most popular option to for me to review, and then I’ll give myself a nice tidy deadline.

(and yes, I am planning to watch Brahmastra next weekend sometime anyway. I guess I have to, because it’s not okay to just hate something on principal without trying it. Like trying new vegetables)

79 thoughts on “Give Me an Assignment! What Movie Should I Watch and Review?”

  1. Thiruchitrambalam! It’s a new Dhanush movie that’s raking up numbers and supposed to be sweet rom comy family type feels. I plan to go to theatres here once I have family support to watch the baby so I hope it stays up for that long.

    Good luck with Brahmastra. You’re doing the right thing! I have decided to ignore it.

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    • +1

      I’m watching it now, and it’s so cute. I thought that Megham Karukatha video would encourage Margaret to watch the movie but unfortunately the original video isn’t available yet. There is only this lyrics clip, which is good and shows a little how cute Dhanush is

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      • Angie, I saw it finally too. Very cute and Dhanush, Nithya Menen, Prakash Raj … All the supporting cast really, superb. But

        ***** SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER *****

        were you convinced with D’s change of feelings to Shobana. It felt a bit like he settled for her … Wdyt?

        ***** END SPOILER *****

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        • Spoiler:
          In the beginning he definitely was settling for her but later he really understood his feelings. But yes, the only thing missing was a moment of him yearning.
          End spoiler.

          I’m absolutely in love with this film. It has everthing, even the last minute airport rush. The most enjoyable movie I have seen this year. 😍

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          • Ooo… Good analysis. I think this makes for a good fanfiction moment then! Margaret – let us know what you think too whenever you get here 🙂

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  5. Sita Ramam and i don’t think there’s a Tamasha review. The Tamasha review would be fun as it would be just a snark review against Ranbir which are my favourites. Especially for a dumb movie like Tamasha which glorifies the most toxic man.

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  6. My nominations

    The Great Indian Kitchen – an instant classic from Malayalam cinema

    Shershaah- Sid/Kiara

    Major – similar to Shershaah

    Arya – Sushmita Sen’s take on godfather part 1. Honestly one of the best streaming series from India.

    Never Have I Ever – all 3 seasons

    The divorce comedy with neetu singh

    The “save the female fetus” comedy with ranvwet.

    Cuttpatli – Akshay’s yet another botched film

    Think post – #boycottbollywood, why this is happening

    Think post – how Akshay’s recent “1 film a month” tear to make as much money as he can before he retires is leaving a vast garbage pile in his wake, and perhaps adding fuel to the #boycottbollywood movement. Some movies are inherently bad (raaksha bhandan) and others like Cuttpatli could have been good if the creators had enough time to craft a good script and narrative, but instead probably had to rush to meet Akshay’s available dates, thus throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

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      • I saw the first two seasons and then I didn’t have time this year for the third season but was madly invested in which couple materializes at the end so I just skipped to the last episode ha.

        Overall, it’s really funny, very smartly written, has made me tear up with all the stuff about family and parents, and given me SO MUCH second hand cringe. I thought it tackled grief in a great way although I don’t actually know if their portrayal of teenagers is accurate. Maybe times have changed since mine and anyway I didn’t grow up in America.

        Even with the last ep., I ended up tearing a little.

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  7. My own votes to watch:

    – Ponniyin Selvan – no need to read the book, just to see how epic Mani Ratnam does it. Also as an epic counter watch to Brahmastra.

    – Maryan (2013) – Dhanush movie with massively beautiful Rahman songs and visuals and a cute romance.

    – Raanjhanaa (2013) – Dhanush’s first Hindi film with Sonam and Aanand L. Rai.

    – Cocktail (2012) – The movie that made Deepika famous, written by Imtiaz Ali.

    – Dil Ka Rishta (2003) – Has Arjun Rampal and Aish, if you want to snark then this is a good one. On YouTube for free with subs.

    – Parineeta (2005) – Vidya and Saif together, also just a good adaptation with the necessary changes.

    – Sardar Udham (2021) – On Prime and currently an awards darling.

    – Chehre (2021) – Amitabh movie

    – Good Luck Jerry – New Janhvi movie, produced by Aanand L. Rai

    – Thar – Anil’s and Harsh’s western on Netflix.

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    • I’m genuinely curious – why Chehre?

      Raanjhanaa – yes, I would love to read Margaret’s review, but on the other hand the movie is so unnerving. What if she will stop watching hindi movies forever?

      Maryan – what do you think about it Kirre? I loved the songs and the visuals, but the minute Dhanush left the sea the movie became unwatchable. And it was edited badly. Dhanush’s hair lenght changes from scene to scene and it’s so confusing because one doesn’t know how much time passed. It was so annoying I lost all interest.. Now I only return to the songs and avoid thinking about the plot.

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      • Chehre – curious because it reminded me of Badla and it has a steller cast

        Raanjhanaa – I think that because it is so unnerving it is the point, but it is also great acting-wise, even if Sonam leaves me a bit cold in this role.

        Maryan – Yea felt a bit the same, the songs and visuals are great, but it seems a bit little known movie and who knows if Margaret can pull from it. The characters are interesting though in their own right.

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  9. Have you done Fashion? Or Heroine or Page 3 or any of those Madhur Bhandakar terrible films? (The latter two are a bit dark, but Fashion I thought was too campy to really be sad). It would be fun to read your review, not just because they are terrible but because it’s really interesting the way gay characters have changed, even just since 2008. Or, Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji. Actually, I watched that many years ago, when I was just getting into Indian films, because I recognized Ajay. And I thought it was the sweetest thing, but I don’t trust my memory enough to make someone else watch it.

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      • I can see the appeal, but the performances did not land for me–neither Priyanka nor Kangana, both of whom I’ve enjoyed in other roles. I also feel that all of the Madhur Bhandakar movies tend to be about all the awful things that happen when women get famous or successful. I liked Kareena in Heroine and Konkona in Page 3, but in both cases it was like the movie was punishing them for their choices.

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  11. Also , looking at the list of your film reviews, it is sad that you stopped reviewing Malayalam films just before the wave of good films started happening in Malayalam Film industry. All the new Fahad, Tovino, DQ films that are getting more visibility and appreciation from everywhere because they are available on OTT platforms. Believe me, the new films are much better than all the ones you have previously reviewed, in terms of its content and form.

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  12. Not spamming. I forgot to give the movie list.
    Kumbalangi nights
    nayattu
    Ayyapanum Koshiyum
    Thondimuthalum driksashiyum
    Maheshinte Prathikaaram
    Minnal Murali
    Kuruthi
    Drishyam 2
    Unda
    joji
    pada
    malayankunju
    joseph
    varathan
    kala
    virus
    driving license
    lucifer.

    I see that u have reviewed a bunch of Prithvi movies from the past. His acting and his movies have improved so much. He has even directed a movie with Mohanlal in the lead… Lucifer . Hope I haven’t included any movie names that u have already reviewed.
    At present, Malayalam industry is making some of the best films in the country.

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    • I think Margaret already reviewed Kumbalangi Nights, Thindimuthalum driksashiyum, Joseph and Minnal Murali. Maybe also Kala. Not sure about Virus.
      I agree about Lucifer – it’s very well made. The actors, the scenes, story, all great and worth reviewing.

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      • Thanks . I should have double checked before making the list.
        Read those reviews. They are great and insightful as usual. It always surprises me that Margaret can pick up so many details and nuances while watching a film in a different language from a different country.

        Compared to the other films in the list, Lucifer directed by Prithvi is a commercial mass film made to cater to mostly Mohanlal fans who likes him in mundu ,twirling his mustache and fighting the villains. Mass films in Malayalam are more tame and logical compared to the ones in other South films.This was pretty well made especially for a first time director and went on to become the 2nd highest grossing film in Kerala . Directing this hit film changed Prithvis’ status in Kerala as the most trolled actor to the most loved star .
        But as an actor Prithvi really surprised me with Ayyapanum Koshiyum . Him and BiJu Menon was perfectly cast in this movie about hyper masculinity and hyper egos.

        Let me make few more movie suggestions for reviews .
        Mayanadhi and The great Indian Kitchen.
        Giving Margaret lots of suggestions , so that she will review at least 1 from the list.

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  14. Other Telugu movies that I enjoyed this summer are Major and Ante Sundaraniki and both are on Netflix!

    Major is a biopic starring Adivi Sesh that I thought was really well made. I did think it was kind of similar to Shershaah but I enjoyed it more. I thought that they did an really interesting thing that would usually get changed in a biopic.

    Ante Sundaraniki was a family dramedy with Nani and Nazriya with a different screenplay. I really enjoyed it but I don’t know because, everyone I recommended it to complained that it was very slow and pretty confusing.

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  16. Well it isn’t a movie, but I started watching some of the second season of the Bollywood Wives netflix TV show and it is SO MUCH BETTER than the first season. And I wanna talk about some things. I haven’t finished the season yet though.

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  19. OMG! I can’t believe we have not discussed this trailer of Chup: Revenge of an Artist:

    It’s a new R Balki film with Sunny Deol, Pooja Bhatt, and Dulqeer Salman that is playing tribute to Guru Dutt and taking his Kagaaz Ke Phool to its logical (more like illogical) “revenge fantasy” conclusion. From what I gather, it starts with the plot of Kagaaz Ke Phool. Dulqeer is a director who meets Shreya and casts her in a film. Her star power rises, his falls. He blames the critics. So naturally, he becomes a serial killer who kills all the film critics while carving “stars” (i.e. movie rating stars) on the victims’ face. Sunny is the police officer in charge of finding the serial killer and Pooja Bhatt is the psychologist.

    This looks SOO BONKERS! I am a wuss so even though I realize how silly and laughable it is, it might be a little too scary for me to watch in the theaters but I am looking forward to watching it on OTT.

    Now, can we please discuss this trailer!!!

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      • HA! Agreed. Taking Guru Dutt’s most personal film, whose box office failure made Dutt give up directing all together, and turning it into a slasher revenge fantasy perfect to watch with friends, especially other Hindi cinema obsessed friends who will revel in the pure amazingness of this film. This has to be a watchalong at some point, right?

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    • Saira! I have been thinking about you! How are you doing? How’s the baby and travel? I am traveling for the next 3 weeks, then home for one week and again traveling the next two weeks after that! Thankfully, husband and baby will be with me for one of those weeks but I am getting so nervous about all the other work travel.

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      • HI!! Ah man, I can understand. I am not around for 10 days at the end of the month too. You were right about the last time, (although ended up as two short trips of only 3 days each) baby didn’t really forget me or anything 😀. Both my manager (who’s a mum herself) and husband gave decent advice, “enjoy the travel and think of it your me-time vs time off from the baby; babies are sturdy and they’ll survive”. .. I did end up crying when I left but the trips were ok 🙂

        Is your baby teething?? Pro tip, please wipe his drool! Mine has developed eczema from the drool.

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        • I do recommend copious amounts of video calls btw. They’re at an age where video calls serve as social interaction…. The baby dashed straight into mum in law’s arms after seeing her on VC for three months.

          Otherwise, try not to worry… It’s not easy… But we gotta do what we gotta do to fill the family coffers…

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          • Yes! We need to do video calls more often, especially with the grandparents, so that we can feel comfortable leaving him with then for 4 days next month!

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      • I was just thinking about sara ali khan performances in lak 2 and atrangi re, that she was the central charcter in both, it was about her in the movie, but still she was never given credit for her performance in both movies, partly the freason being She never gets to properly explain her situation in both movies. Its like imagine what highway would be without alia confession. I was amazed how nobody appreciated her for her performance in atrangi re, even after the fact that the movie was about her. Both Dhanush and Akshay are explaining her situation on her behalf, but she never get a monologue to explain how does it feel like to lose your parents in childhood? to live with those people whom you know killed your parents? To live life like an unwanted kid in her own maternal home. Maternal homes are always supposed to be the most endearing and most secured places in childhood. Why they never give Sara a chance to explain herself? Because irrespective of how much bollywood audience say they have matured, they havent. They still cant read between the lines, look through the characters even in the most basic romantic movies.

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          • exactly. Alia had a MONOLOGUE there too. Even her role was very confused in the movie with her multiple relationships, but there was this MONOLOGUE.
            When i watched Atrangi re, the first thing it hit me was where was the monologue? where was the breakdown? The girl suffered so much in the movie, so much so that rinku would assume that she deserves that only like she was some lower class. I remember that scene when dhanush fiance father threw water on her and after the quarrel, she was like it didnt matter to me, i am used to this…So both dhanush and akshay became heroes cz they cared for her but no body talked about the heroicness of Rinku who was the sufferer. Everyone in the reviews kept saying dhanush is brilliant, akshay is in form but why no appreciation for Sara? It was a difficult over the top kinda role especially with the lack of monologue. I just wish Sara gets to explain herself in her future movies so that audience get the point because otherwise sara does a pretty good job of blending with the character so much so that even the audience gets fooled by that. That is very good as an actor, but as an indian actor and a person, you like people to appreciate you.

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          • Yes! I read so many criticisms of Sara in LAK that she seemed so “fake”. But, that was the point! She was faking her way through life, her performance was purposefully artificial.

            On Sun, Sep 11, 2022 at 10:15 AM dontcallitbollywood < comment-reply@wordpress.com> wrote:

            >

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  22. Did anyone post the Thank God trailer anywhere yet? It’s Sid M!

    Looks like a super cool concept but the performances and effects are lacking, especially since this is Sid’s first film after Shershaah in which he was SO GOOD. Some of the comments say it’s more of an older style film which I can see. It’s weird but I’m mostly excited about the little girl playing Sid’s daughter because she went viral online last year for recreating the end of Shershaah and just being adorable. Sid and Kiara both saw it, she met Sid multiple times, and the mom, who runs the social media, obviously, said the little girl has a huge crush on Sid. So to see her in a movie at all, let alone playing Sid’s daughter is super sweet to me. I’m sure Sid was super sweet to her.

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