Happy Wednesday! It’s the start of Halloween Season! I put little Ghost standees up in the yard and they look all friendly, plus our “Trick or Treat” welcome mat. And, of course, I’ve had Albie’s costume for WEEKS already. I won’t tell you what it is so you can be surprised.
I’ll start!
Watching: The Shahrukh-Deepika song from Jawan is on youtube! Y’all probably already knew this, but I just found out. I didn’t realize until re-watching it what Farah Fun it is. Her typical playful sense of imagery, but also I think Dips and SRK were both extra relaxed because they are both so comfy with her.
Reading: I’m in the final book of Ponniyin Selvan! And all the love triangles are getting resolved and secrets coming out and so on and so forth.
Thinking: I’m so lonely! My housemates are gone for a week and a half, and the first 3 days were fine but now it’s WEIRD! Very excited for them to be back on Friday. Also, a little bit tired of cleaning their cats’ litter boxes.
Listening: This randomly popped up on my car tunes shuffle over the weekend and made me all happy.
Now, question for you! Two controversial topics. First, for Animal day, Cat or Dog?
I am firmly dog, always and forever. However all the cat sitting I am doing has shifted me from actively anti-cat to cat-tolerant.
Second, for October, Pumpkin Spice Flavor, yay or nay?
I am firmly YAY! But only in the fall. I like it for exactly 2 months and then I get sick of it and am kind of glad it is gone.
dontcallitbollywood 
Watching: I watched 27 dresses which was so much fun. I absolutley adored it and feel that it is very misunderstood. I just could really resonate with the ‘mother’ like character and the overly people pleasing women. It is silly and ridiculous but I do think it is a sort of fairytale for women who struggle to express themselves.
Reading: I am reading this anthology called ‘Eating God’ compiled by Arundhati Subramaniam and it features a lot of Bhakti poetry. The Bhakti movement is quite interesting as it has a lot of different influences but the poetry is magnicifent. Very raw and visceral imagery.
Listening: I am in a very stressed space which means a lot of sad music. So I am listening to ‘Ae Ajnabi’ from Dil Se (which I have always wanted to watch).
Thinking: Super stressed right now because of the amount of work I have to do so I am just trying to finish that.
Also for your question, I am not a big animal person as I am scared of both but if I have to choose then cat since they are mostly solitary.
I found out that Sai Pallavi and Ranbir are locked for the role of Ram and Sita. Ranbir I am not so sure about but I am so excited for Sai Pallavi as she fits the role of Sita perfectly in my eyes.
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Ugh, Ranbir as Ram? That’s just not my Ram at all. Setting aside that I dislike him, his whole brand is “troubled young person”, while Ram’s whole brand is “pure and sure in every situation”. I would have picked Shahid Kapoor maybe, or Sidharth Malhotra. Sai Pallavi is gonna act him off the screen.
Dil Se is SO SAD! And deeply upsetting! At least, to me. So don’t watch it if you are stressed!
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I do not hate Ranbir but I understand your inhibitions. To me who is an actor who is neutral, in some films he is good like Yeh Jawaani hai Deewani and his tortured art films he is bad like Tamasha and Rockstar. Weirdly enough I don’t think anyone in current bollywood can play Ram.
Ram needs a level of complexity but also this sturdiness and also this imposing level of authority. Shahid does not have that slightly imposing stature and in my opinion cannot play just and righteous characters(Padmaavat proved that to me). Siddharth Malhotra is too wooden to play a complex character like Ram and again does not feel imposing. I feel like Young Amitabh had that sturdiness, just attitude and yet imposing nature which would’ve been perfect for the role.
I destress by watching stressful movies but I still might not watch Dil Se as I require time which I don’t have.
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I bet Ranveer could play Ram, if he had a good director.
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Yeah if anyone, my bet would be on Ranbir.
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I watched tamil movie Aneethi. Arjun Das plays the main role and he is so good. It was like watching a star in the making. Tears, anger, disperation, happiness, mass scenes, he portrayed it all and so well. And OMG his voice is so sexy. He was great and some scenes in the movie either, but I’m not sure if I would recommend the movie to everybody. It’s uneven and violent in the end. Plus it has a very annoying heroine (annoying also because she is real, and one ends thinking how many girls live such a sad, hopeless lives)
I also watched Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal on Netflix. I remember when I first heard about the murder last year, and it was so interesting: money, power, lies, drugs, mistery. I don’t know how, but Netflix took this almost Abbas-Mustan story, and made it boring. There are so many people talking but nobody tells nothing important really. The most interesting part – family relations are absent. Disappointing and waste of time, I could watch a movie 2 movies instead of watching this.
And – everybody please watch Forgotten Love on Netflix. I don’t remember when was the last time I liked a Polish movie, but this one is good and worth watching.
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I watched Arjun Das in Master ages ago(basically in 2020). I was similarly obsessed and then I saw Andhaghaaram which was bad but I also do not remember anything about the movie. I love his voice too which is so sexy and sounds naturally deep. However I think his movie choices are not so good which is really not letting him explode the way he should.
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I think Aneethi will help his career. I didn’t love it, but a lot of people did and he was impressive. He really can be the next tamil superstar, if che chooses his roles wisely.
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There is a podcast on the Murdaugh Murders, I think it is through the Washington Post. And it is GREAT. Definitely not boring, but disturbing. My Spouse was obsessed with it.
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Since I found all the Karan Klassiks on Netflix, I’ve had KHNH on in the background but nothing new.
My mind has mostly been occupied with this proto-superhero I came across, The Scarlet Pimpernel. While reading it I became convinced that it would have been a lot more interesting to discuss in class than basically everything we ever read for school.
So of course I looked up analysis guides online and came across one that I almost hated by the end. The guy (definitely, he was so anti the female protagonist) apparently doesn’t have any siblings – or at least I wouldn’t want to be related to him.
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I love the Scarlett Pimpernel! He helped inspire Zorro who helped inspire Batman, the “foolish playboy/secret hero” dynamic. There’s sequels too if you want more Pimpernel (although they aren’t as good). There’s also a classic movie from 1934, and an epic movie with Jane Seymour from 1984. But yes, it’s fascinating how it acknowledges the atrocities on BOTH sides of the conflict without picking a side beyond “don’t kill people”.
Want me to write an analysis? Or make it a Book Club pick? I’m always up for a re-read of that!
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I’d actually love either, if anyone else is interested.
– eva-e
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I am back after two weeks in the US and then a week being simultaneously sick and jetlagged and also having to prep four classes.
Sadly did not get to see Jawan in the US! It just wasn’t playing anywhere or any time we could get to it. However, Pathaan is coming to my little town so I will get to see it again. And I am holding out hope that Jawan will release here also.
While in the US I took the opportunity to see a couple of things that are on US Netflix and not Japanese Netflix. The first was Andadhun, which marks another time I was not annoyed by Ayushmann in a movie, although those are getting considerably less frequent. (Really liked him in Article 15. Totally forgot it was him). I really liked the movie, but how come no one notices his apartment is filled with pictures and he’s got a calendar on the wall?
Then we continued Radhika Week with Bombairiya. I have seen this movie described as a black comedy in several places and I cannot figure out why. It’s crime-adjacent, but nothing unpleasant happens, all of the characters start out yelling at each other but turn out to be really nice, and it’s actually super sweet. That said, I could not follow it. The action is really frenetic and Netflix subs did that thing where they only translate the Hindi including times when part of the sentence is English. I actually thought it was pretty funny despite this, especially Adil Hussain who plays the heavy but, I don’t know, it’s just really funny.
Made in Heaven Season 2 is finally out in Japan, so that’s my weekend plan!
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Oh also Mahira Khan got married. It’s her second marriage and the video is so sweet as her son walks her down the aisle and is there with her during the nikaah ceremony.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/others/inside-pics-mahira-khan-fairytale-wedding-majestic-venue-pakistan-hotel-101696504565580.html
https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/mahira-khans-son-azlan-walked-her-down-the-aisle-at-her-wedding-4447774
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Thiruchitrambalam finally is available on Prime video!
Margaret, I know you watch less Indian movies now, but if you want to watch one, this is the right one. Not only it has Dhanush in a romantic role (one of the best things in Indian cinema) but it also has Nithiya Menen and Prakash Raj playing a father like only he can. Plus good music. Plus this choreography – tribute to the old American musicals. Plus it’s cute.
Dhanush is so sexy in this video I swear I question my cuddlysexuality
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Ooooo, I do love that cast. Maybe for a watchalong?
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It’s a great movie for a watchalong.
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That’s good news! I got a free trial to SUN in order to watch this one and it was worth it! So glad I can watch it again more easily. Margaret, you will love this one! It’s a great family drama and romance combined. Quickly at the top of my favorite Tamil films list.
-filmilibrarian
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Okay, this time I think the comment was auto-approved but still posted anonymously. What the heck WordPress?
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Watching: I’ve had a rewatching couple of weeks…beyond just generally having Rocky aur Rani on in the background of my life for the last few weeks. I showed it to two non-desi friends who are Indian film-friendly. They both loved it (both have seen K3G and at least another Karan Johar film in addition, so I was sure they’d be on board for it). Then one of those friends and her husband and I watched Pathaan. Probably not a good choice for them. And it, unfortunately, made me question my opinion of the film after watching it with them, even though I watched it twice before already and enjoyed it. Sometimes seeing films through another’s perspective really does influence your opinion. My friend probably would have enjoyed it more had it not been at the end of long day because she gets the appeal of SRK and Deepika, but her husband has a far too rational and logical brain and immediately started pointing out all of the scenes that were “borrowed” from Hollywood films. He summarized his take by saying quite bitingly that it was just a very bad pastiche of the Fast and Furious, Mission Impossible, and Bond films with bad writing and nauseating editing. He concluded by saying that the “videos” were fine and the creators should just make videos. He does watch a lot of international films (horror is his fav genre) and he has given many Indian films a chance. He thought RRR was way too long, specifically Ajay’s flashback, and it turned into uncomfortable propaganda at the end. Valid opinion about the propaganda.
All of that being said, I still enjoy the star turns in Pathaan and will probably happily watch it again someday. I am a bit worried about how Fighter will totally rip off Top Gun (which is a bit sacrosanct for me). But I can’t wait to see Tiger 3 actually! Partly because it’s not Siddharth Anand and because I’m curious how Maneesh Sharma will do at action. Plus Katrina!
Last night, I sat down to watch something new and tried two Telugu films, Kushi and Miss Shetty & Mister Polishetty. I couldn’t get through the first ten minutes of Kushi because the white actors in it were some of the worst I’ve ever seen and I read a review that Samantha’s role is underwritten. The credits say “The Vijay Deverakonda” and “Samantha” and that turned me off, though I know how the South industries do like to do this. Vijay has become so overhyped.
Anushka Shetty in Miss Shetty… was good in the 30 minutes of it I watched and the male lead definitely had some charm, too, but I saw that the film was way too long for the premise…if it had been under two hours I would have stuck with it.
So I’m in another Indian film slump and really need to find a good watch…I feel like I should watch Khufiya or Jaane Jaan, but I’m not in the mood for those kinds of films. I’ve been thinking about watching Goodbye with Amitabh and Neena sometime soon. But honestly, I’ve just been waiting forever for Zara Hatke Zara Bachke to arrive on streaming!
Reading: one of the C.S. Harris Sebastian St. Cyr historical mysteries which is a total comfort read series for me
-filmilibrarian
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Oooo, I hate that feeling of almost having a film ruined by seeing it through someone else’s eyes. Pathan may be a pastiche of scenes from other serieses, but that doesn’t make it any less FUN.
Have you watched the Dhanush movie Angie is pushing on me? It’s available easily on streaming and everyone says it’s super light and happy and rom-comy.
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Yep, I commented up on Angie’s post, too. You must watch this. It does have some serious family drama bits, but it’s all handled with a very believable and gentle direction and the acting is all around perfect in this one. Dhanush is not always my favorite (he honestly gives off some weird misogynist vibes on screen and off) but in this one I think his character worked well for me. He’s undeniably a very good actor. But it’s really about the rest of the cast for me, especially Nithya Menon.
– filmilibrarian (it’s asking for a login but mine never works)
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Oh, I finished Miss Shetty Mister Polishetty few hours ago. It was definitely too long for the premise and very predictable. Which is not bad for me because the last few days were extremely unsettled, and I needed something slow and easy. But even for me it was a little too still. I loved the colours and Anushka’s face (she is so pretty). Unfortunately I didn’t like her acting.
P.S I also noticed log in doesn’t work when you are sending the comment. One needs to log in before and only then write the comment.
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