Well, hello there filmbugs! It’s been a week since we last gave this page a visit and we guess you guys have been waiting eagerly for the next blog(MOST PROBABLY YOU GUYS WEREN’T). We went through a lot of research. Basically we googled and the watched films. The group is full of cinephiles. And after all those extensive researches and hour long screen time, we came upon Ten or Twelve such films, which have stories never before thought of and do not fall under the category of mainstream films. PRESENTING BEFORE YOU, TWELVE SUCH MOVIES! (*drum rolls*)
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
12. JALLIKATTU:
The first film under the special mention category is none other than an Indian film. Jallikattu in itself is not a very plot heavy film, but what makes this movie a masterpiece is it’s underlying intentions, breathtaking cinematography and unconventional background score.
On the surface it is a story about a buffalo which ran amok, hence causing a state of anarchy among the life of the villagers. What follows is a bone chilling ninty-four minutes ride of how the villagers capture the buffalo as well as a nuanced commentary about human minds and intentions. The film is a technical Masterpiece, it never lets the viewer free. Lijo Jose Pellisary puts us in the middle of all this chaos within the film’s opening ten minutes, he and cinematographer, Girish Gangadharan tells the story in such a manner that the whole film feels like meticulously created choreography. Lijo is an aesthete. He manages to capture beauty in every frame of the movie, he along with Girish managed to keep the mood of the film calm and balanced amongst all these mishaps. The movie along with showing us about the chase manages to capture the inbuilt patriarchy in our society, the dirty politics and corruption within our system and the state to which a human minds can reach to satisfy it’s own needs and desires.
11. EYE IN THE SKY
Eye in the sky is the riveting thriller film about drone warfare. It’s the first film which has taken the audience inside a secret drone operation which has involved a troop of soldiers, military commanders, lawyers etc. The film has been written by Guy Hibbert and directed by Gavin Hood and proves to be a cinematic masterpiece. The Strong casting of Helen Mirren, Barkhad Abdi, Aaron Paul(Breaking Bad’s Jesse Pinkman) and none other than our favourite, Alan Rickman. The film premiered at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. The film is Alan Rickman’s last film and was dedicated in his honour. The above mentioned film is a must watch if you are a war film lover with an increased interest in drones.
TOP 10:
10. 7 Psychopaths
The Coen brothers are known to tug at the heartstrings of their viewers alongside making them chuckle and then feel guilty the very next second for the use of intelligent dark humour. In itself, this venture is possibly one of their best works to date as it puts up a compelling story with compelling performances from the lead actors- Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, Colin Farrell and Woody Harrelson- while borrowing the grit from No Country for Old Men and the dark humour from the likes of The Big Lebowski. This movie is as absurd as it is heartwarming, a rare combination which can break your heart but at the end will be an esxperience unlike any other.
9. SHANGHAI
Shanghai is a 2012 Indian political thriller film co written, co produced and directed by Dibakar Banerjee, starring Abhay Deol, Emraan Hashmi, Kalki Koechlin, Prosenjit Chatterjee, and based on the Greek novel “Z” by Vassilis Vassilikos. In the movie,we see a small town somewhere in India is poised to become the next Shanghai. Billions of dollars are being poured into an upcoming International Business Park. On the eve of its launch a drunk truck driver mows down a prominent social activist. A lone girl believes it to be a murder, supported by a porn film maker who claims to have the proof that will bring the government down. A high ranking bureaucrat is brought in to investigate the accident. Shanghai, a political thriller, follows the journey of these unlikely heroes as they come together to find justice in the labyrinth of Indian democracy.
8. MIDSOMMAR
Midsommar is a 2019 horror folk film written and directed by Ari Aster(Director of Hereditary). The film features Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren, and Will Poulter. The film is based on a trip, a group of friends take to Sweden for attending a festival that occurs every 90years and gets involved in a cult culture. The film is very symbolistic and must be watched carefully to understand what it wants to potray. The film potrays frequent nudity and has some very gory scenes which some people might not prefer to watch. The film follows the emotional journey of the female protragonist and how she finds herself the right company. The beautiful performaces from Florence Pugh is bound to keep you glued to the screen. Although the plot lacks depth, the acting is strong. This film is not a multiple watch film but should be watched by everyone atleast once for learning about all the different cultures present in this small word. And this film carries a topic which is very new and still undiscovered.
7. CLIMAX
The film Climax by Gasper Noe basically begins with some dancers, finished with rehearsals and about to embark on a tour of America. They gather for music and drinks in a cavernous room on a frosty night. The cinematography is somewhat bizzare which makes the audience go through a trip of paranoia and agony which is hard to explain. The begining dance sequence is so electrifying that nobody can actually identify it’s a one long shot.
Apparently, it’s based on a true story which makes it even more worth watching, the group of dancers who collectively loses their minds after unknowingly being dosed with LSD.
Every film by Gasper Noe is a kind of trip where he wants his audience to get high. He exactly knows how to confuse people and afterwards it becomes difficult to guess if they loved it or hated it.
6. NEW YEAR’S EVE
The film follows interconnected stories of a day in life of several people which happens to be on the day of new year’s Eve. The film is set in nyc, just when the city is getting ready to welcome the new year. We are shown the life of several people, the problems they are facing as they go through the day. We are introduced to Claire who is making final arrangements for the ball drop, Kim who is having trouble dealing with her rebellious daughter, Ingrid who quits her job and decides to complete her last year’s new year resolutions, a man on his last stage of cancer who wants to see the ball drop one last time, and more. The film is beautifully presented, it has a huge ensumble cast starting from the likes of Robert deniro, Sarah Jessica Parker, Zac Efron, etc which makes the film more engaging. It is a slice of life film which is to be taken the way it is, the film though exploring so many characters and storylines doesn’t lag. This film will definitely not make you think or rediscover yourself, the film is not taking itself too seriously and you shouldn’t either. It is just meant to give you a good time.
5. SHAITAN
The Bejoy Nambiar directed movie is one that races alongwith the runtime of 120 minutes, approximately, much like the youth it comments about and the unshackled freedom it depicts. The ride is crazy, wild and absolutely harrowing as the thriller runs its course and makes us think about the multifaceted dimensions of teenage and the spontaneity of life, and the effect a singular mistake and circumstances can have. And, if you aren’t too big on social commentaries, then watch this movie for the effective thriller that it is. There are only a few movies that can boast Kalki Koechlin as a paranoid, claustrophobic, drugged up teenager in the lead role.
4. BHOOTER BHABISHYAT
Bhooter Bhabishyat is 2012 bengali comedy film written and directed by Anik Dutta. The film basically promotes the current flat/shopping mall culture by taking down heritage buildings/houses of Kolkata but is portrayed through a group of ghosts. It was one of the biggest hits of 2012 and was very well critically aclaimed aswell. The ghost gang consisted of ghosts from different regions, cultures and eras but amidst that they had unity among them which was a slap across the face of us, viewers. The film is very witty and is a must watch for everyone.
3. Irreversible
Irreversible is a 2002 French thriller film directed by Gaspar Noe. Irreversible is an intimate and gripping letter to the tragedies and unpredictable moments in life. The film casts Monica Belluci alongside Vincent Cassel and Albert Dupontel. The film employs a reverse chronology and follows two men through the streets of Paris as they seek to avenge a brutally raped girlfriend. The first half of this film tests it’s viewers with all the unbearable moments told with an circular camera angle, the earthquake frequency as a soundtrack.But you realise soon enough how the second half of this film is the actual tragedy, the most heartbreaking period of this film for you see three normal individuals going on with their life. Irreversible is one of Gaspar Noe’s best film and if you have not watched this, then you are missing something in your life.
2. SCENT OF A WOMAN
Scent of a woman is based on the 1975 Italian film Profumo Di Donna.Driven by an extravagant,triumph performance by Al Pacino,Scent of a Woman is the story of Frank Slade (Pacino), a blind, retired army colonel who hires Charlie Simms (Chris O’Donnell), a poor college student on the verge of expulsion, to take care of him over Thanksgiving weekend. At the beginning of the weekend, Frank takes Charlie to New York, where he reveals to the student that he intends to visit his family, have a few terrific meals, sleep with a beautiful woman and, finally, commit suicide. The film follows the mis-matched pair over the course of the weekend, as they learn about life through their series of adventures. Though the story is a little contrived and predictable, it pulls all the right strings, thanks to O’Donnell’s sympathetic supporting role and Pacino’s powerful lead performance, for which he won his first Academy Award. The film is a watch-watch for Pacino fans.
- OLDBOY
Park Chan-wook’s one of the gobsmackingly horrible thriller film, old boy based on the Japanese manga by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiya.
One night, the protagonist is locked up in a mysterious prison without any knowledge. After 15 torturous years, he’s suddenly released and given a mobile phone, a suit and a wallet full of cash. When he finally gets freed from the 15years of captivity, he becomes a changed person desired to fulfill his revenge.
At a point of time it stops being a film of mystery and becomes a most tragically classic one.
This film contains excellent actions which is perhaps the most classic you’ve ever seen in a South Korean film.
Park Chan-wook has successfully blown the minds of millions of people across the globe with a terrifying cinematography. I would really suggest you all to give it a watch.
CONTRIBUTORS:
- MOUMITA GHOSH
- SHRISTI GUPTA
- DEBASRITA GHOSH
- ROHAN PALODHI
- KUSHAN NIYOGI
- SHOUNAK CHAKRABARTI
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