I watched some interesting shows and movies in the last 3 months, some of them were special compared to a few.
Here is the account of it in a more summarised fashion – though couple them deserve a dedicated piece on it.
Not in any particular order but the ones preceding the others obviously made an impact.
Adolescence (Netflix)
Inarguably, one of the finest content coming out of the OTT platform in the recent times. Stunning, staggering and faithfully scary, it offers an unprecedented view in to parenting (or the lack of it, really). It is so relevant in our times – our kids are so consumed by technology and its siblings, so much so that all the nonsense exposure which could easily be parked for another 5-6 years and how famished we are in terms of people connect. This is way more important than everything else – our children. It could be deemed as more of a psychological evaluation and studying the mindset of children and parents but the way some scenes tried to extract the information, source and the outcome of those inhibitions were just unbelievable. The third season where the protagonist is questioned, drilled, conversed and intimated by the psycho analyst lady – is something that I have never seen in the recent past. So very provocative, yet remains disdainfully honest and true to the context. Bravo, and I want more.
Crimes of the Future (MUBI)
It’s a film that won’t be easy to watch. Typical of Cronenberg’s earlier works, his fascination with weird sexual experimentations through human prognosis and unusually sensual desires continues. This one is more apocalyptic, where it talks about organs transforming human evolution. The statement – ‘surgery is the new sex’ will stay with me for a long time to come. Provocative meets the impossible. A must watch, but only for the selected few.
On The Road (MUBI)
More of a disjointed classic, if I may say so. Made 13 years ago, still feels relevant to our times. Our fascination with relationships, the conflict between desires versus passion, the fragile line fades away quickly in the lap of reality. Initially what starts off as enthusiasm, talent and the ability to understand the pursuits of life, eventually leads to a myriad road trip to reinvent the inner self, find purpose and decimate illusion. The characters plunge themselves in to madness, adventure, booze, fag and sex (or the lack of it) and leads to closure when each of them pave their own way.
MOBLAND (HBO)
Quintessentially, Guy Ritchie! Lot of guns, lots of coke, jerks patrolling the streets of London like never before and a legacy of uninhibited crimes. it’s organised crime at its best, reeling under the shadows of rivalry, deception, betrayal and relationships. I like Guy’s films as they are shot stylishly, with a penchant for characters who love gore and blood. There is an element of class in his brand of cinema – loaded with British humour, the characters are woven to displease, displace and stay distinguished. Nothing out of the box here and the story is essentially old won’t in a new bottle, but like I said, it’s Guy Ritchie and he delivers what he does best.
Gladiator II (Prime)
I recently watched the original, classic version. Trust me, it still gives you the goosebumps. ‘Maximus’ is a legend and Ridley Scott needed a lot of muscle to create the sequel, not surprised that he waited for more than 3 decades to come out with his redesigned version. And, he doesn’t disappoint though it is nowhere near his original creation. I watched it for Denzel Washington, another legend who has this ability to deliver nuanced performances in his roles. But this one might be his weakest in recent times. I have nothing against the characters etched by Scott – the Gladiator son, the premise, the son’s mom and the roman emperors. But somewhere, it lacks the ambience of an epic. It roars in patches, the fight sequences are attractive but not legendary. Pedro Pascal has been wasted, not sure why he picked this one. In fact, Denzel’s character was to behold all the glory but unfortunately, his role is marred by a weak narrative that fails to capture the true essence of vengeance, which is the only purpose in this film. Watchable, but missable at the same time.
Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
An espionage thriller, and one of its kind. A British series, it stays true to its DNA – sarcasm, extrapolating lies from the womb of truth, disturbed and delirious individuals, talented yet twisted to script their own downfall. This is one series I have always looked forward to with admiration and with a stellar cast that consists of Gary Oldman and Kristin Scott Thomas, what more can you ask for. The name ‘Slow Horses’ is quite deceiving and underwhelming, but what’s inside is truly a revelation. And it’s not all guns and bad guys either. If you want glamour, then meet Rosalind Eleazar. She adds that spice to this raunchy, tasteful thriller. The next one is coming soon, so can’t wait.
@Lifeoholic 