Author Archives: ironmullah

“Rex Reed called it the worst movie of the century. For me, [that] is a victory. “ Here Aronofsky is talking about mother! and this echoes similar statements made by the Danish Lars Von Trier and Nicholas Winding Refn, that negative reactions are just as important as positive reactions and polarization is good. Drawing aContinue reading “The Entrapped Body: The Films of Darren Aronofsky”

Miyazaki and Takahata had years of experience in animation before starting Studio Ghibli. They had done extensive TV work, both writing and directing and in the case of Miyazaki doing the animation as well. Now, I have not watched most of this work, but it’s safe to say that, working as they were for theContinue reading “A Brief Overview on the works of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata”

I can’t remember having not watched Ashi hi Banwa Banwi. It is on TV constantly and is quoted endlessly. It is what one would call a ‘touchstone film’. A film filled with gags that have stood the test of time and paradoxically, actually sometimes get funnier the more you watch them. There are a fewContinue reading “Ashi hi Banwa Banwi: A comedy that endures”

“When did Anubhav Sinha become an auteur? ” I asked myself while watching his previous film Article 15. Nothing in his career prior had suggested to me that he could make a film with such power and such depth. His earlier films were entertaining no doubt, even the much maligned Ra. One, but they wereContinue reading “‘Thappad’ review”

Having no hosts makes the ceremony chug along nicely, with the gap between award presentations not seeming too long even with breaks. However, there’s a certain lack of grandness in the ceremony that makes it seem like just any other award show. Or maybe it was just the fact that there were not any funnyContinue reading “My thoughts on the 2019 Oscars.”

So, having just completed watching all the Best Picture nominees (for the first time before the awards are announced) I feel fairly invested in this year’s ceremony. That might also have to do with the quality of this year’s crop of Best Picture nominees. I liked all of the films nominated this year compared toContinue reading “Predicting the 2019 Oscar winners”

Both La Dolce Vita and Breathless were released in 1960, becoming staples of European art house cinema and must-sees if you have to acquire a Cinephile card. One was made by a former critic announcing himself as a major voice, while Fellini was already a great director before making this film. But this was theContinue reading “Pune International Film Festival Day#6: La Dolce Vita, About Endlessness”

The Painted Bird is based on a novel by Jerzy Kosiński that claims to be a true account of his own childhood during WWII. Except these claims were later found to be false, with the author having spent the war under protection of Polish relatives. However, I wonder why anyone would have believed his storiesContinue reading “Pune International Film Festival Day#5: The Painted Bird, Beanpole”