A peek into Deranged Minds : Longlegs

The Serial Killer genre has been played out over the decades and yet there is still an audience for it. For someone like me, who wants a peek into dark minds and how they operate, such films provide a myriad kaleidoscope of reasons behind brutality. Not just films, but now true crime documentaries also unmask these men and women and try to create a narrative that can eventually close a door behind us. 

To me Serial Killer films start with something like Silence of the Lambs and also pivot to Poirot-Marple-Agatha Christie Universe. Although I will admit that Slasher films and Serial Killer films only differ in terms of brutality and reason; nonetheless both are enjoyable (to me). The fear of the chase is stark and brutal in Slasher films but in Serial Killer films it is a psychological tease.

Longlegs, falls more in line with a serial killer film trope, and it also has some strokes of supernatural and horror. Set in the 90s and against the snowy and desolate American landscape, which is interrupted by the ruthless murders that appear more like a cult. The half psychic or highly intuitive Agent Harker is emotionless but alert and we follow her while she chases the  ghostly and ghastly Nicholas Cage who makes a brief appearance; But definitely worth it. 
I would say it is worth a watch but the slow speed might not appeal to all. Oh and Of course the killings are also there. 

A Down Under Horror - Monolith

Australian Cinema is quite undervalued. In present times of English-speaking film world, Hollywood rules the roost with some smatterings of European cinema; Australian cinema remains less appreciated than it deserves. 

Not just films but TV shows are a league apart. Some must-watch shows like Rake, Fisk, Colin from Accounts, are popular but do not make it to everyone's to-do list.
I must also give a special mention to Deadloch, which is so underrated in popular culture despite being a diamond find. It is mystery and dark comedy wrapped in the format of a dreary European mystery thriller set in a small town fighting a large Corp. Definitely a laugh riot. 

Coming back to films, I was delighted to find Monolith online. I am constantly looking for something akin to mindfuck or something that grips you till the end. An investigator/podcaster comes receives an anonymous email about a Black Brick and follows the trail which leads her to some uncomfortable revelations and truths.  While researching the story she finds herself falling into a singular vortex of self-analysis and fear of turning into the story herself.

There is only one actor in whole film and she carries the film brilliantly. The format and structure of the film - a single person forced to stay alone and only interaction is through audio. Battling claustrophobia and horror and psychological onslaught while trying to salvage your identity and reputation, one begs to question if all this is real.
The film also poses some philosophical questions of trauma, guilt and redemption. 

This is a must-watch for all horror, psychological thriller fans. You might be able to guess a few things but not all.. 

A month's worth of culture

 Last month was exhausting. Oscillating between work and laziness is a burden one must not carry!

Here's something I delved in during the last 30 days:

Rewatching: Hunter x Hunter

I would put this anime among my Shounen favorites like One Piece or Bleach. We follow the protagonist Gon on his journey to become a hunter just like his father. Gon is our typical shounen hero who believes in friendships and not hurting someone and the usual rigamarole. 

But we do not go through the usual arcs like we encounter in other manga/anime. This is like a shounen manga on video game adrenalin, with good fast-paced plots, quick but apt developments and interesting cliff hangers or climax. 

The characters are always developing and that is the USP of this series. Gon and Killua and the posse are always attaining new levels and it is a delight to watch them get new skills in every arc. From the Hunter card arc to the Arena arc, winning is not just a given for some and the fights are fun to watch as you do not know what aces do they have up their sleeve.

Obviously when we talk about cards, Hisoka deserves a mention. He is the grey man, anti-hero or anti-villain or let's just say the Snape. We do not know who he supports as his intentions are shrouded in mystery. However, we all know that he is attracted to (ahem..) power and talent. I guess competition and upskilling really lights a fire in his belly. 

This series is a must-watch for all Shounen fans. I would rate it as high (or maybe more?) as Bleach but maybe less than Naruto.

Watching: Psych

This series is fun, and light hearted. A bit like Brooklyn99, but without the entourage. I thought the jokes might fall flat as they are not topical, but that was not the case. Being a mystery fan, I had a lot of expectations. However, it is better to view this series as a comedy rather than a detective series. 

It's a fun watch and tickles your funnybones. But as a mystery standalone genre watch, it might not be the best pick. 

Reading: Gyakusatsu Happy End

This is a dark manga. I am almost halfway done but it gets darker with each chapter. 

This manga is about Makoto Kusakabe who works part-time to earn money for her ill younger sister's treatment while being tormented by his abusive father, a mother who left him and bullies. But when he is told that his sister has only a short time left to live, he is desperate. And in such a state he goes to a dark side of himself which cannot be undone. 

If you are fond of time loops and Death Note, this manga will definitely appeal to you.  

 There are other things in offing as well, but for now Toodaloo. 

The crown is heavy - Mr Beast and the recent hubhub

More than a decade ago, I read a play by Jean Genet called Balcony. The play is set in a brothel in an unnamed city which is undergoing a revolution/rebellion. The brothel is a make-believe stage where one can indulge in activities of power and control, which is crumbling outside in the city. The clients of the brothel participate in role-playing and act out their dreams and fantasies. 

Genet, himself the son of a prostitute, was a politically charged French poet, playwright and an activist. His plays highlight power centers and established norms and subversion. 

But he also believed that once a revolution achieved its goals and established a new order, this new order would inevitably come with its own set of problems and forms of oppression.

I have not seen Mr Beast's videos in the last few/couple of years. But I have seen his early videos helping people or giving gifts to unfortunate people. Last time I saw him, he was driving a charity effort helping some children get better eye care. So the news that is cropping up recently and shocking the Youtube-verse could be stunning for many. The more news we hear, the worse it sounds.

If we collate Balcony and Genet with this situation, this was bound to happen. When climbing up the stairs of success, one is subversive and breaking the mold and displacing the status quo. In their mind, they are fresh, young blood and revolutionary - Pioneers.
But once established, it all goes down the same way. Rumors surrounding unsafe working conditions were the start; Now there is news of racism, homophobia, hiring criminals, and CP, among others. 

Investigation is ongoing but usually big corporations get away or bury such stories. And Mr Beast and his team is the gigantic mammoth bringing millions of views regularly to Youtube. So all this could be silenced or maybe there could be another quiet rebel working his way up again... 

But we are just here for the content, right?

Freeloaders and Bloodsuckers

 

 

Usually I avoid viewing any Oscar International film winner/nominees just out of the sheer annoyance that all winners are usually representing movies that are representations of stereotypical innateness of the country or exaggerating human emotions.
It also makes me realise the apathy I feel to some human emotions if they are portrayed as melodramatic. Maybe it is because we now have shorter attention spans or maybe our head has been corroded due to the continuous barrage of useless information we receive.

In any case, I am glad I saw Parasite. I had some idea of the plot but no idea about how it would be handled. I went in expecting to see destitution and poverty and class divide. And I saw it but not how I was expecting.

My thoughts: 

-The social commentary blended within the story, has been so starkly represented and yet I felt I was so engrossed in the film that I forgot to view it. 

-I am glad my fears were proven wrong. The movie did not have a dull moment. It went fast and obviously packed a punch.

-The movie could be set in any country or any city, especially in Asia and would be appropriate. Capitalism and class divide are uniform wherever one goes. 

- Usually Korean dramas are full of fake opulence and superficial luxury; usually in the chaebol dramas of rich boy/poor girl. But it is refreshing to see that there is a realization of it being just fiction. The class divide is so bleak and serious, and superbly highlighted after every few minutes (by the fragrance/smell storyline). It is something that is intangible and yet it sparks the final actions of Mr Kim.

-While the Kim family is indulging in the rich lifestyle, I was so anxious that they will be facing their doom. And was I wrong?

-There have been many movies that have been released this decade regarding Phrogging. It is so scary and would be so traumatic. 

- The Japanese show Parasite (Kiseichuu) is about an alien entering a boy and who then becomes the vessel who is half-human and half-parasite. Worth a watch if you prefer some darkness in life.     

Reappearance

 

It's been ages (=a decade) since I accessed this blog. Even though it has stayed alive in some recesses of my mind/soul, I gave up writing. I always viewed writing as something I liked to do rather than a cathartic experience, which it could have been. I am not sure if I would be able to continue on this journey for long given work deadlines and personal commitments; But let me try my hand again at this. 

Maybe this time I will be satisfied with what I write. I plan to maybe write about movies and series and podcasts I devour. I still do not think I am well-versed with the music scene, so will refrain from that. That said, maybe Homecoming is a gigantic term to start off with. So I call this a return, or arrival.   

This is the End

Because words have blood in them.

back to school

Japanese audience loves its school dramas. Whether it is a romantic comedy set in school like Hana Yori Dango or it’s something like Great Teacher Onizuka where a former thug comes to school to make a difference in the lives of his students. The newest addition to this genre is 35-year-old high school student, where a woman returns to school to complete her graduation.

School dramas mostly deal with issues like bullying, isolation, friendship and peer pressure, lawlessness, depression, and relations between teachers and students. Baba (whose name means an old woman) joins a high school class teeming with such issues. There are class bullies, girl gangs, troublemakers, victims and teachers who are unable to do anything. Baba, who has scars from her previous school experience, this time, tries to help others by being a strong and trustworthy character. While at school she helps the class get closer with each other and tackles issues which the school staff wants to avoid or brush under the carpet.

Films like Billy Madison, etc deal with this issue in a lighter vein but Japanese television takes school issues very seriously and churns out school dramas every season. However, the only drawback to this is that the themes and issues get repetitive. Also, as these dramas are usually led by a strong main character, this would mean that the lead has to be convincing and do a stellar job wooing the class and the audience.

Through her eyes

What Maisie knew tackles divorce and separation through the eyes of a young girl who is caught between her parent's feud and distance. The film follows her and what she sees and it is her perspective and vision that the audience is shown. Maisie’s life with her paranoid mother and withdrawn father might play out like “a Jacobean tragedy”, but the film does not focus solely on that.

Although the subject of divorce and what it does to the child isn’t something new, the film keeps the girl at the centre and also does not use her vantage point to build stories about the parents and the separation. We do see the shuffling between parents and their new spouses, picking up the pieces and adjusting to life again. We also see that the interests of the child, who is being vied at the time of the divorce proceedings, seem to take a backseat to personal demands and and petty ego.

Although in transferring from parent to parent, the child becomes a casualty of misunderstanding and never-ending feuds, sometimes Maisie’s innocence and brightness seem to make the mishap around her seem less damaged. There is a sense of flow in Maisie’s life as she travels from one guardian to another and even though she might seem suddenly lonely, she immediately pops back to being a happy kid when she is shown love, affection and attention. The movie is precariously balanced on Maisie, who as a child is undergoing sudden and disturbing change in her life. The film and her life may collapse at any moment but somehow, through her vitality and through the kindness of strangers, she manages to stay afloat. 

Grim little sleepy town

ITV’s Broadchurch is about a small town that comes to the forefront when an 11-year-old boy dies under suspicious circumstances. Mostly, the show deals with the aftermath of a young boy's death as the family and the town copes with the onslaught of grief and attention.

The show stars Barty Crouch aka David Tennant as an ill and tired DI Alec Hardy supported by DC Miller, played by Olivia Colman. Doubt is in the air and suspicion fall on everyone who is even remotely linked to the case. Both follow leads and clues and often end up reaching nowhere. There is a lot of misdirection but slowly all the false clues are eliminated.

Small town murder mysteries often remind me of Miss Marple mysteries that are teeming with undercurrents. There are incestuous dealings, gossip and rumour mills, nosy neighbours, and just plain people hiding truth that have nothing to do with the murder. 
(Also reminded me of Murder she wrote, where a sleepy town in Maine becomes the victim of a grim crime, much too often.)

There is a lot of similarity between Broadchurch and the Danish hit Forbrydelson (also called The Killing), which also deals with a single murder throughout the series: A town rocked by an unexpected murder but while Forbrydelson had a political angle attached to it, Broadchurch focuses on the lives of people shattered by the tragedy. I would recommend this series. Although the end might not be very surprising (at least it was not for me), the ride is enjoyable. The scenery is wonderful and spectacular, the dialogues crisp. How a single murder can set off a series of onslaughts has been explored quite well.