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. 

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.     

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.

Saving the damsels in distress

Lucius Malfoy… excuse me, Jason Isaacs stars in this fast-paced mystery drama about a former cop-present detective who has a penchant for finding lost people, especially girls.

The mysteries are intriguing and the chase by the lone detective are rewarding. The stories are intertwined and flow into each other and sometimes we have to follow three cases at once. From finding a girl who went missing 20 years ago to aiding a crime novelist in his who gets embroiled in an accident, Scottish detective Jackson Brodie is the unlucky detective, who is always at the right place at the wrong time and loves his old American country songs.

What I liked about the series was that it did not try to be more than what it is. There is the mystery that is tackled and sometimes we are made privy to Brodie’s internal struggle as he continues to deal with the drowning of his sister when he was a child. Comparing this to Wallander, I found Case Histories to be a better drama in terms of pace, storyline and action. Wallander mostly took place inside the mind but Case Histories takes you where you want to be.

Throne of Blood

I finally picked up Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood, which had been lying with me for a few years. Kurosawa’s films are a treat to watch and ofcourse, Rashomon is a must for film/literature lovers.

Based on Macbeth, the film follows the Samurai commander Washizu (played by the very charming and able Toshiro Mifune) who hears a prophecy by a forest spirit declaring him first, the master of the North castle and next, as the Lord of the Spider Web Castle. As the first prediction comes true, Washizu, pushed by his ambitious wife Asaji, kills the current lord and takes over his position.

However, the forest spirit also foretold that another commander’s son would become the Lord after Washizu, who then spirals into an endless and a frantic struggle to maintain his power.

The movie, like the play it is based on, deals with the question of predestination and free will. Predestination becomes the cover for actions that are fuelled by ambition and ruthlessness (classic Shakespeare!).

The film is beautifully-shot and has few dialogues. There is vast emptiness and ominous sounds, which just seem to highlight the troubled minds of the protagonist. Lady Asaji portrays her madness and villainy with ease and brilliance. Washizu, led by his wife’s direction, commits what he thinks is his destiny. (But we know better)

Themes of prophecy/predestination and free will are a source of delight and/or discussion, at least for me. Another recent reference that comes to mind is of course Harry Potter. I would love to watch more movies dealing with this theme. Any ideas?

p.s. Lord Krishna is another one!

Review: The Girls

I would usually avoid a series with such an obvious title. But I am not regretting picking this up. The series is a fresh take on girls living in New York and experiencing lives as an adventure. I think there is some Gossip Girl and SATC in this but I also saw some hues of Mad Men.

The series revolves around Hannah and her friends, trying to figure out their lives (aren’t we all?) as they traverse through their 20s. The series generates a lot of introspection and sometimes as you look through the characters’ anxieties, mistakes and misgivings, you oscillate through a sense of belonging and a sense of alienation.

But the series is more of a montage on living and experiencing. I really liked an episode where Hannah goes to apologize to a stranger for dumping garbage in his trash can and somehow ends up spending two days with him.

Overall, the series is worth watching and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in light watching and slight contemplation.

anime review

Just completed: Aku no Hana (Flowers of Evil)

Is Aku no Hana a story about teenage urges and desires gone awry or does it have a deeper meaning regarding teenage angst and ennui?

While we ponder on this, we have to watch the show move at a snail’s pace. Kasuga, the protagonist, fancies himself to be different from the rest. He thinks that by reading different/varied literature, he is a pioneer of sorts. Once, by mistake, he steals the gym clothes of his classmate Saeki, whom he worships as his femme fatale, his muse. Big words for someone in middle school. He is seen by the class oddball Nakamura, who then forces him into a contract.

What follows is a twisted and dark journey into teenage worries and anxiety. The under confident Kasuga, the all-embracing Saeki and the bullying yet needy Nakamura: the show revolves around these three and the only time we see the rest of the class is when they are commenting on these three.

But is it an over-reach? The manga is still on-going and the show’s first season spanned only 13 episodes. The story seemed to be going nowhere except spiralling through Kasuga’s worries and fears.
On the fence about it.

Current Servings

A nifty list of what I am currently watching:

Jormungand

Tells the story of an arms dealer Koko and her troupe as they negotiate with governments, competitors and assassins. Just three episodes in and I like the fast pace, music and characterization.

Chihayafuru

Based on the Japanese traditional card game karuta, Chihayafuru is an amalgamation of sorts. It is a sports anime, a romantic anime and a shoujo ‘bildungsroman’ anime. The characters are good and sparkly, the storyline strong but the weak link is the pace which progresses slower than the astrological signage. But the build ups are definitely worth it. Have finished season one (and rewatched it too) and about to finish season 2.

Iryu Sousa

From the long (and sometimes exhausting) line of Japanese detective series comes Iryu Sousa. Although each episode starts out fine with a strong mystery element, the end is always lacking and emotional. I guess the point of the whole series is that the protagonist is from the personal effects department, which also includes the family members of the deceased. So after each mystery concludes, this ‘cop’ goes to the relatives and explains to them the reason behind the death and the actions of the deceased , among other things.
Not at all to my liking. Sigh, a few more episodes to go in season 1.

Saikou no Rikon

A very interesting and funny take on love and divorce is Saikou no Rikon. The characters are crisp and relatable, the story line taut and pacy. While some elements could have been better out than in, the story always keeps its focus right. Of course, the acting is stellar with Eita and Ono Machiko as the leads. A must watch.
Two more episodes to go.

Apart from these, the usual still go on. Naruto, One Piece, Detective Conan are always on the backburner, being collected steadily and being watched intermittently.

Working through the formula: Kdramas

Best Love: A love story set in Korea’s TV/film industry. The hero, an egotistical actor, figures out he loves the heroine, a down-and-out singer, by measuring his pulse.

I like watching Korean dramas. They’re usually fluffy romcoms, with enough melodrama and separation that drives viewers mad but not away. (I say usually because there is something called A Love to Kill – beautiful to see but extremely tough to watch).

These shows usually work within a paradigm. Most of them are love stories of a rich, emotionally-stunted hero and a poor but heart-warming heroine. Of course, there are usual suspects - the side hero who love the poor girl but has a fatal flow (he’s her brother, is the best of the lot); the side-heroine, who has her agenda but is deep down a kind person. For the pair to get together in the end, there are obstacles like the hero’s stern family, the heroine’s always-broke dad, etc.

 
Gloria: This show had all the familiar trappings of a K-drama. A closed-up hero who only knew how to express himself through getting beat up and a heroine who raised her older but mentally-challenged sister by doing 10 jobs a day.

So within this age-old formula, which works wonders in all cultures, it is always difficult to establish an OTP (one true pairing) that can sustain a) their own character flaws b) family outbursts and machinations and c) ratings! The first one is extremely negotiable, though.

Goong/Princess Hours: A classic trope loved by all, the forced marriage, with the added bonus of being set in a royal household, Goong is much-liked by all. The story is shaky but there are spots of good acting. Mostly, the OTP wins hearts. 

In any case, while the formula is constraining and limited, the possibilities of experimentation are huge. The same story told through different lens, with things changed here and there, just fuels the fancy of viewers. While Gloria added the theme of revenge to the story, Best Love became a story told through metaphors and symbols.

While I haven’t watched many Kdramas, I’m still waiting to see them try some Japanese police/detective shows like Trick. Can someone make that somewhere?!

A week’s worth of films

Here are some of the films I have this new year. Nothing recent and nothing spectacular or off the charts. Some just sounded interesting and some were critically-acclaimed.

1. Dressed to Kill
Last year I finally saw Scarface. I thought another Brian De Palma film wouldn’t hurt, especially one whose synopsis from IMDB read :A mysterious, tall, blonde woman, wearing sunglasses murders one of a psychiatrist's patients, and now she's after the prostitute who witnessed it. 

2. Leon the Professional
This movie is always floating in IMDB lists; so finally picked it up. While watching it, I loved the music, especially juxtaposing it with the continuous massacre in the film.

3. Paths of Glory
I am making an effort to watch war films. I haven’t counted but this might be my third war/anti-war film.
Paths of Glory is an anti-war parable, mostly about how war is not about the macro-picture but just about individual ambitions trumping over the lives of feeble soldiers. I was appalled and shocked at the right moments and Kirk Douglas was a revelation! Also Stanley Kubrick as the director ain’t bad either! 

4. The Social Network
I avoided this film on purpose. It’s difficult to see this film as an objective viewer. I’ll post a very apt blog entry by Filmdr who says that after watching this film ‘two ironies emerge’:
a) A shy, anti-social young man electronically seduces the world by appealing to everyone's social instincts.
b) Goaded on by sexual rejection and class resentment, Zuckerberg invents the ultimate club that establishes its own kind of exclusivity by allowing only members with the Harvard.edu address, but then he gradually lets everyone join. Like a bunch of lemmings, we do.

5. The Bad Seed
What makes a child go bad? Is it nurture or nature? I think the film tried to answer the question by introducing us to a child who acts perfect but is a basket of killings waiting to unravel. The film is a precursor to Children of the Corn, The Omen’s Damien but at a small, household level.

6. The Hurt Locker
In my attempts to watch War films, I came across this Oscar winner. I liked the film; the tension is palpable and loved the first words of the film:  The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug. There is no rush and there is no fast—paced action. Just the strain of getting out of anywhere alive. The film flowed like a poem, and ended where it began.


7. Winter’s Bone
I had heard a lot about the film but no names had popped up. The film’s story is nothing great, a girl who is hunting for her father; but the cinematography with the bleak and desolate land and a futile search kept me hooked. A thriller story set in the neo-noir country, the film creeps up on you. Just goes to show you that a good film can be made with less resources.

One Piece beckons

This Sunday was dedicated to One Piece. I had been reminiscing about the series now that I have decided to stop seeing it for a few months (love to let it build up). So the pictures below are from the first ten episodes I saw today. If you haven’t seen it, go see it. If you’ve seen it, you know it’s great!
In the first few episodes, we see a pattern developing:

Ya, if you haven’t seen One Piece, you might think he’s serious, but Luffy, of course, after saying this, bursts out laughing!

Luffy and food! Not Luffy and Hancock, but Luffy and food!

Luffy and Zorro.

I think this was a wonderful meeting. Both of them have
major/life-defining goals, but find each other appealing and crazy (Well, everyone finds Luffy crazy, but here Luffy finds Zorro cool!) We are also introduced to the 3-sword style and Onigiri, but Luffy-Zorro combo is a must-see. I like Sanji as much as these two and he’s as perverted as he is powerful. I also think that the anime builds up on these three guys as the lead. Sometimes it’s just nice to see these three appear when Nami and Usopp are in trouble.

Speaking of her, Nami isn’t half-bad. She isn’t very hands-on in the fighting area, but she sure is logical and clever. Nothing misses her, tricks, tomfoolery or treasure!

Aww, this dog was so sweet!

Of course Luffy loves loyalty and helps the dog! He’s been wearing that hat since so many years (see below) and seeing a dog fight for his late master’s shop needs no further motivation.

This is one of the rare times I’ve seen Luffy angry. I think he’s intense in the Arlong Park/Nami’s arc and in Robin’s arc, he’s just plain right awesome! But that hat is like magic. It’s connecting him, Shanks and Gol D Roger.

To be very honest, I didn’t/don’t really like Captain Buggy. I think I read somewhere that Oda created him very early on. Also found this: Asked if Buggy's penis were also able to split and fly off, author Oda replied "his penis can fly too". – I love you too Oda!

Yes Luffy and food – we get it! Best relation he has had!

Okay, this villain – Jango the hypnotist – walks backward and falls asleep when hypnotising his patients! How Cool!!

I just finished ten episodes and I am so looking forward to Usopp, Sanji and Nami’s battle!