FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/the-parenting-review/
"The Parenting stands out by how it transforms family chaos into an engaging spectacle, amplified by a cast at the top of their game. The interactions between characters crackle with energy and authenticity, making the conflicts, misunderstandings, and even the most absurd moments feel both believable and hilarious.
An outstandingly relatable flick that, while not reinventing the genre, finds its own charm through an honest portrayal of family relationships - imperfect, tense, but ultimately held together by love."
Rating: B

A movie unraveling the essence of life. So very much at the point. So very much touching my heart.

Great movie. Just saw it in NYC at ADFF where you can count on great movies. Doshi tours many of his buildings and you hear his own words. He draws during the movie - wonderful. Not to be missed.

"Malik" (Lamin Leroy Gibba) invites his pal "Phillip" (Til Schindler) round for some kinky nookie and accidentally loses the keys to the handcuffs that are attaching his arm to the bed! In the next ten minutes they put his pants back on and then have a whirlwind series of fairly frenetic conversations about Nazis, bigotry, racism - just about everything pertinent to their predicament and their respective races. The topic is all the more resonant as the film takes place in Germany where, even now, attentions still look backwards as well as forwards. The performances are fine and the dialogue, though maybe a bit wordy, offers us an interesting gist of a drama making for something that's worth a watch.

Sweet Disaster was screened on day 3 at the Fort Myers Beach International Film Festival. This is a charming family dramedy that navigates the difficulties of pregnancy and motherhood with a bittersweet optimism and refreshing transparency. The movie teaches an important message of perseverance and acceptance in the face of the difficulties most of us need to face.

This is a beautifully photographed interpretation of the Bartók opera and thanks to the vision of Michael Powell and designer Hein Heckroth, it's a good one. It's all sang by Norman Foster ("Bluebeard") and Ana Raquel Satre - his latest (4th) wife "Judith" and set in his castle that were it not for the colour, would not have looked out of place in a Von Sternberg film. The couple are getting to know each other, and rather unwittingly "Judith" is interrogating her new husband about his life and what lies behind the seven doors of his home. As she progresses, she discovers his torture chamber, his treasury and despite his warnings that she is unlikely to like what she sees, she perseveres through the others before... It's sung entirely in German and the version I saw had only the most sparing of sur-titles to guide us through but the imagery and the performances - especially from the mesmerising Satre - tell us all we need to know about her, her new husband and her not too bright future. There's a lovely chemistry between the two. The Duke has an almost intimidatory character to him, but Foster plays that subtly and we can believe that possibly, just possibly, he might actually love the curious "Judith". The photography captures the intimacy and despair of these two really effectively, with the targeted use of light and shade and the gothic-style set design adding hugely to the allure of this hour-long story.

Michael Neuenschwander is quite effective here as the returning Swiss ambassador ("Zwygart") from the Nazi regime at the end of WWII. He arrives at his family home to discover that his loving daughter has a new boyfriend "Nicolas" (Yann Philipona). Meantime, his boss arrives to thank him for his work and to listen to his suggestions for post-war rapprochement with the Americans. It looks like this man's career is going to thrive and that his family is going to be happy. Well that sensation doesn't prevail for long. Pretty quickly he discovers that his government are way more interested in what's to come rather than what went before, and that his actions during the conflict are to be forgotten, if not proactively denied - as is he! Meantime, it also becomes clear that the boyfriend has an agenda of his own - and that centres around the behaviour of the emissary years earlier in regard to a young Swiss man "Maurice" (Victor Poltier) who ended up under the guillotine. The use of almost haunting flashback demonstrates well the increasing pressure on this increasingly vulnerable and lonely man as he starts to crack. Why did he do what he did (or didn't)? How complicit was his government? Will anyone listen now? It's quite a tautly directed story this, but it's missing too much substance. There's just not enough context to illustrate what this man is supposed to have done in the interests of a frightened nation. There's the strained relationship with his father (a strong performance from Peter Wyssbrod) that isn't really explained well either and by the end I just wanted to know more than I was being presented with by auteur Laurent Nègre. It does offer us an interesting treatise on just how quickly winning the war became winning the peace, and of just how "neutrality" was maybe not quite what it said on the tin - but I wanted more meat on the bones.

Imagine having the vision – and the means – to build your own little world, one that reflects your philosophical, artistic and personal sensibilities. If you’re German multi-media artist Anselm Kiefer, it’s not only entirely possible, but also an undertaking that feels as though it’s been compelled into existence, as seen in this poetic new documentary from filmmaker Wim Wenders. This inventive, intimate look into the life, work and beliefs of this artistic icon examines how his upbringing and major influences shaped the person Kiefer ultimately became, one of the most prolific, diverse and challenging creatives of the 20th Century. Through interviews with the artist, archive and contemporary footage of his work, and interpretive reenactments of Kiefer as an eminently curious youth and as a bold innovator as a young adult, viewers witness how he emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the art world in the nature, content and messages of his creations. The film explores his mythological, metaphysical and philosophical insights, along with his relentless passion for artistically depicting Germany’s role in World War II, an effort that many of his fellow countrymen found off-putting but that he insisted must not be forgotten or ignored, despite widespread public opinion to the contrary. Then there’s the establishment of his Gesamtkunstwerk – or “universal artwork” – at his 35-hectare compound community in Barjac, France, an attempt at manifesting a work of art incorporating as many different types of creations as possible, truly a world unto itself. All of this is accomplished through a narrative that’s more thematically driven than one providing a rote laundry list of accomplishments. Because of this, viewers unfamiliar with Kiefer’s work, history and influences may find the film somewhat difficult to follow at times, but that’s more than compensated for by Wenders’ stunning cinematography, especially its brilliant employment of 3-D technology, a practice virtually unheard of in documentary work. Given the unconventional nature of “Anselm,” the picture clearly won’t appeal to everyone, including those enamored with documentaries. However, for those seeking something different, inspiring and beautiful to look at, this one is made for you.

I was initially quite sceptical about this. It seemed quite artificial to pigeon-hole people into cinematic equivalents of socio-economic groupings. Actually, though, once I got my head around it, it worked quite well at providing an observational template for a class system that resonated rather better than I was expecting. It all centres around "Paula" (Fine Sendel). Now she is merely an unremarkable looking "supporting character" but that is so much better than being just about everyone else in this drama and what's next for her could lead to her elevation to "lead". If only she can learn to generate emotional music - and then the sky's the limit. She must train, strive and practice if she is to attain this goal - but there is a distraction. Her mother has repeatedly told her that her father was in that elite grouping, but a trip to the archives cannot find any trace of him. It's her search for evidence that drives her into the clutches of the underworld of the "out-takes" and those other unsavoury unmentionables who work behind the camera. Can she discover the truth before her world and her studies cave in on her? There is no doubting that this is contrived, and that at times that stretches the plausibility - but for the most part this is still quite a compelling, occasionally quite funny, look at human nature, and at what people might do to protect themselves, their families, reputations, prospects - you name it, really. It also takes the story - from the perspective of this ambitious but honest young woman - and asks us questions about what we might do in similar situations; or, indeed, what we have probably already done to get on and retain and/or embellish what we've achieved. I didn't love Fabian Zeidler's score but some characterful supporting roles - especially from her mother "Elisa" (Jule Böwe) and a tightly knit cast make this well worth a watch. It gives the cutting room floor an whole new meaning.

A bit like with the late Ennio Morricone, I'd love to just sit in a room with Werner Herzog and chat. He's such an enigmatic character who comes across in this documentary as a human being of vision and imagination, sure, but also as a man who cares about ensuring that the audience never bore of his work. The range of his projects is well illustrated here from his embryonic (and not exactly great) stuff from the later 1960s through his successes with "Aguirre" (1972), "Nosferatu" (1979) and "Fitzcarraldo" (1982) whilst we learn of his tempestuous relationship with the headstrong Klaus Kinski as well as how he faced struggles from childhood in post war Germany all the way through to funding films that drag dilapidated paddle steamers across South American hilltops. Of course, there's the obligatory collection of adulatory comments - some more interesting than others, but essentially what makes this work is the time we get to spend with him at his home. His conversation is laced with a sense of goodwill towards his audiences that is at tines quite contagious. His determination never to settle for second best or to churn out same old, same old is palpable and his ability to embrace concepts from differing genres, for differing age groups and to participate in the development and evolution of his medium is really quite inspiring to watch. Unfortunately, there just isn't enough of that intimacy and the film all too often falls into the trap of the supporting quotes. Be they from Wim Wenders or Nicole Kidman, I just don't think they added much to what I wanted to see and that was just him in a room with some fine wine and meandering natter. A charismatic man with a limitless ability to dream - and if you're at all interested in just how cinema got to where it is now (warts and all) then this is well worth a watch.

In Chukota on the Siberian Arctic sea, a rusted old wreck sits abandoned on the beach. Nearby, we meet a lone scientist who has come to this remote location amidst the dense September fog to witness a natural phenomenon. Fortunately, he has the shelter of a wooden shack - for he must wait longer and look at books that depict what has gone on here in years gone by. He forages for fuel to keep out the encroaching chill on the wind. Still no sign. Then he is awoken from his sleep by a sound. The noise of an whole herd of walruses that have come to call. Well to breed on the beach actually - and they are crowding around his little hut twenty-deep. Their huge mass could reduce it to rubble in moments - but it's as if it's their beacon and they appear quite timid towards him... He heads to the roof and observes as they get on with their true purpose in being here - a bit of rutting, some showing off and some breeding! It's October and he reckons there are about 95,000 of them! He is essentially trapped inside so is reduced to scavenging old dog-ends to try and make a cigarette, and luckily they don't seem able to smell his tinned fish. What is increasingly worrying though is that here's no ice. Not a sign. Not even a snowflake. They need that to rest and feed. Without it, they cram onto the sand. Then, after forty-odd days, as if as to a call-to-arms, they start to head back to the open water and are mostly gone, save for what he estimates to be some 600 corpses left as pickings for the birds. It's now that his investigations begin in earnest. What led to their deaths? Malnutrition, exhaustion, over-crowding? Is this symptomatic of climate change affecting their food stocks and/or the water temperature? There's no narration, just the powerful photography to leave us asking our own questions about the sustainability of this ancient migratory procession.

The start of this film reminded me a little of "Midsommar" (2019) as "Leyla" (Mala Emde) and loving boyfriend "Tristan" (Jonas Dassler) arrive on a remote island where she knows the elder. Initially, it has the feeling of a kibbutz to it - they all sit around drinking and chatting, and meet "Mo" (Dimitrij Schaad) and "Fabienne" (Matyam Zaree) then we discover the true purpose of their stay. They can swap identities. Essentially, by walking through a pool of waster they can transfer their essence from one body to another. What now ensues are permutations of relationships between the four characters that challenge their own feelings for each other as well as their sexualities and the strength of their affections and of their own character. It turns out that the father of "Leyla" had lived here for some time, before his death, in a relationship with "Roman"(Thomas Wodianka) and some swapping with him causes joy and pain in equal measure and tests the mettle of all. The story is quite intriguing, it is quite difficult to remember who is (really) who and as we see the characterisations open up, it is quite quirkily delivered. Sadly, though, the writing is really rather dreary and the acting - save for Wodianka - really doesn't live up to the promise of the narrative. It's beautifully shot and there are a few character actors to give it a sort of community feel to it, but somehow the lack of some more heavyweight talent leaves it all just a bit sterile and adrift. It's worth a watch though - if only because it questions many of the established principles of linear sexuality and personality.

Aspiring physicist "Johannes" (Jan Bülow) is traveling with his tutor "Strathen" (Hanns Zischler) to a conference in Switzerland, aware that his rather radical thinking has narked his professor who wishes him to conform to more established theories. Indeed things are distinctly tense between them when they encounter "Blumberg" (Gottfried Breitfuss) on their train. He has some past with "Strathen" which isn't exactly friendly, but they continue their journey together with the young man promised any help he needs to get his dissertation over the line. Once they arrive, "Johannes" gets caught up in one of the many storms that frequent their mountainside hotel and seeks refuge in a church. Likewise, a few moments later, does "Karin" (Olivia Ross). He's immediately smitten but she doesn't hang around for long enough to even exchange names. Luckily for him, she happens to play the piano in the hotel's jazz bar and so maybe a meeting can happen after all? It's almost simultaneous with their arrival that he starts to feel distinctively out-of-sorts. A sense of déjà-vu often seems to follow him as he feels he has met her before somewhere. her bauhaus vacillates between the distant and (very) friendly, which he doesn't really comprehend either. Also, his timelines seem to be jumping about and when the avuncular "Blumberg" falls foul of a tragedy his befuddlement takes on an whole new life of it's own? What is going on here? It's as if the mountain has it's own secrets to keep? Is it all just too much wine? Or is there something more sinister going on? His is a mind of the rational and the scientific - ill equipped for matters ethereal or superstitious, so when the police come calling asking questions about the enigmatic "Karin", what can he make of it all? There are some quite intriguing threads to the story, here, as it tries to intertwine the factual with the less easily explicable and the snowscapes, frosty characterisation of "Strathen" and monochrome presentation add effectively chilling elements as the plot reveals a sense of the we know that we are missing something, but we don't know what it is, and we might never know. Unfortunately, Bülow is a bit weak to carry this off, and the annoyingly fragmented story flits about too much to give us chance to really get our teeth into it. Sure, it's quirky, unpredictable and requires us to think on more than one plain at a time, but I found it just didn't give me enough pitons to climb the mountain without sliding down far too often to square one. It does look good and does remind us that perhaps science hasn't all the answers, but I left feeling a little like "Johannes". Bemused.

It's just a really bad and really boring movie. The first movie isn't great but it commits the concept is overall pretty disgusting. If you're looking for a gross and shocking movie, it'll definitely do the trick.
This one seems to give up on the concept fairly early on. A lot of the movie is spent doing fairly mundane things. There's very little romance with corpses or even corpses in general. There's a few gross out parts but they're pretty isolated and not that bad. I could forgive this if the movie was doing something else—something meaningful or interesting. But it all feels like a big waste of time, like they lured you in with the title and now you've got a bait and switch. And worst of all is really tame compared to the first one. It really makes you wonder what happened.

"Kira" (Aylin Tezel) is having a break in a wintery and rural Scotland when she encounters the charismatic "Ian" (Chris Fulton) outside a pub on a Friday night. He's already had fairly drunken sex in the gents and she's just got shot of some unwanted attentions from an enthusiastic would-be suitor, so the pair start to chat, to dance, generally muck about and to bond. The next twenty four hours sees each learn a little more of the other as they realise that they both come with strings attached, before he has to attend to a family emergency. She heads back to London where she gets a job as a set designer for a theatrical production. He, likewise, returns to that city to his girlfriend "Emily" (Alexandra Dowling) but it's clear that there's no surfeit of happiness anywhere here, for anyone. Maybe they'll meet again - serendipity might look kindly on them? Well you don't have to be Mystic Meg to guess the plot, but there's an enjoyable degree of chemistry on offer here between the two. Neither come across as especially versatile actors, but they do work well together and the scenes on the island are quite engaging and plausible to watch. It's padded out a bit, indeed it might have lost half an hour and better condensed the story into what essentially makes this work - the dynamic between the two of them, but it's still quite a well written and at times mischievous piece of cinema with some beautifully shot location photography.

Not sure why this has not garnered more positive attention. Trunk isn't perfect and yes, there's a tiny dash of woke nonsense but for the most part, this is a better than average film.
What makes this film hold together is excellent character development, you really get to know and sympathise with the main character, plus decent pacing. Things happen in this film that are engaging, tied together well and leave you wanting to know how it will all end.
In summary, this is a decent little crime thriller that's well made and engaging. Given the limited confines of this film, no small feat. Definitely worth a look.

It's good but kind of like Castaway. Like even though it's not long it feels long. The things that happen are interesting but like, 1 hour? Those chicks'll do anything for a handsome face but she's soooooo intelligent and empowered. I liked it better in the beginning when I thought it was a comedy.

A warning: This movie is all about the journey. There is no payoff in the end so don't stick around hoping for a nice tidy conclusion. Instead, you will feel the same frustration as the teacher does which I think is exactly what the director was going for in this movie.
Having that out of the way, the basic premise is a school dealing with a thief. The main character (a teacher) gets strong evidence but not conclusive proof as to who the thief is. Mayhem then ensues as the teacher's life spirals out of control.

There's a spate of petty thefts going on in her junior school, so after a rather dubiously executed class search fails to deliver a culprit, the enthusiastic and maybe a little naive teacher "Miss Novak" (Leonie Benesch) sets a video trap to see if she can identify the culprit. She does, potentially, identify someone going through her pockets and headmaster "Böhm" (Anne-Katrin Gummich) now tries to deal with a scenario that rapidly spirals out of control and reveals an increasing degree of toxicity for not just this teacher, but for relationships at all levels throughout the school - as well as a fairly counter-productive environment of red-tape. We are soon facing a stand-off situation that borders on the criminal with some surprisingly potent battle lines soon drawn both inside and outside of the teacher's lounge. I had credibility issues with what happens now. It's not that the drama isn't well acted and tautly directed, indeed the young Leonard Stettnisch's portrayal of her student-cum-antagonist "Oskar" is really effective. It is just that too much of what occurs struck me as preposterous. Any procedures in place to protect teachers and pupils seems to gave been chucked under the dramatic bus and the absence of police or qualified investigative authorities here just didn't ring true as we made our way to a denouement that I felt rather underwhelmed. It's gripping, and well worth a watch - but plausible? Hmmm, I'm not so sure.

German drama film directed by İlker Çatak, and that is nominated for best international movie for the 96th Academy Awards.
Leonie Benesch as Carla Nowak, and idealist Polish immigrant teacher have a suspicion of theft at her 1st grade school raised by one of the student towards another (immigrant Turk) student.
After this incident and the reunion with the father of the boys she withstands another small theft at the teacher lounge, and after that she decides to mount a trap to confirm her suspicions putting her coat with the wallet and some money and laptop to film. The money is stolen but only the sleeve of the robber is seen - the sleeve with a unique painting that another functionary on the teacher lounge uses, and she aboard her (that is mother of another immigrant student).
From this pretext the movie delves into a suspicion web mixed with xenophobia and student pro and against the late case boy that divide opinions and breaks the fragile peace that the school once had, including with some more radical students that oppose order and make false statements.
The movie is engaging and the web of suspense got me till the end, and it is a nice entry to best international movie. I would rate it a 8.0 out of 10 / A - as a whole.

In recent years, we’ve all seen examples of incidents that start out comparatively small but that quickly get blown all out of proportion – and unreasonably so at that. As developments emerge and explode under these conditions, they often lose all sense of rationality and soon take on lives of their own, expanding into tangential and seemingly unrelated areas that have virtually nothing to do with the event that spawned them. And, in the end, we’re left with outcomes that seem inappropriate and ill-suited to what launched these insane scenarios in the fist place. That’s what writer-director Ilker Çatak explores in his latest offering, a dramatic satire about what unexpectedly grows out of a case of petty theft in the teachers’ lounge at a German middle school. Before long, the victim in this incident (Leonie Benesch) becomes swept up in a very public dust-up that leads to her becoming a very public pariah in the eyes of her peers, her students and their parents, while those in official capacities sit on the sidelines and do virtually nothing to address the issue. The situation thus serves as a microcosmic metaphor for what’s happening on a wider scale in society at large today, drawing in such ancillary elements as racial and national prejudice, the incendiary role of the media, the impact of unsubstantiated innuendo, the protection of personal privacy, the indulgence of contemporary youth, and the sway of fake news in shaping public opinion, a rather full plate of dubious and unsavory fallout stemming from comparatively meager beginnings. While some may contend that these outcomes are somewhat exaggerated in nature, they nevertheless collectively draw attention to undeniably troubling issues desperately in need of attention in our increasingly out-of-control world, global concerns that obviously transcend national borders, all punctuated here with more than a few hefty infusions of wickedly absurdist humor. “The Teachers’ Lounge” might not appeal to everyone, but, for those who enjoy films that aren’t afraid to present biting social commentary, this should be added to your watch list. As the picture so sadly shows, even supposedly civil environments aren’t immune from the kind of social nonsense depicted here, a troubling teaching for all of us who are looking for a return to sanity in an increasingly crazy existence.

Getting back in the dating scene after a long absence can be quite a challenge. With ever-changing conventions dictating what’s acceptable and what’s not these days, those who are out of practice can be left bewildered (especially those who were never particularly adept at modern-day courting to begin with). That’s very much the case with João (Artur Volpi), who just broke up with his partner of 10 years. He’s a nice guy, if a bit reserved and geeky, but certainly quite handsome and politely genial. Yet, even though he’s certainly open to getting back into the dating game, the ambitious Brazilian filmmaker is actually most anxious to begin work on directing a new arthouse movie from his own script. However, just as the production is about to launch, his funding gets pulled, forcing him to retool the screenplay for a potential new would-be backer. But, as he’s doing this, he develops writer’s block, unsure what kind of story he wants to tell. So, to occupy his time as he sorts out this issue, he investigates new dating opportunities, many of which prove to be more boldly “amorously assertive” than he’s accustomed to, revealing just how much he’s out of touch with current dating practices than he realized. In fact, when “hopeful” suitors discover that he makes movies, they suggestively approach him to put his talents to use for chronicling their erotic escapades – not with him but with other more willing participants. So, with no income in hand and in need of money, João relents, taking his filmmaking work in a decidedly different (and personally embarrassing) new direction. But this path gets him no closer to career or romantic fulfillment. So what’s he to do now? That’s what he needs to find out for himself. However, as promising as this premise might sound for a gay romcom/outrageous sex farce, writer-director Daniel Ribeiro seriously drops the ball by committing the cardinal sin of moviemaking in this genre – creating a picture that’s tediously dull. As this offering unfolds, it fails to generate giggles in either of the protagonist’s hapless undertakings, areas that should be rife with potential for yielding sidesplitting laughs. What’s more, for a movie that’s supposed to be heavy on eroticism, this release contains some of the most boring on-screen sex I’ve ever seen (explicit though some of it may be). And the picture’s lame attempts at incorporating supposedly creative narrative twists and more serious subject matter largely fall even flatter than its other failed material. The result is a finished product that fails to take advantage of the innate strengths it should have had going for it. It’s little more than a tiresome, uninteresting slog that seems far longer than its 1:40:00 runtime – and a seriously missed opportunity to make what easily could have been an admittedly cheeky but nevertheless uproariously funny comedy. So much for the perfect endings.

Two husbands are better than one. Still funny after all these years. This film, like Ofreu Negro, is permeated with the Afro-Brazilian spiritualism which is still present in much of Brazil. It helps to read the wikipedia articles first (because I had to stop the movie to learn who Ezu was): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macumba and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbanda.

Two musical mice - "Vini" and "Tom" are taking a well earned nap one afternoon when they hear God having a bit of a rant at his old pal Noah. He's had enough of his project Earth and wants to start again, so tells the man to get building. A ship big enough to hold two of each creature then he's going to send enough rain to wash the slate clean so animals from far and wide are invited - by airmail - whilst he sets about building his ark. Now this boat isn't quite as robust as the one Russell Crowe built in 2014, but after a few shenanigans the critters are assembled and down comes the inundation. The flaw in all of this meticulous planning is that the menacing lion, backed by his henchmen, is soon intent on raiding what little supplies that vessel caries before proceeding to an exceptionally fresh all you can eat buffet. Can the intrepid little mice - now joined by "Nina" do anything to thwart this grand design long enough for the dove of peace to struggle through the wind and the rain in the search of land? There's nothing remotely religious about this story, it's just an amiable animation that characterises a few jungle creatures and uses some forgettable musical numbers to deliver a sort of "Ark's Got Talent". It's probably half an hour longer than it needs to be, but when it gets going it doesn't hang about delivering a tale of friendship and determination, whilst reminding us that bullies are usually the most cowardly of any group. Sure, it's a bit derivative and it certainly reminded me of the "Lion King" at times, but it's harmless family fun that will be fine to leave the kids in front of the telly with at Christmas.

A very interesting movie, good story and great acting. The movie keeps you just in front of the screen until the very end.

A very interesting movie, good story and great acting. The movie keeps you just in front of the screen until the very end.

When you look into the screen, it is possible to believe that the images that are projected on it come from within us, the images captivate, but even so, they cause us bewilderment. For a moment it may seem that everything is intertwined, but then disorder arises again, the digital is shown to us as a labyrinth, created in our form and likeness.

When you look into the screen, it is possible to believe that the images that are projected on it come from within us, the images captivate, but even so, they cause us bewilderment. For a moment it may seem that everything is intertwined, but then disorder arises again, the digital is shown to us as a labyrinth, created in our form and likeness.

Reconnecting with people we were earlier forced to part ways with. That's the central theme of Prem Kumar Chandran's Debut & Sophomore Directionals. Like 96 (2018), he has a done wonderful job yet again in liberating the suppressed emotions of closeted protagonists.
Meiyazhagan (2024) is an Arvind Swami film starring Karthi but despite appearing late in the film, Karthi owned every scene he was part of.
He is what you call a perfect spontaneous actor, Vijay Sethupathi comes close to him with his own set of performances in the same terrain but VJS was just VJS in most of them while Karthi exhibits his spontaneity with distinct behavioral patterns for each character he plays even If they have similar looks.
Prem Kumar presents Meiyazhagan (2024) like a visualized novel akin to reading Swami and Friends by RK Narayan. The 2nd half of the film is largely conversational but remained engaging for the most part except for minor slurps in segments where Arvind Swami & Karthi sing Ilaiyaraaja songs.
I don't know If its due to watching the trimmed version but I felt no significant lag at any point, not even in the supposed weaker parts of the film.
Meiyazhagan (2024) is a film to be cherished, it may not be a major box office success like 96 (2018) but its a definite relief from reels driven cinema. It doesn't resort to inorganic adrenaline rush or emotional manipulation, the film is content with being a grounded fairy tale for adults. It will deeply resonate with people who were born into joint families on the verge of disintegration.
PS : Govind Vasantha doing the work of an instrumental storyteller makes Meiyazhagan a truly wholesome Audio-Visual experience.

Although the movie starts with a recap, you might want to first watch the first part. At that time, even with a lot of horror tropes, Demonte Colony felt refreshing and grounded, at least admits the numerous Tamil comedy horror movies. I wasn't excited about the sequel, when I watched the trailer. I did watch it, because it was supposed to be at least a good sequel. And that's my impression, too.
I didn't like Demonte Colony 2 as a movie on its own. Personally I don't consider it a horror movie. If you like more action-oriented loud horror movies, this might be your cup of tea. The action and in general the daring technological efforts impressed me, even if for the most part you can see the limited budget in the outcome. Other than that, the movie was disturbed by unnecessary comedic relief a few times. Some of the acting was unbearable. It also managed to embarrass both spiritual and scientific knowledge in a single line.
However I loved how it builds on top of the first movie. Furthermore I'm excited about the mystery and the lore added to this series. Demote Colony 2 may not have entertained me, but I do not regret watching it.