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Film reviews

Sinners Review

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This is a film in which segregation and vampires contend for a new maker. From the visionary mind of Ryan Coogler, he brings his audience on a journey where power comes first and then an all-around battle leads to the climax. Moments of the film may be silly, quirky, or odd—still, Sinners is a stellar adventure. A vast ensemble of actors takes the cake. Michael B. Jordan plays twins plays Smoke and Stack. They are in uncharted, daring territory that Coogler explores dramatically in Sinners.

The uniqueness of Sinners is visionary right from the start. It is shot in 70 MM projection. However, with many cinemas’ digital elements, in some parts the screen shrinks and grows. The shrinking occurs in low-shot moments and the growing in high-end moments. These elements fuel the film with enticing components right from the start. With the setting in the early 1930s, the themes of racism and inequality throw intense punches in Sinners.

The film focuses on the twins Smoke and Stack, two competitive and greedy characters vying for power. They are both trying to start a new life in their hometown in Mississippi and put behind tensions that have left them out of the picture. Coogler writes about vindictiveness in this film and much of the conversation deals with class issues. Many evil deeds come from Smoke and Stack. Jordan is relentless in his handling of the two-sided characterization. Smoke and Stack have other friends joining their clan, ranging from Delta Slim (played by Delroy Lindo), Pearline (played by Jayme Lawson), Grace Chow (played by Li Jun Li), and Mary (played by Hailee Steinfeld).

Smoke and Stack have old friends and old enemies who join their side. The twists in their personalities are golden in this movie, because wrongdoing leads to bigger things. Their egos are on full display, especially during conversations when they display the attitude that everything belongs to them. The world is one creepy place in Sinners which makes the film so intriguing. makes it so invigorating. The issues of racism and inequality lead to more competition involving money and trash talk, but all of this can only go on for so long. 

Greed and racism fueling the fire is what makes Sinners immersive. The film’s writing establishes a context that strives for power. At the same time, the audience knows its an era where no one can do right, and no one can do wrong—unless authorities come in and take it seriously. The outrage created from the competition between the twins is crazy. However, they have no idea what they are truly in for. 

There is also rivalry with Remmick (played by Jake O’Connell), and some tension related to culture and land. The downside is that the twins have power, but also there is a hidden power that they did not plan for. Remmick has a vampire side to him. This opens a door to new wonders in an era where racism and inequality already cause major hurdles. The additional hurdle of a vampire causes things to really boil in Sinners. The rivalry is somewhat like two HBO series, Deadwood and True Blood, combined. That writing is creative and daring. I was spellbound given the crazy scenarios.

There is no going back once vindictiveness has been unleashed and terror has come to life. I felt like I was watching a dark period piece and at the same time my mind boggled with intense excitement. Egos and empires are elements that have always captivated me. The terror layered on top made my head spin even more. This film succeeds by adding fuel to the fire as anew monster challenges all forms of authority. Jordan sells the film as the king of evil that is upon him. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Sinners.

Film reviews

Drop Review

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The title describes the action I would take with this film. The setup is predictable, and the entire movie is filled with flaws. Directed by Christopher Landon, this thriller had ample chances for improvement, however the sloppiness kept the film from establishing any form of suspense for its audience. Drop is one of the most poorly written thrillers I have seen this year. Given the various puzzles and moving parts in the fight for someone’s life, there are far too many hats in the air to allow this film to succeed.

The film is set in Chicago, and is focused on a widowed mother, Violet (played by Meghann Fahy).  She is going on a date with a man named Henry (played by Brandon Sklenar). They are in a fancy high-rise restaurant where the ambience would be the perfect setting for an unforgettable date night. All that changes though when Violet receives anonymous texts and finds herself in a situation involving blackmail. Her date, Henry, and her youngest son are at risk. Many threatening messages continue to come through her phone, and she draws unwanted attention to herself. The writing tries to build anxiety, but the execution fails to produce the desired result. 

Throughout the film, the on-screen chemistry seems silly. The characterizations are a joke because their minds are not on par with the detrimental elements set up in Drop. One bad move leads to another bad move and one bad message sends another bad message. It is a cat-and-mouse game via text with no hope of achieving something more intense. The film is probably supposed to frighten audiences with all the eerie text messages, but that is an epic fail when it comes to Fahy’s performance. Overall, the time spent watching this movie created a mental roadblock that I could never get past. 

Now if there was any redeeming quality in this flawed film, it the dynamic that Violet and Henry have occasionally in some limited scenes. While their chemistry is humorous in the moments where Violet keeps freaking out at her phone, it is not really believable. The direction is simply messy and never improves during the entire film. 

The whole experience was a massive blur which started with the lack of context for why these threats are happening on a date night. There is some evidence of Violet’s harsh past and loss of her husband, but her history is not set up to correlate to other outcomes. The whole film does not have any big revelations. It just continues down a path that starts with a date, some eerie issues, an unlikely surprise, but all forgettable. It is such a poorly written thriller that I felt my eyes were sore as Ianxiously waited for the whole thing to be over. The credits rolling made me feel sorry for the long list of film and production workers who could have devoted their time to a suspenseful adventure that delivered more than what Drop has to offer. One out of four stars for Drop.

Film reviews

A Nice Indian Boy Review

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There is a feeling in this film that love and disconnect are connected through embarrassment. A Nice Indian Boy showcases bravery in the face of fear when trying to gain acceptance from family. Directed by Roshan Sethi, A Nice Indian Boy is an unexpected masterpiece that highlights cultural elements. It is an inspiring and fulfilling journey in pursuit of what a heart truly wants. The film is a one-of-a-kind love story that demonstrates resilience while dealing with boundaries. It features knockout performances from both Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff as the couple finding their roots to fulfill their happiness.

The film’s main character is Naveen Gavaskar (Soni), an introverted doctor that hides behind many closed doors. He comes from a traditional Indian family, has no social life, and is not very energized. He has a very loving mother, Mega Gavaskar (played by Zarna Garg). His father, Archit Gavaskar (played by Harish Patel) is quiet and passive aggressive. His sister, Arundhathi Gavaskar (played by Sunita Mani) is married and has her own issues. The film is ultimately about Naveen’s hope to find love in his family. His greatest dream is to have the perfect traditional wedding to the man of his dreams. 

The film’s journey flows freely and is filled with layers of meaning. The audience feels a sense of wonder for Naveen especially during his moments of loneliness when he contemplates changing his life. The lights begin to shine when he goes to the temple to pray.  When he gets on his knees, a gentleman prays next to him, Jay Kurundkar (Groff). This may be the man that Naveen longs for. Can he overcome his sensitivity and listen to what his heart wants?

When the hidden corners of love reach the surface, the characterizations and chemistry are dazzling. Jay has been adopted and raised by an Indian Family. The bond of shared traditions begins to create more revelations. The story reveals love in patterns. Their personalities and the stages of getting acquainted with each other and their extended families is where A Nice Indian Boy excels in surreal charm.

Groff, who I know well as detective Holden Ford from the Netflix series Mindhunter maintains a clever personality. His explosiveness, however, is in his facial expressions which make clear he is a talented actor. For his role as Jay, he was required to learn a limited number of lines from the song “Tujhe DehkaToh,” a musical piece from a Bollywood movie called Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Since Groff is an artist and has much theatrical background, he memorized and recited the entire song. His ability to portray love is vivid and displayed in such a positive light in A Nice Indian Boy. Exploring the shared cultures and traditions result in classical fun in a entertaining fashion. 

Another important aspect to A Nice Indian Boy comes from the shy and irritated side of Naveen. Soni’s performance dives into a look at respect for societal class issues as he deals with the importance of traditions. Thanks to Groff’s character, he is encouraged to break through these cultural barriers.  There are several mixed dynamics and challenges faced that teach connection and self-acceptance instead of focusing on what others may feel about the relationship. The film about the mystery of love waiting to be unraveled is resilient, mesmerizing, and funny. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for A Nice Indian Boy.