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Bachchan Paandey, Review: Gangsters are best played by real-life gangsters

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Why would you choose a name like Bachchan Pandey, unless you thought you could cash-in on the franchises called Amitabh Bachchan (name of a real life actor) and Chulbul Pandey (name of a reel-life character, played in several movies by Salman Khan)? Point is, does a superstar himself, like Akshay Kumar, who plays the title role, need these props? Leaving the Paandey behind, ‘Bachchan’ is made to speak some of the iconic dialogue from Amitabh’s film roles, leaving no doubt that the priority is in the first name, not the surname. For the rest of the film, you keep wondering where the priorities are, and whether this film is the result of the efforts of a single director, as is claimed in the credits, or the blame rests on the six writers. It is almost as if the director struck a carrom board and followed the carrom men, along tangential lines, in an effort to pocket the Queen. Sadly, the Queen proves to be elusive and Bachchan Pandey loses 2:3.

Remake of the 2014 Tamil film Jigarthanda, which, in turn, was inspired by the 2006 South Korean flick, A Dirty Carnival, the film is the story of a dreaded contract killer named Bachchan Paandey and an aspiring film-maker, called Myra Devekar. Myra is thrown out by her boss, for taking on his role during a shooting stint. The director almost quits the film in anger, but is persuaded by the producer to continue, after sacking Myra. Myra pleads with the producer to listen to her story and give her a break as an independent director. She has a story ready. Problem is that the story is about a real-life local biggie baddie, and the producer fears that he will be killed if he makes a film on that man’s life.

He likes the idea of a gangster story, though, and suggests that she come up with a gripping and violent gangster story, aiming at the box-office. Myra researches gangsters’ lives with the help of a sociologist, and zeroes in on the one-eyed Jack, Bachchan Paandey, as her subject. Paandey, of Baaghva, a place in Northern India, kills men like mice, often setting them on fire. His gang has already killed dozens of men. Undaunted, Myra heads for Baaghva, where she meets Vishu, a man who had struggled in Mumbai for some time to find work as an actor, but went back disappointed. His father took a promise from him on his death-bed that he would achieve what his father couldn’t. Myra and Vishu join hands. Myra and Vishnu make discreet attempts to research the life of Bachchan Paandey, through three of his main henchmen, but are caught and brought before Paandey. Paandey could have killed them, should have killed them, would have killed them, but then…

Two reference points in the shape of earlier films, an original story credited to Karthik Subbaraj, an adapted story and screenplay by producer Sajid Nadiadwala, five other credits for writing, including dialogue additional dialogue – director Farhad Samji, Tushar Hiranandani, Sparsh Khetarpal, Tasha Bhambra and Zeishan Quadri. A perfect example of too many cooks spoil the broth.

The film moves in many directions. It begins with a film-in-a-film premise that could have been interesting and funnier, if handled with more maturity. Next is the plot of making a tooth-pick (joke, from the film), actually biopic, on a deadly gangster. Following this is the story of the side-kick, a failed actor, who sees a chance of realising his father’s dream, a father who could only make it to the crowd scenes. We also have the real-life story of the killer and his killing sprees, tracked for many a day, and who first doles out the stereo-typical dacoit tale seen once too often in Indian films, but later narrates the truth on camera, which is really touching. Then comes the inspiration from the Budhha and the brigand who was notorious for chopping human fingers and making a garland of them, Angulimaal, of transforming and reforming merciless murderers. And we also have a Gujarati acting coach who is brought down from Gujarat (producer-writer Sajid Nadiadwala’s family is from Gujarat) to teach the gangsters to act, because Vishu feels that only gangsters themselves can best play gangsters.

All these elements would not jar so much had they been seamlessly integrated by director Farhad Samji. What we have instead is a separate track for each element, albeit with a few laughs built-in, especially in the coach’s scenes. Sure, there are more moments of laughter, but half of them are contrived and unfunny. Ditto for the claptrap scenes, only a handful of which resonate. Example of humour: Pointing to camels, Sophie asks Bachchan, “Are these camels?” He replies, “No, they are asses.” Another example: Myra buys something at a shop and pays from her wallet. Quietly, a man comes close to her and almost sticks another pair of jeans behind her own. She tucks the wallet in it, and the man decamps. Some well-written scenes stand-out, like the one where Paandey does not mind being written about in a local paper but gets so cheesed off by his caricature that goes with the article that he roasts the journalist alive, and when an assassin is planted inside to shoot Paandey as soon as he enters a toilet. But there are many troughs for each peak.

Is it that easy to come down from Baaghva to Mumbai, probably for the first time, kidnap a film producer, and take him to Baaghva, without so much as anybody raising a finger, at that time or later? Why get a Gujarati-accented acting coach from Gujarat to train Baaghva-based gangsters in acting, when the dialogue is all going to be in Hindi? How come Vishu is a Maharashtrian who returns to ‘native’ Baaghva (most likely in Uttar Pradesh) after struggling in Mumbai’s filmdom? Can a notorious contract killer like Bachchan afford to forget about the assignment at hand, of killing a journalist at a fair, and chase a fair-skinned damsel instead? And what was he doing in the Pushkar (near Ajmer, in Rajasthan) fair, hundreds of miles away from his area of influence, in the first place?

A gun-toting, and firing, Bachchan, sings and dances at the wedding of a High-Ranking Police Officer, with one his henchmen’s girl-friend, and the two elope. The entire police force, brought in just to prevent such an occurrence, just watches. The officer swears vengeance, but is not able to do anything at all when he almost catches Bachchan red-handed with a corpse of a man he has just killed. How is it possible to commit 68 murders and roam about freely, especially when the police top brass is gunning for you? Why does his adversary only thrust a knife in one of his eyes and leaves it at that, instead of finishing him off? Why would anybody, more so a brigand, douse a person with canisters of petrol, if he had no intention of killing him/her in the first place? There is more, for the film is all of 142 minutes long, but I guess the above will suffice to make a point.

Akshay Kumar is nothing if not enthusiastic, going through even the badly written scenes with some aplomb and belying his 54 years. But it is all been there, done that. There is nothing new, nothing that takes you by surprise or makes you say, “Wow”. Tall and pretty girl Kriti Sanon (Panipat, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Housefull 4) has the onus of executing another badly written role, with a twinkle in her eye and a partly lost look most of the time. She too is out to fulfil her (living) father’s dream, but shows little common sense in dealing with the dreaded honchos or making the kind of film that she ultimately makes. A joke, at the expense of her height (5.75 in., without heels, and slender), has Bachchan watching her short film and then exclaiming, “Such a tall girl and such a short film?” Occasionally reminding you of Sunny Leone, Jacqueline Fernandez as Sophie has a brief role, and tries to make the most of it, but comes across as dumb as Myra. She does ooze oomph and is easy on the eye.

Arshad Warsi is natural as Vishu, with his well-known sense of timing. Pankaj Tripathi as Bhaves Bhoplo is mis-cast for the umpteenth time. One tends to feel that the role was written for Paresh Rawal, and when he was not available, Pankaj was asked to step in. He tries hard, and is given some funny lines, but fails to convince as a character. Prateik Babbar as Virgin has still to work on his diction, and the role is inconsequential. Cameos by Naseer Abdullah as the director and Dolly Thakore as the Sociologist are welcome. What an utter waste of Sanjay Mishra as Bufferia Chacha, one of Bachchan’s three lieutenants, who stammers, and has maybe three scenes. Abhimanyu Singh as Pendulum and Saharsh Kumar Shukla as Kaandi, the other two lieutenants, are quite in character. Ashwin Mushran as Varma Ji, the producer, is reduced to a farcical caricature. Amit Shivdas Nair is passable as Rana, another boss. Trishna Singh plays Indu. Also in the cast are Divyam Agarwal, Shravan Jakkula and Snehal Daabbi, who could not be identified.

Cinematography by Pondicherry-born Gavemic U. Ary captures the earthy tones quite well, and enjoys feasting on the colourful Pushkar fair. But most of the time, his camera has to deal with blood-letting and human beings being set ablaze. Bachchan’s artificial eye is well shot. Editing by CharuShree Roy (Chhichhore) is occasionally indulgent but competent on the whole. Had she been more ruthless with the delete button, maybe the film would have not had so many troughs. On the notations side, Joel Crasto is the score producer, Amaal Mallik the musical director, Vikram Montrose also the musical director, Julius Packiam theme music composer and B. Praak another musical director. Whosoever among these has scored the background music (Packiam, most likely) is a huge admirer of Ennio Morricone and the Sergio Leone spaghetti Western films of the 60s. The lyrics are mostly banal and loud, but then what do you expect from a killer? One number stands out, ‘Heer Ranjhana’, written by Kumaar, composed by Amaal Mallik and sung by Arijit Singh and Shreya Ghoshal.         

Sajid Nadiadwala’s Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment completes 70 years with his film, and congratulations are in order. But with such a huge budget and a star like Akshay Kumar, Bachchan Paandey is not the film that they should showcase on the occasion. Let’s hope that Heropanti 2, due for release next month, is a more fitting tribute to the production house, set-up by A.K. Nadiadwala, Sajid’s grandfather.

If you can see the funny side in almost anything, and don’t mind deafening decibels, you are likely to enjoy this film, as a comedy. However, if you are the type who feels that being ridiculous or ludicrous is not comedy, and dig subtle humour, you can give this one a miss.

Rating: **

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d8m59ct2wQ

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Foxconn halts operations in China, further straining the global supply chain

Foxconn, one of Apple's biggest suppliers, has suspended operations in Shenzhen as China locks down the technology hub and several other regions to contain the country's worst Covid-19 outbreak in two years.

Russia may have found a buyer for its cheap oil: India

India may take up a Russian offer to buy crude oil and other commodities at a discount, two Indian officials said, in a sign that Delhi wants to keep its key trading partner on board despite Western attempts to isolate Moscow through sanctions.

China's economy had a surprisingly good start to the year, but it may not last

China's economy started the year on a bright note, with several major indicators beating forecasts. But as Covid cases in the country spike, keeping up the same pace of growth in the coming months may prove difficult.

Iran's strike on Iraq puts US in awkward position amid nuclear talks

The United States appears to be keen to tell the world that it wasn't the target of Iranian missile strikes in Iraq on Sunday.

China faces its worst Covid outbreak since 2020

China reported thousands of new local Covid-19 cases Sunday amid the worst outbreak in the country since Wuhan in early 2020, according to the National Health Commission (NHC).

Ethiopia pledges action after video shows uniformed men burning civilians alive

Ethiopia's government said on Saturday it would act against the perpetrators after a video appeared on social media showing armed men, some in military uniforms, burning civilians to death in the country's west.

Putin has a pot of gold. Republicans and Democrats want to take it away

The West is already crushing Russia's economy. Now a bipartisan group of lawmakers want to limit Vladimir Putin's access to Russia's mountain of gold.

Russia's richest businessman tells Putin: Don't take us back to 1917

Russia's richest businessman has warned the Kremlin against confiscating assets of companies that have fled in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, saying such a step would set the country back more than 100 years.

Virgin Voyages launches new adults-only cruise ship

Virgin Voyages aimed to disrupt the cruise industry when it launched Scarlet Lady, its first adults-only cruise ship, last year.

War in Ukraine could make the Covid-19 pandemic worse, WHO says

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Sunday it is concerned the war in Ukraine could worsen the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is trying to do more to limit the spread of infectious diseases.

I stare at my phone, helpless to protect the people who gave me a home in Ukraine

Thailand lays out fruit buffet for elephants in national celebration

Nearly 60 elephants enjoyed a huge fruit banquet at a Thai botanical park on Sunday as the Southeast Asian country marked its annual Elephant Day.

Opinion: As a child of war, I know what the Ukrainians are going through

In the early morning of February 24 in New York, hours after Russia started firing missiles near Kyiv, a tweet from The Economist read "In parts of Ukraine, people woke to the sound of sirens and took to their basements; elsewhere some knelt on the streets to pray." If Twitter existed nearly four decades ago, the tweet would have just as accurately described 1980s Tehran.

Pakistan demands joint probe into 'accidental' missile fired by India

Pakistan on Saturday demanded a joint probe into a missile India said it accidentally fired into its territory, rejecting New Delhi's decision to hold an internal inquiry into the incident and calling on the international community to play a role.

Missiles hit Kurdish capital in Iraq, no casualities, officials say

A dozen missiles struck Iraq's northern Kurdish regional capital Erbil early Sunday morning, local officials said.

RIFF 2022, 07: Third and final list of selected films released

RIFF 2022, 07: Third and final list of selected films released

The Third and the final list of the officially selected films to be shown at the 8th Rajasthan International Film Festival (RIFF) was released this week. It includes Student Hindi short film Riddle, Directed and Produced by Umang Patel, Rajasthani Short Film Mhari Pyari Baisa, Directed and Produced by Narpat Singh Gaur, Hindi short film Tooti Chappal, Directed and Produced by Kuldeep Vyas, two Hindi Music Video Albums by Kunal Sanjay Mehra, namely Ek Tasveer and Lambi Si Sadak, Hindi short film Delude, Directed and Produced by Nischal Sharma, Short film Kitchen-19, Directed by Eshan Harsh, Telugu music video album Kala Musical, sung by Neha Karode, Hindi short film Bulletproof Anand, Directed and Produced by Alok Sharma, Hindi Short Film Rangrez, Directed by Himanshu Kiran Sharma and Produced by Komal Sharma, Kushal Jadhav Directed Hindi short film Newton's Pendulum, Produced by Harishchandra Jadhav, Documentary film B.B. Lal - Doyen of Indian Archaeology, Directed by Dr. Ramadevi Sekhar and Ebenezer Annadoss, and Produced by Usha Abhayakumar, Hindi short film Trivedi Ji, Directed and Produced by Rajesh Tailang, Hindi short film Anubandh, Directed by Sharafat Ali and Anand Singh Chauhan and Produced by Anuradha Narendra Adwani, Kannada feature film Dollu (The Drum), Directed by Sagar Puranik and Produced by Pavan Wadeyar and Apeksha Purohit, and Rajasthani film Namak, Directed by Tanuj Vyas and Produced by Tanuj Vyas and Sachin Tailang.

Somendra Harsh and Anshu Harsh, Managing Trustees of RIFF Film Club and Founders of the Rajasthan International Film Festival, said that besides the film screenings, each day, a talk show (Open Forum) will be organised.

 

 

 

 

 

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Saudi Arabia executes 81 men in one day, the biggest mass execution in decades

UAE diplomat's bombshell announcement raises hopes for relief on oil prices

Cristiano Ronaldo breaks all-time FIFA record after scoring his 806th career goal

Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 806th career goal in Old Trafford on Saturday, breaking FIFA's all-time record for most goals in competitive matches in men's football history.

The incredible story behind Shackleton's Endurance shipwreck

Sometimes shipwrecks contain sunken treasure, cargoes of gold or jewelry that tempt bounty hunters to risk treacherous seas in pursuit of lucrative rewards. Other shipwrecks are themselves the treasure -- the stories of their ill-fated voyages creating a legend that makes them sparkle far more than any bullion or precious stones.

Bismack Biyombo to donate full NBA salary from this season to build hospital in DR Congo and honor late father

Bismack Biyombo will donate his NBA seasonal salary to build a hospital in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and honor his late father, the Phoenix Suns star said Friday. The 29-year-old returned to the NBA in January, signing a contract for the duration of the season with the Suns having not played since the close of the 2020-21 campaign last fall. According to the Spotrac website, Biyombo's contract with the Suns is worth $1.3 million.

Families of 'Citgo 6' see release of one member as a hopeful sign for the rest

Gustavo Cárdenas' years-long "nightmare" came to an end Tuesday night when he and another American citizen were freed from detention in Venezuela.

In today's India, clothing choices signal a deepening religious divide

In a video that has since gone viral on social media, a group of men gather on a dusty street in India's southern Karnataka state.

Chelsea FC: British property developer Nick Candy "still interested in" buying club despite Roman Abramovich sanctions

British property developer Nick Candy remains interested in buying English Premier League club Chelsea after the UK government sanctioned owner Roman Abramovich on Thursday.

McDonald's transformed Russia ... now it's abandoning the country

When McDonald's opened its doors in Moscow for the first time, it was a big deal.

Moscow says it could seize assets Western companies leave behind

Russia said it could seize the assets of Western companies that have suspended operations in the country.

Japanese and South Korean leaders agree to boost ties with US to tackle North Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol said they had agreed on Friday to ramp up three-way ties with the United States in responding to North Korea's evolving military threat.

India's ruling party soars to election victory in country's most populous state

India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has claimed victory in four key state elections including the country's most populous state, consolidating support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party's Hindu nationalist agenda.

Famed shipwreck located after 107 years

More than a century after it sank off the coast of Antarctica, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's ship HMS Endurance has been located, apparently intact and in good condition.

Global pandemic death toll is three times higher than reported Covid-19 deaths suggest, study finds

The Covid-19 pandemic may have been three times deadlier than the reported death toll suggests.

Tropical Cyclone Gombe will rapidly intensify before bringing areas of Mozambique months' worth of rain over a few days

Tropical Cyclone Gombe is expected to rapidly intensify over the next 24 hours, growing to the equivalent of a major hurricane before making landfall Friday in northern Mozambique.

A Ukrainian photographer is using TikTok to turn war zone destruction into art

Analysis: Russia and QAnon have the same false conspiracy theory about Ukraine

A new conspiracy theory has become popular among some of the online communities that formed around QAnon -- one simultaneously being promoted by the Kremlin as a justification for its invasion of Ukraine. The false claim: the United States is developing bioweapons in Ukraine and Vladimir Putin has stepped in to save the day and destroy the weapons.

Massive meteor crater discovered beneath Greenland's ice is much older than thought

The age of a 31-kilometer (19-mile) wide meteorite crater discovered under a kilometer of Greenland ice had long puzzled scientists.

Patient who received genetically modified pig heart in groundbreaking transplant surgery dies

A 57-year-old Maryland man who had received a genetically modified pig heart in a first-of-its-kind transplant surgery has died, the University of Maryland Medical Center said Wednesday.

'It's a tragedy we are witnessing': How Putin killed off Russia's free press

A week after Russia invaded Ukraine, the staff of Russia's last independent TV channel, TV Rain, also known as Dozhd, shut itself down.

Ivan Kuliak: Russian gymnast says he has no regrets about wearing 'Z' symbol on podium next to Ukrainian athlete ​-- state media

Russian gymnast Ivan Kuliak, who has been widely criticized ​outside Russia for wearing a pro-war symbol on a podium next to a Ukrainian athlete, says he would "do exactly the same" if given another chance​, according to Russian state media.

Parallel Mothers, Review: Swapped babies and a Spanish history lesson from the Master

Parallel Mothers, Review: Swapped babies and a Spanish history lesson from the Master

Expectations suddenly rise when the name Pedro Almodóvar is mentioned. One regrets having missed the screening at IFFI, November 2021, but then Impact Films, Mumbai, of Ashwani Sharma, acquires distribution rights of Parallel Mothers, for India, and holds a press screening at Soho, in Juhu, Bombay, a small but exotic theatre, fixes its release on 11 March 2022, and invites you to catch-up on what you missed out in Goa! Parallel Mothers is not Almodóvar at his masterly best, and yet turns out to be slick and watchable. Now 72, he has made such notable features as All About My Mother and Bad Education. Parallel Mothers is in the running for the Oscars, being nominated for Best Actress (Penélope Cruz) and Best Music (Alberto Iglesias). But are the high expectations met? Read on.

Two women, Janis, who is pushing 40, and Ana, barely 18, are pregnant. Janis, a photographer, has willingly had unprotected sex with an archaeologist-excavator, Arturo, who is one of her subjects, and finds herself carrying his baby. Ana got pregnant after a drinking binge with school classmates, with as many as four of them taking turns at her. When they are in an advanced state of pregnancy, they both get admitted to the same maternity hospital, where, co-incidentally, they share a room. Ana is regretting the pregnancy, while Janis feels that it is about time she had a baby, though the couple have agreed on a no strings attached arrangement. Janis tries to encourage the depressed Ana, while they move about like sleepwalkers along the hospital’s corridors. The few words they exchange in these hours create a very close link between the two, which by chance, develops, complicates, and changes their lives.

Both give birth almost simultaneously, to baby girls. Ana’s mother, an aspiring actress who has separated from her husband, visits her in hospital. Again co-incidentally, both babies are born with conditions that require close monitoring and are kept under observation, away from their mothers, for some time. Continuing her professional activities as a reputed still photographer of people and objects, Janis, who dotes on her baby, also uses the services of a maid and a baby-sitter. She loses contact with Ana, but Arturo visits her shortly after she has given birth. Initially excited, his enthusiasm cools off suddenly. Janis visits him at the hotel where he is staying and asks him what happened. He replies, frankly, “I do not think the girl is my baby. She does not look like me at all.” This complicates things, as Janis has persuaded Arturo to dig out a mass grave where her father was shot and buried, by the politically oppressive Franco regime of Spain. Excavation is a complex operation that requires funds and skilled manpower, though the high-flying Arturo has offered his own services free to his girl-friend. The denial that the baby is his might adversely affect the arrangement about the excavation. But she has not slept with anybody around the period when she met Arturo. Nevertheless, Janis begins to get suspicious. If Arturo is not the baby’s father, she may not be his mother. So, who then is the mother? Is there a parallel mother?

In many ways, Pedro Almodóvar Caballero’s script is a history lesson, sugar-coated with sex without commitment, teenage sex with multiple partners after a drinking binge, lesbianism (Almodóvar is gay!), fashion, glamour photography, bars, cafés and the lot. Take Janis, for example. She has a baby of her own. Then we have her story. Add to that the generation of her parents, grand-parents and great grand-parents. While Almodóvar does not overtly pontificate about social mores over the years, he is quite clear about his indictment of dictatorial regimes, taking the example he knows best - that of his native Spain’s Francisco Franco to make his point. Franco (December 4, 1892 – November 20, 1975) was a general who ruled over Spain as a dictator for 36 years, from 1939, until his death. Francoism professed a strong devotion to militarism, hyper-masculinity, and the traditional role of women in society. A woman was to be loving to her parents and brothers and faithful to her husband, and reside with her family. Official propaganda confined women’s roles to family care and motherhood. Most progressive laws passed by the Second Republic were declared void. Women could not become judges, testify in trial, or become university professors.

With the 1936 elections, the conservative Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Right-wing Groups lost by a narrow margin and the leftist Popular Front came to power. Intending to overthrow the republic, Franco followed other generals in attempting a failed coup that precipitated the Spanish Civil War. Leaving half a million dead, the war was eventually won by Franco, in 1939. With the death of the other generals, Franco quickly became his faction’s only leader. His ideology was called Falangism. In 1947, he declared Spain a monarchy, with himself as regent. Franco’s regime committed a series of violent human rights abuses against the Spanish people, which included the establishment of concentration camps and the use of forced labor and executions, mostly against political and ideological enemies, causing an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 deaths in more than 190 concentration camps. In the film, one such victim was Janis’s grand-father.

Unless you do this bit of reading, you will not be able to grasp the symbolism and the metaphors that run throughout the film, and the entire track about the excavation and exhumation. That might be a tough ask to the lay movie-goer. For most Indians, swapping of babies at birth, of babies being stolen at birth, are age-old tropes. Two headlines from 2018 news stories are worth quoting here:

‘Indian Babies Accidently Switched at Birth’ Babies being switched birth may sound out of the script of a Bollywood masala film, but that is exactly what happened in a hospital in rural ...’

‘India's switched-at-birth babies who refused to swap back’ It is like the plot of a Bollywood film. First, two babies are born within minutes of each other and then accidentally switched at birth…’

A large part of Parallel Mothers’ screen-time is taken by the issues revolving around the babies, and what happens to them, with Almodóvar's melodrama to the fore. It is just unfortunate that we, in India, have had our share of Manmohan Desai, Nasir Hussain, and other directors, who had made baby-swapping and separation a formula, with another variation on the theme: twins or triplets or two or three children separated from the parents, or from each other, at birth, or at a young age. Those of us who go see the film with a mind-set that has these examples to the fore will end up misconstruing the film altogether. And yet, should we blame them for being treated to a surface narrative that seems so familiar to them?

Look out for the heart-warming tight close-ups of the mothers and their babies in their arms, Enjoy the little details like when one woman writes her phone number on a big blank page of a diary and gives it to the other, who immediately tears the lower half, writes her number, and completes the exchange. Enjoy lines like, "All actors these days are leftists," and the message on Janis' T-shirt, "We should all be feminists". Enjoy the exquisitely crafted photo-shoot sessions, and ignore the magnifying glass that Janis uses to check the details of her photo-prints, in an age when photo-paper is passé. It might help to remember that Almodóvar wrote the first draft of Parallel Mothers at least 13 years ago.

Note that Janis is named after singer Janis Joplin, and listen to her singing in the background, even as Ana asks, “Who is Janis Joplin?” Born in Port Arthur, Texas, in 1943, Joplin was a self-described “misfit” in high school, she suffered virtual ostracism, but dabbled in folk music with her friends and painted. She briefly attended college in Beaumont and Austin but was more drawn to blues legends and beat poetry than her studies; soon she dropped out and, in 1963, headed for San Francisco, eventually finding herself in the notoriously drug-fuelled Haight Ashbury neighborhood. Her albums include Big Brother and the Holding Company, Big Brother and the Holding Company – Cheap Thrills, I Got Dem Ol’ Kozmic Blues Again Mama. Joplin died in 1970. And above all, enjoy the sonorous background music of Alberto Iglesias, about which I have only one comment: there is too much of it.

Starring in successive films of Almodóvar on three occasions, this is the seventh pairing of Penélope Cruz Sánchez with the veteran director. Antonio Banderas has eight! Probably 45 when she worked in this film, she continues to exude radiance. Known for Vanilla Sky, Captain Corelli's Mandolin and Murder on the Orient Express, she won Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Volver (2006) and Nine (2009). She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2008, for Vicky Cristina Barcelona. She is the first and only Spanish actress to be nominated for and to win an Academy Award, as well as the first to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This role demands a range of complex emotions, and she goes through them with aplomb. The Oscar nomination may be justified, but it will all depend upon the competition. Getting second billing is 25 year-old Milena Smit (Elisa Milena Smit Márquez) as Ana, who made her acting debut only two years ago, and has to undergo a complete physical transformation in the second half of the film. Her brave performance is overshadowed by the star in Cruz. Both Cruz and Smit are models, besides being actors.

Israel Elejalde as Arturo is well cast, looking his part, and managing to stay within the dignity of his character even when exhibiting some shades of grey. Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, who is cast as Teresa Ferreras, Ana’s mother, with her desire to pursue an independent career as a theatre actress, even if she has to fudge her own unfaithfulness as a ground for divorce, is convincing. Competent support is provided by Julieta Serrano as Brígida, Rossy de Palma as Elena and Ainhoa Santamaría as the Babysitter, whose priorities are elsewhere. Cinematography by José Luis Alcaine creates the ‘film’ effect and editing by Teresa Font often uses the match-cut to perfection. Perhaps the film could have been 10-15 minutes shorter than its present two hours’ duration. It is a highly verbose film. In India, it has been certified for exhibition to Adults only, possibly with some cuts in the love-making scenes.

Cinematically aware audiences will be stunned by the ending, and will, for those few moments, forget the film’s earlier narrative. Looking back, one finds the film a bit scattered and trying to tackle too many themes. Yet, I would recommend Parallel Mothers to film-buffs in general, for even if Almodóvar is not at his best, he is still Almodóvar.

Rating: *** 1/2

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTSupYhDhOQ

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How feminism became a hot topic in South Korea's presidential election

A furious crowd gathered in central Seoul last month to protest against the policies of a man who isn't even in power.

Prince Andrew has paid settlement to Virginia Giuffre, according to her attorney

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RATMA Film Festival in West Yorkshire, England interviews James W. Hawk - award-winning filmmaker and author

Spring is almost in the air, the pandemic could possibly be coming to an end soon, and a film festival in the U.K interviewed me about my filmmaking and writing. What's not to love about that?

Gareth James, Marcus Gregg, and LJ, the managers of the RATMA film Festival in West Yorkshire, England, interviewed James W. Hawk, award-winning filmmaker and author via Zoom. The RATMA Film Festival is in its tenth year. The interview covers Hawk's filmmaking and writing background and experiences. It is a light-hearted casual event that provides new filmmakers with advice, encouragement, and expectations. It was live-streamed on Friday, February 25.

Here is the link:   https://youtu.be/-zcW-w-0cqE

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Etsy buyers purchase digital goods to help Ukrainian artists and small businesses. A Ukrainian weaver who usually makes belts is now making camouflage nets for troops

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After nearly 700 days, Western Australia has opened its borders

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Turn down the heat to stop Putin? Europe wrestles with its Russian gas addiction

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North Korea launches 9th missile test of the year

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Indian businesswoman Swati Daga first bought bitcoin in 2017, when the cryptocurrency was trading well under $3,000. Her decision to invest in digital currencies was met with wariness by her family, she recalls.

Grab shares crash nearly 40% after posting a $1 billion loss

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France's Macron launches bid for second term as president

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Amazon is closing all of its physical bookstores

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Fitbit recalls 1.7 million smartwatches due to burn hazard

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Apple sets date for first product launch of the year

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Melinda French Gates opens up about her divorce: 'I couldn't trust what we had'

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Wheat futures are soaring. Food prices could be next

Russia's attack on Ukraine is causing wheat prices to spike, exacerbating already high food prices.

Exxon is quitting its last Russian project

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The UK's clampdown on Russian money is complicated. Here's why

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Celeb-packed shows and bombastic sets return at Milan Fashion Week

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Search reveals 169 potential unmarked graves at former Canadian residential school, officials say

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Australia continues flood relief and rescue efforts as Sydney braces for heavy rains

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The Territory, Alex Pritz, Documentary, 2022

Alex Pritz’s case study of an indigenous Brazilian Amazon rain forest tribe focuses on the perspectives of the tribe, defending their existence and their forest. The documentary reflects the current systemic problems faced by many others in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia; the disappearance of rain forests, destruction and disregard of indigenous cultures, absence of medical services for tribal and other minority groups, and the domination of policy making by powerful economic interest groups.

No effective action is taken to protect these groups and their livelihood. Brazil is an excellent example of this endemic process. Contrary to well-meaning and pro-forma declarations by policy makers, the deforestation of the Amazon is the highest since 2006 and has accelerated since the 2018 election of  Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. Under the current government, 8,110 square miles of rainforests disappeared from August 2020 to July 2021, an increase of  22% compared to the prior year.  About one third of the cleared rainforest areas are used for large scale farming but also for illegal gold mining and other land abuses.  A pending legal case suspended by the current Brazilian supreme court could have overruled previous protections of for the Amazon and its indigenous peoples. The case was initiated by the agri-business and Brazil’s right wing president Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro may be replaced by Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva in the elections scheduled for October 2022.  If Da Silva is elected, protections for more of the Amazon Forest areas and its indigenous peoples may increase. There are about half a million indigenous people in the Amazon, including more than 170 ethnic groups. Their confirmed Covid-19  infection and mortality rate has been estimated to have reached 25,000 and 670 respectively by COIAB  (Coordination of the Indigenous Organization of Brazilian Amazon), collecting data since March of 2020. These rates were more than 100% higher than the Brazilian national rates.

Against this background Alex Pritz’s  documentary, the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau tribe offers persuasive community based reflections of the remaining members of the tribe, which has shrunken from several thousand  before the incursions by outsiders took place in the eighties to about 200 today. The audience learns about the everyday life of children and adults, the problems they face protecting their territory, and their battles against the invaders. The Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau are supposedly shielded by regulations and the law which are rarely applied. Their lands have been invaded for decades by perspective settlers, illicit gold miners, and others. Survival entails a high stakes existence attempting the protection of life, the preservation of language and culture, and the safeguarding of traditional living in the Amazon  rainforest. Given the close collaboration of Pritz with members and leaders of the tribe, The Territory turns into a co-production. The Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau’s struggle against invaders generates powerful imagery of their lives and the reactions of tribal members engaged in this struggle. Pritz has  provided a compelling documentation. The opinions of land grabbing individuals burning down the forest to get a title to the land, justifying their invasion with Bolsonaro’s claims to “make  Brazil bigger and wealthier”  and “to liberate the land because there are no people living in the amazon forest” is contrasted against the tribal peoples fighting for their rights by defending their territory through modern media technologies, filming traces of illicit settlements and mines, and using drones to record deforestation and new farms. The Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau apply any and all audiovisual means to retain their history, culture, and language, before they are lost. With modern tools, their spirit of resistance is sharpened. They are the guardian of their forest territory, though surrounded by settlers without support. They decide to close it off to anyone, despite facing the murder of one of their guardian members and death threats to others.

The  Territory is an exemplary case study that makes the struggle of tribal peoples transparent to the world. Critical reactions at Sundance praised Pritz’s collaborative approach, the cinematographic execution, and the tribe’s continuous struggle against all odds. The  Territory was acquired by National  Geographic Documentary Films, ensuring wide distribution.

 

New York   Claus Mueller

filmexchange@gmail.com

 

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Can you like me a bit ( Artist- memoir ) 。

Can you like me a bit ( Artist- memoir ) 。 你可不可以喜欢我一下 ( 艺术家回忆录 ) 。

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