DesertTalkies Film Reviews!

  Persepolis [2007] Voice acting by Catherine Deneuve, Chiara Mastroianni, Sean Penn, Gina Rowlands  Direction by Marjane Satrapi & Winshluss, Based off the original graphic novel by Satrapi Language: French I find it difficult to comprehend the fact that somebody like me, who is so into foreign film, different styles of filmmaking, and global affairs in general has not known about this production for so long. All I can say is that, after watching the movie, I regret all the years that I have lived ignoring its existence - it is fantastic.  The very fact that this movie was animated meant that the complex themes of the divide between the west and the east, the idea of hidden identity, difficult marriages and strict regimes were reduced to a point where they were intelligible and easy to empathise with, and was yet incredibly compelling and a tad mysterious, which I loved.  On a personal level, this movie resonated with me a lot. I am also from a country that is t...

  Kannathil Muthamittal [2002]  Starring  Direction by  Language: Tamil My friends have often told me that there is a stereotype with south Indian, especially Tamil, films. She told me that they are often incredibly overdramatic, and are unrealistic to the point where they lose a lot of its value. I thought that this movie would be quite relaxed, an uplifting thing that I could watch. The description described that of a girl's struggle with finding out that she was adopted, and the first few scenes were very serene. However, never would I have expected that the movie would bring such a domestic issue into one of high-stakes warfare.  The movie was just so unrealistic to the point where I was left guessing the entire time. In what world would an Tamil-speaking family go to Sri Lanka in the midst of a giant civil war? How did they escape various bombings? How did they survive a forced army evacuation in a small, rural village? How did the daughter in the film mana...

  First They Killed My Father [2017] Starring Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak, Mun Kimhak, Sveng Socheata  Direction by Angelina Jolie  Based off the novel by Loung Ung  Language: Khmer  This was the most singularly harrowing movie that I have ever seen. It is often the case that when famous actresses of celebrities direct movies, they are either awful or missing key elements. Therefore, I was positively shocked when I watched this movie: I found that this movie had so much depth and so much complexity: so much that directors such as Spielberg would envy.  Firstly, the subject of the movie was so, so interesting. I claim to have a general awareness of the conflict in Cambodia at the time, but after seeing this I realised that there was so much I didn't know. It was so compelling, especially considering that it was filmed from the viewpoint of an innocent child. Seeing the transition of the main family from a life of urban happiness, to migratory distress...

  Aziza [2019] Starring: Caresse Bashar, Abdel Moneim Amiry Directed by Soudade Kaadan Language: English Sometimes, it is difficult to imagine that short films can be so powerful - in such a short time it is so difficult to evoke such complex and emotive reactions so a topic. The movie originally started in quite an odd way, where it was very difficult to understand the somewhat crazy back and forth dialogue. However, as it progressed, it melded into quite something quite different: a narrative of fear, attachment, and an exposé about the nature of a migratory experience.  The most interesting element of this movie was the presentation of attachment. The name 'Aziza' came from the name of the car the Syrian couple had. The car, Aziza, was the only remnant of a Syrian life in this new, unfamiliar landscape of Lebanon. It was interesting to see how the entire story advanced in relation to the car - it became a focal point for the couple's relationship, their memories of life ...

Gangubai Kathiawadi [2022] Starring: Alia Bhatt, Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz Direction by Sanjay Leela Bhansali Language: Hindi  When I saw that there was a new Bollywood period movie in the cinemas, I had no choice but to watch it. Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, someone known for his over-the-top, beautiful renditions of history in Bollywood film, I thought that it would be spectacular to watch. But I was let down to a certain extent. It was a very interesting idea, and the very creation of this movie indicates that there is still a spark of hope in what many would call a dying industry. However, the execution of it was not as good as it could have been.  What I didn’t realise when booking this movie was that it was a historical piece from a totally different time in history. Bhansali’s other work: Padmaavat, Devdas, were all incredibly big budget, where everyone was dressed in heavy golden jewelry, and everyone was wearing elaborate costume. There was a certain theat...