DesertTalkies Film Reviews!

Challengers [2024] Starring: Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O'Connor Direction: Luca Guadagnino Language: English  I admit it: it has been ages. But in a saga of Ramadan, last weeks of school and A-Level exams, I have been too busy to watch anything new: choosing instead to watch some old favorites (I love myself some 'Love in the Afternoon'). But, after I heard about Challengers, I knew that this movie was the exception. In Dubai, there is often significant censorship of any content which is even mildly 'impressionable': as such, I was surprised that this movie was even showing in theaters. Even though I saw a version that was quite clearly edited down, something is better than nothing.  Let's talk about the plot: it's been a long time since I've seen a romance plot with this much heat. I have seen relaxed rom-coms which are comforting in their own way, but this movie was intense in the best way. Maybe it was because of the nature of the plot: any movie abou...

  Dune: Part Two [2024] Starring Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler Direction by Denis Villeneuve Language: English I am still in shock after watching this movie. For context, I never saw Dune: Part One (Sci-Fi is not usually my thing), nor have a read the books. When I was watching the Oscars in 2022, I would role my eyes whenever Dune won and my favourite movies didn't. Flash forward to 2024, and I wasn't even planning to see this installment of Dune. I had seen advertisements for it online, and I was aware that some of my favourite actors had significant roles. But my (now extinct) hatred for Sci-Fi stopped me from going. It was only when my auntie came to stay when she dragged me to Dune. I rolled my eyes when I saw it was an almost three hour long movie: not even modern Indian movies (which are known for being long) topped the length of this. However, I soon came to find that three hours was simply not enough. I would have sat in that theatre for thir...

The Holdovers [2023] Starring: Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da'Vine Joy Randolph Direction by Alexander Payne Language: English In the roster of Oscar nominated movies, I was a little worried about watching this one. Well, maybe not worried. But from the description, it didn't seem like my type of movie. However, my local cinema chain was showing this movie in theatres - a rare treat. I'm glad that I took the opportunity to watch it in full screen: it has become my favourite of the Oscar-nominated films (and I've watched a few - reveiws yet to come). It was the first movie which has been significantly awarded by the Academy which was fun to watch. And before you say something like 'Barbie was also lots of fun', this movie was fun to watch because it was so comforting. For the first time in a long time, I didn't have to strain to understand, whilst profound, incredibly complex themes interwoven with intricate plotlines. This movie was simple and easy to gras...

All Of Us Strangers [2023] Starring: Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy Direction by Andrew Haigh Language: English I sat down to watch this movie with a friend, and when I told her I hadn't before seen, to my recollection, a movie starring Paul Mescal or Andrew Scott she was absolutely shocked, saying I was a disgrace. As such, she literally watched me watch the movie, making sure I didn't avert my attention away from the screen for a single moment. A part of me resents her for that - the movie, whilst poignant with all the ingredients of an award winning movie, didn't really resonate with me. I don't know why - my friend again told me I was insane, but everyone has their moments where a movie someone loves is something they can't stand.  To be honest, this was a movie I didn’t really understand until halfway in, and that massively affected my viewing experience. I had no idea that the main character, played by Andrew Scott, was having hallucinations about the p...

  The Zone Of Interest [2023] Starring: Sandra Hüller, Christian Friedel Direction by Jonathan Glazer Language: German At first glance, I thought this movie would be absolutely brilliant. Movies about Nazi Germany and the Holocaust have often been some of my favourites, as they were tragedies so large and pronounced, with impacts that continue to reverberate into contemporary society. I don’t know what I was expecting from this, to be honest. I usually think that every movie will have a main character who serves as a focal point, but I soon found out that in this movie, that wasn’t the case. It was almost as if the audience is god-like, peering into the lives of what seems like an ordinary European family, expect for that fact that the patriarch is one of the bigwigs at the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, which is directly adjacent to the family home.  My first instinct when it came to watching this movie was this: it was chilling, and really highlights the qui...

  The Call [2020] Starring Park Shin-Hye, Jeon Jong-Seo, Lee El, Kim Min-Ha Direction by Lee Chung-Hyeon Language: Korean I can safely say that I have experienced thrillers, across cultures. Whilst taking a well-needed break from mock revision, I visited my friend's house. She has an obsession with all things thriller, and roped me into watching this at first confusing but ultimately fantastic thriller film. I tend to be able to understand films, but thrillers, being outside of my reign of expertise, often stump me, particularly if they have complex story plots like this one.  The movie revolves around two people: one in the past and one in the present. The character in the past is a serial killer, who communicates with the character in the present through telephone calls. It is the character in the past who has the power to change the future reality of the character in the present day. From me explaining the plotline in three lines, it is still a little difficult to grasp wha...

 It seems as if all I'm doing recently on this blog is apologizing. But I swear I have a valid reason! I have just finished with my mock examinations, and now I have the time to review some of the movies I have been watching. I have watched six in the past weekend, and I'm going to try to publish them all in the next few days. Rest assured, you will be getting plenty of content from me soon.  Rehla 404 [2024] Starring: Mona Zaki, Mohamed Farag, Khaled El Sawi, Mohamed Mamdouh Direction by Hani Khalifa Language: Arabic  I would like to dedicate this review to my friend Gigi: had she not been late to our meeting at the mall, I would not have looked through the synopses of all the movies screening in the theatre. If I had not done that, I would not have found this movie. Given the fact that it is in Arabic, this movie would have totally slipped under my radar if I hadn't off-handedly read that plot. I am not usually one for thrillers, but after this movie, I may consider see...

  The Color Purple [2023] Direction by Blitz Balawule Starring: Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo Language: English It was surprising to see that a movie like this was coming to commercial theatres in my area: given the very intense themes I heard it contained. When I saw an advertisement for this before seeing Argylle (not a movie worthy of review), I knew it was next on my watchlist. And I wasn't sad to see it. I have seen a lot of hate for this movie online: how it is not true to the original production, and how it deviates from the original novel. However, I do think that this was worth watching: every movie deserves a breath of fresh air after a few decades: if West Side Story is not proof of that, then what is? I had a friend message me after I had the chance to review this movie, and she said this movie unfairly played into black trauma as opposed to black liberation. However, I would have to disagree. with this. By including so much music, ...

  Maestro (2023) Starring: Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer Direction by Bradley Cooper  Language: English  Tár and now Maestro? The Academy definitely has an obsession with composers. But hey, I’m not complaining - Tár was pretty good (if not at least a little difficult to understand). I’ve said it before, but one of my favourite movies to date has been West Side Story, and who else was behind the movie’s success but Leonard Bernstein? Maestro was not what I was expecting at all, and it surprised me in a very positive way.  Let’s start with Bradley Cooper. I am embarrassed to say that I don’t think I have seen a single movie where he stars. Not even Shallow! Anyways, after his performance in this movie I think his movies will be on my watchlist - wow! He was incredible. It’s difficult to explain, but he put his entire body into the character - and it came off in an incredibly poignant way. I often have a hard time trying to review acting - I feel like it’s...

 Well, Oscar nomination day has come and gone, and I have realized that I am woefully behind in watching the movies that were nominated. I am now on a quest to amend that, starting with the short films and working my way up.  Island in Between [2023] Directed by & Featuring S. Leo Chiang  Language: English and Mandarin Chinese  In my Human Geography class, we have been looking at at border disputes, and how states will often contest borders due to political, social, and economic differences. One example we have studied in particular is China and Taiwan, and how years of conflict have separated people who are ethnically and culturally similar yet different only in political ideology. And this movie explored exactly that: detailing not only the narrator's journey between finding 'home' between Taipei in Taiwan and Beijing in China, but looking at how the focal point for tension can be seen most clearly in Kinmeng, a Taiwanese island off the coast of Mainland China....

  Saltburn (2023) Starring: Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike Direction by Emerald Fennell Language: English I can credit Jacob Elordi’s sultry good looks to me finding out about this movie. I saw interviews of him talking about this movie on TikTok, and it came onto my radar. Then, a few of my friends talked to me about the movie, and his, as one of my friends put it, ‘delicious face and body’. Then I started hearing odd words being put together: bath tubs, graves, and murders. And then I realized that it was high time to watch this.  Where do I start? This movie DEFINITELY challenged all my preconceptions. I figured that any Elordi movie would inevitably end up being some sort of rom-com. I was MORE than wrong.  Firstly, the movie was shot beautifully. I do wish I was able to watch this in my country’s theaters, but they don’t publicly show movies with suggestive plots. The use of angles was incredible, and as such I found the movie incredibly intimate and enga...

  Goodbye Julia [2023] Starring Siran Riak, Eiman Yousif, Ger Duany Direction Mohamed Kordofani Language: Arabic It's very rarely that I get to see Arabic movies in the cinema: most of the ones that come to my area are mainstream and not really worth a lot of significant attention. Luckily, Goodbye Julia came to my local cinema, and it piqued my interest. When I found out that it was in the 'Un Certain Regard' section of the Cannes Film Festival, I made my mind. I had to see it. This was the first Sudanese movie I have seen - and I'm going to make sure that this is not the last.  One thing I loved about this movie was the intensity: the intensity of the racial and ethnic divides between the Northern Arabs and the 'Southerners' was conveyed so perfectly. Unlike 'Alam', the desperation for a new state, the desperation of the struggle for a new nation, was done in a way that was strong and powerful. The violence of racism, the police force, and people was d...

Wonka [2023] Starring: Timothee C halamet, Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Grant Direction by Paul King Language: Arabic I'm going to preface this by saying that there was a brief Wonka backstory that was outlined in the 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' (CATCF) movie. That went against this story. But it was fine - I am totally willing to accept this version of Wonka's story because it was just better.  The Dune trailer came on before the movie, and it hit me like an epiphany. Timothee Chalamet may be the most versatile actor of this generation: whether it was his portrayal of a nervous, quiet Elio in 'Call Me By Your Name', or the outgoing, hopeful, and eccentric character which is 'Wonka', he really is a chameleon. He embraced the role of Wonka phenomenally - a little offbeat but full of character and energy, he shined throughout the movie. You're looking at a Chalamet fan here.  I didn't watch the trailer of the movie before I came to watch it, so all...

Alam [2022] Starring: Sereen Khass, Saleh Bakri, Mohammad Karaki Direction by Firas Khoury Language: Arabic I saw this movie in October, but deleted the original review I posted. So I will start this one with a disclaimer. As someone who is an objective viewer of movies, I would like to remain strictly apolitical when talking about this one. With the intensity of recent events in the Gaza Strip, I don't want this blog to be a vessel through which more hate is sparked.  In the UAE, there are large numbers of Palestinians, and few Israelis. Because of the greater Palestinian influence, there is a greater opportunity to watch Palestinian films: I have, to this day, not seen Hebrew movies come to my local cinemas.  This movie was an interesting one, and looking back on watching it, I definitely have mixed feelings. But I'll start with a positive. I see film as being a fitting medium for promoting national identity and a sense of pride. As such, the fact that a country such as Pale...

 Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes   Starring: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Viola Davis  Direction by Francis Lawrence  Language: English  I have been a 'Hunger Games' person for a while. I have read all the books, I have watched and obsessed over all the movies. However, I didn't read the book this movie was based on: how can a prequel even start to compete with a series that that I grew up to and loved? It was ultimately the fact that my cousins didn't want to see the Turkish movie 'Ataturk', nor 'Napoleon' that I was pressured into seeing this. After reading many scathing reviews (some of which went as far as to describe the very title to be 'cumbersome'), I will say that I did enjoy watching it very much.  Normally, I would trust what the big pop culture magazines have to say, but this is one of the times I would vehemently disagree. I think this movie was packed with action, dramatic sequences, and flare. It is very rarely that I y...

  A Light Never Goes Out [2022] Starring: Sylvia Chang, Cecilia Choi, Henick Chou Direction by Anastasia Tsang Language: Cantonese  I was not expecting this movie to be as profoundly moving and beautiful as it was. My local cinema has delivered again and is now screening a selection of movies from Hong Kong. Went on the opening night at the 10.45 show (I'm never too tired for a good movie), and even though I got a free tote bag, the movie was the highlight of the experience.  It's difficult to fully describe this movie, but what I thought was very interesting about this was the pace. It's an expectation: any movie that revolves around a death will be slow, almost mundane unless there's some spectacular plot twist or some brilliant performance. But the storyline of this movie was accompanied with short scenes of the city of Hong Kong. The death of the protagonist's husband was almost like the death of the old, neon-sign dense city of the 20th century. I did think thi...

It's been a hot minute since I last posted: senior year has hit me like a truck! Therefore, in the next few hours I'll be reviewing three movies. The first? Jawan.  Jawan [2023] Starring: Shah Rukh Khan, Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupati Directed by Atlee Khan Language: Hindi I definitely had my preconceptions before going into this movie: I have not been a fan of Shah Rukh Khan's recent work (Pathaan especially), and it was only until multiple people told me to give this a watch that I actually went to go see it. I'll say this much: I was definitely relieved when I finished watching this: I feel as if Shah Rukh Khan's charming self has finally come back (even if not by a lot).  I'm not one for action movies, especially in a Bollywood context. I despised Race, and more recent ones have are glaringly discriminatory to minority groups in India in an age of rising political and social nationalism in the country. But something about the direction made it all work: Bollywo...

 Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani [2023] Starring: Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi Direction by Karan Johar Language: Hindi Normally, I don't think recently released Bollywood movies are worth reviews. I really do think that the industry has deteriorated, and so I prefer to look at older Hindi films, or movies in other languages. I was watching this movie, never expecting that I would review it. The poster for the movie is very colourful and bright: all the trademarks of a 'cheap' Indian movie. Most contemporary Hindi movies are quite 'cheap': and I was expecting this to be the same way. However, this movie packed an unexpected emotional punch, addressing pressing issues of modern Indian society in a way that none of its predecessors have.  Let's first talk about the acting, because I actually have a lot to say about that one. Let me start with the negatives. Ranveer Singh was absolutely awful. He performed horribly: and his role was incredib...

  Red, White & Royal Blue [2023] Starring: Nicholas Galitzine, Taylor Zakhar Perez, Uma Therman, Sarah Shahi  Direction by Matthew Lopez, adapted from the novel of the same name by Casey McQuiston Language: English This movie was one of the thousands that have been banned in my country, and so I originally had no knowledge of the movie's existence. However, TikTok to the rescue: it came on my radar from the social media site, and when a movie garners this much attention, especially from a younger audience, I was intrigued. Using a VPN, I watched this. And I didn't regret it.  To start off with a more subjective opinion, I really enjoyed the movie's general premise. Seeing any sort of representation for atypical relationships (I'm being careful with my wording given the place I live), is very rare, and I'm glad this was made purely for the message it served.  In my mind, I compare this movie to Barbie, only because I watched the two so close together. But this mo...

Barbie [2023] Starring: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Will Ferrell Direction by Greta Gerwig  Language: English I miss the days where I was able to happily watch film, without having to worry about impending A-levels, college applications & absolutely drowning in work. However, I have managed to find the time, over the past few days, to watch two movies. The first of which was Barbie. When you have a movie that is THIS hotly anticipated, you make it a priority to go and watch it. In my country, it was released late, and so I watched it then. The feminist in me LOVED the movie, but my inner film critic? Not so much.  The first half of the movie, to me, was a little boring. To illustrate my point? I was checking the time on my phone. A lot. The storyline in the first half of the movie wasn't compelling enough, at least for me, to maintain a strong interest. The outfits were great (which, by the way, stayed great throughout), and there were freq...