This Week At The Movies

Dear Reader, It's been a busy week for all of us here at Film Companion. It's been raining incessantly throughout —appropriate weather to go watch a film about the god of Thunder, wouldn't you say? We were instantly charmed by Thor: Ragnarok when it released in 2017. Taika Waititi injected some much-needed levity into a franchise that had found itself bogged down by lofty Shakespearean ideals, but he also gave it real heart. (Still can't believe he snuck the line "I'm asking for safe passage through the Anus" into an MCU film.) We were looking forward to more of the same from his follow-up, Thor: Love and Thunder, but did it live up to our expectations? Well, you'll just have to read Anupama Chopra and Gayle Sequeira's reviews to find out. Speaking of franchise installments, we braved the rain once more to watch Khuda Haafiz 2 - Agni Pariksha. "It's not an easy watch," is what Anupama wrote about the first film. "Once the fighting begins, the visuals get more grotesque – at one point, a character is having a conversation with a man who has a fork and a knife sticking out of his body." As to whether part 2 is just as gory, we'll let Anupama and Rahul Desai's takes fill you in: REVIEWS Thor: Love and Thunder Is Lots Of Fun, But Doesn't Soar By Anupama Chopra Thor: Love And Thunder Can't Balance Sentiment With Spectacle By Gayle Sequeira Khuda Haafiz 2 – Agni Pariksha Is A Gore Fest With A Weak Script By Anupama Chopra Khuda Haafiz: Chapter II is Oblivious of Its Own Mediocrity By Rahul Desai This week, we've also been celebrating the 10th anniversary of Eega. Who else but Rajamouli could've dreamed up such an audacious, inventive premise and got us to root for a murdered man seeking vengeance after he's reincarnated as a housefly? "The director's most wholesome, inventive film, marks the beginning of a journey that culminated with the global success of RRR and recognition for Telugu commercial cinema," is what Sagar Tetali thinks. If you haven't watched the film yet, allow Sankhayan Ghosh's piece on its spectacular 10-minute hero introduction sequence, in which even a minuscule house pest looks majestic, to convince you. Rajamouli's filmography isn't the only one we've been revisiting with a critical eye. Shyam Benegal's early films from the 1970s are full of social heft and rage against the system, sure, but have you also considered that his contribution to Indian cinema includes a crop of um, how do we put this delicately - extremely hot actors? In Naseeruddin Shah, Prathyush Parasuraman sees a smouldering twink. In Amrish Puri, he sees the sexually appealing embodiment of evil. We'll let him explain further. And finally, do check out Rahul Desai's ranking of Ranveer Singh's performances. (No, his Koffee With Karan appearances don't count.) Have a great weekend!  PICKS OF THE WEEK Eega, S.S. Rajamouli's Finest Film, Turns 10 By Sagar Tetali A Love Letter To The Spectacular Intro Eega's Hero Gets By Sankhayan Ghosh The Sexual Appeal Of Shyam Benegal's Early Films By Prathyush Parasuraman All of Ranveer Singh's Performances, Ranked By Rahul Desai Copyright © 2022, Film Companion LLP, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: info@filmcompanion.in Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list filmcompanion.in