SUPER DELUXE (2019) - TAMIL

"Life is nothing but Super Deluxe" - This line stuck me after I watched the film and I believe this line summarizes the film too.

Existentialism - "humans define their own meaning in life, and try to make rational decisions despite existing in an irrational universe" 
Nihilism - "not only is there no intrinsic meaning in the universe, but that it’s pointless to try to construct our own as a substitute"
Absurdism - "a search for meaning is inherently in conflict with the actual lack of meaning, but that one should both accept this and simultaneously rebel against it by embracing what life has to offer"

I saw an element of these three philosophies in the film.

Super Deluxe emphasizes that that there is no pattern to our human lives which are a series of random events. Hence the line "Life is nothing but Super Deluxe". This is not just a film, it's a meta film that has many metaphors, analogies and extremely detailed.

Just accept the flow of events in life and exist, this is what this film conveyed me. The best part is that it's neither preachy nor pretentious. As the events unfold, the viewer's intellect is challenged and me as a viewer was so engulfed in finding patterns that how many ever I found, I still believe there is still a lot more deeper meaning.

From colors to costumes to camera angles and characters, everything is well thought and put together. The USP of the film is the merging of concepts that are perceived to be so contradictory to each other and yet making the viewers accept "that's how it is and it's okay". The Movie tells 4 stories and touches aspects like Non-Duality, Chaos Theory, Butterfly Effect, Electrons, Alien's, Karma, Schrodinger Cat and what not, this is perhaps the most detailed screenplay that gives spaces in whatever way it could to so many aspects of philosophy.

To mix profanity with philosophy, sensuality with spirituality, aliens with humans and ending with the line "The best part of life is life in itself" was beautiful.

Dialogues are beautiful but one line that stuck with me is "Edhi Thevayo Adhi Dharmam" - Whatever is the need that is right and just. Also, it brings out debate of existence of god beautifully I strongly believe that "Tokkite Raayi, Mokkite Devudu" - If you stamp it's a stone, if you worship it's god and that was conveyed with the line "Adhi Kalla Dha Saami" - It's a rock after all. This happens when one believes that god saved him and becomes priest while another says that a rock saved him.

Every actor is so damn good that I could not believe that there is so much of unexplored talent. The best story amongst the four was the one of Rasukutty (Ashwanth Ashokkumar) and Shilpa (Vijay Sethupathi). Ashwanth Ashokkumar who played Rasukutty should be given a national award for being the best child actor. I am stunned by the wisdom he displayed playing his character.

The usage of songs is so terrific that I cannot even think how "I am a Disco Dancer" kick started and ended the film. While the film can be called a visual puzzle the background score brims with nostalgic music, the visuals put with music are seductive to say the least.

It's the trailer I found so fascinating that I did not see anything like it before. It pulled me to watch the film. I went and saw this in PVR - Arena Mall, Bangalore and being a non-Tamil in a non-Tamil city, I expected that this film would have subtitles but alas, there were no subtitles. Despite my request, they could not get subtitles and that's my crib with PVR. Hence, I had to wait for this film to be released online (now it's on Netflix) to watch this film again then understand it and then write about it.

Since it is released on Netflix I am hooked to this film.

Ideology- “Nothing in the world is good or bad, it just depends upon the person who is seeing it”

I believe that every dialogue was written after reading many many books, every color was chosen with a deep meaning attached and every framed was made to convey a meaning. The scenarios are eccentric and so are the characters but to accept them as they are and each other character accepting other's as they are is something that I loved.

I accept this film as it is. I shall not rate this film, it's simply beyond greatness. Here is the trailer

To give a perspective - (Sorry, I am revealing plot lines now and this is a spoiler)

Would you be okay, if your wife slept with her ex-boyfriend?
Would you be okay, if your mother is an adult film actress?
Would you be okay, if your father has become a eunuch?
Would you be okay, if your friend became an alien?
Would you be okay, if what you believed as god, is just a rock?

It's not worth conveying anything to those comforted by their own prejudices.

So those who are not okay with any of the above questions and are comforted by their own judgement and expect life to be in a certain way, then this film may not be for them. 

TOY STORY 4 (2019) - ENGLISH

Toy Story has one of the finest friends for me in the name of "Woody" (taken from the film's theme song - You Got A Friend In Me) and this is another great installment of the franchise.

The film begins with the song "I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away". It evokes my emotion of how I can't let this film franchise away. The feelings I have for this series, which began nearly a quarter century ago with four terrific installments are something special. The series has run from the level of "great" to "perfect" and the fourth installment keeps up with that.

The first film of the series, "Toy Story" was my first animated film in the theatre and there are a lot of memories that rake up each time I watch a film from this franchise. I must also say, that I was fortunate enough to watch all the 4 installments in theatres. Personally, there is always an excitement attached with fear of this franchise, excitement is understood but the fear comes because the bar it has set is so high that I am afraid it each will it be as good as the previous film. Touch wood, so far this has been a great journey. I believe the same anxieties I have gone through were coming out of the film in the character "Woody" and that in itself was surprising and also enthralling.

Is "Woody", still the same and excited as ever, or does it becomes just another boring toy that does not want to be a mere plaything anymore and seek something better? Thankfully, both aspects have come good in the film, and both are etched together beautifully and seamlessly. "Woody" remains true to the character. The guy who has taught a lot about friendship, loyalty, never giving up, yet he needs a better avenue to display his great characteristics and seeks something more than being a toy. "Woody's" fear that he's become obsolete, boring, not special anymore, and otherwise incapable of holding the attention of a child is the same I have gone through and I believe, each one goes through these phases.

We give up on Toys, when we turn teens, we give on gadgets when we turn old I guess. Also, the worse is we give up on parents when we think we are capable to deal with lives on our own and we give up on so many people once our transactions with them are done. In a transactional world, this film franchise stands tall and continues to feed us life lessons on why one should never give up on those who helped them, built them, fed them and have been with them through tough times.

Very few movie series are as affable and accessible to people across all ages and cultures as this one, yet Toy Story has remained rich in the thought provocation aspect with its metaphors, subtle philosophy and words that are worth mentioning at many instances in life. "Woody" is perhaps the greatest animated character ever. Although he never changes the size, color, shape, or voice, yet always manages to stand by what he believes in and that is the true sign of a hero.

My Three Life Lessons from this film are:
1. Listen to your inner voice, it guides you in the right direction
2. Loyalty may not payback as we expect yet being loyal gives a purposefulness to existence
3. If we believe, “Yes We Canada”, then we certainly achieve (Canada is reference to character Caboom)

I am very happy that this franchise has continued to reinvent itself over a span of a time which is long enough for two generations to grow up. This I believe is the true achievement of this. My rating doesn't matter for the finest animated film of the year yet.

From me, it's a 4/5. Wish there was a little less drama and more of action, my wish only.

Here is my review of TOY STORY 3.
https://braddugg.blogspot.com/2017/02/toy-story-3-2010-english.html