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The Running Man

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Vampire Owl: I have been wondering why humans keep running so much in their lives.

Vampire Bat: They search for meaning in their lives, but finds nothing in the end.

Vampire Owl: You mean to say that there is no hope for humanity.

Vampire Bat: Well, humanity never really had any hope.

Vampire Owl: I remember watching that old movie with the same name.

Vampire Bat: Well, we had also read the book with the same name.

Vampire Owl: Stephen King movies have often struggled to make an impact in the last few years.

Vampire Bat: Yet, Doctor Sleep was one of the greatest among them.

Vampire Owl: There are always It, Pet Sematary, The Monkey, Carrie, Salem’s Lot and others too.

Vampire Bat: We cannot expected all such adaptations to be classic horror stories.

[Gets one M&M McFlurry and three cups of mint tea].

What is the movie about? :: In a not that distant future United States of America, an authoritarian media network takes control of the nation while focusing on patriotism and the need to keep the country safe from its usual and common enemies, some of the inside and the others from outside. Most of the citizens of the United States live in poverty with minimal access to healthcare which leads to a high infant mortality and most children not even born among the majority who lives with minimum low wages. Most people are busy with the meaningless and unreal violent game shows and absurd reality television. The most popular programme running in the nation is The Running Man, hosted by Bobby Thompson (Colman Domingo), which has three runners selected with a big opportunity to win a billion dollars by surviving 30 days while being hunted down by five hunters selected by the media team itself. They are led by the furious Evan McCone (Lee Pace) as they are allowed to take any step to end the runners, while citizens are also provided with opportunities which would bring them rewards.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Starting with thousand dollars and a twelve-hour head start when they are not attacked by anyone, the runners are also required to video tape themselves and send to the media office or else forfeit their earnings and more viciously hunted with no rewards. The murder of the hunters would also bring rewards to the runners, raising their earning by a long way. This is where Ben Richards (Glen Powell) attempts to join, as he is not able to buy medicine for his little daughter after being blacklisted for union activism which had him standing for the other workers, leaving him jobless and not able to care for his family. He had planned to join a game with lesser risk, but was drafted into The Running Man with Jenni Laughlin (Katy O’Brian), a seemingly confident young woman in his neighborhood and Tim Jansky (Martin Herlihy), a nerdy character who seems nice to everyone. Despite trying to back down, Ben is made to agree to the offer by Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) with an amount which he had never seen in his life, despite his wife Sheila Richards (Jayme Lawson) warning him against it.

And what more can happen in this world of future chaos with no real hope for humanity? :: Despite giving a safe house to his family and also providing an advance, Ben is shown as an enemy of the state to the audience and his wife’s moral side is also questioned, much to his dismay, as he promises to be back and give them what they deserve. But he would have no time for anything, as his time started, with all three contestants keeping on running through their own paths. With the help of a disguise taken from a friend, he goes to New York City and manages to start there by staying in a hotel right in the middle of the city and blend among the crowd with his changed looks. He watches Tim wandering in the city as it is shown as part of the show in television, and as he just goes through a normal life, is shot dead by the hunters bringing excitement to the audience who call for the blood of the other two runners. Ben who gets scared about the situation, and not sure about his safety in the big city anymore, decides to escape to Boston. But would that save him from the hunt or will be able to finish the hunters instead?

The defence of The Running Man :: The dark and possible future of the world and with a feeling of Stephen King’s novel, this one makes us very much interested in the movie which also has some nice chase and fight scenes. The world has been very nicely created, and we see how will it suits the situation, and there is a certain amount of charm even to its dark side. The charisma and intense physicality of Glen Powell as the desperate hero of his family manages to keep the movie strong. He had to do something extra to match the original hero and he comes close. Josh Brolin becomes the true antagonist whom we will remember for that terrifying face within that visage. Colman Domingo’s energy makes this even more suitable for its premise and genre as that works so well. Among the ladies, it is Emilia Jones who scores the most, and she is that character whom the audience will fall in love and even brings a certain amount of humour here. They fit nicely into this dystopian society which is obsessed with the circuses of ultra-violent television while being told what to do and made to struggle by the ruling class with the help of the reality shows which reflects the world differently.

Positives and negatives :: There are some classic moments from Lee Pace, but that comes a little late for our liking. The fans of the original might not feel that this matches, due to the absence of Arnold as the man of unparalleled strength. There were still opportunities for more, as the other runners could have also had focus, especially that of the lady runner who was doing so well. The emotional side of the wife and kid works less here for some reason, and the wife role seems to be dismissed as an irrelevant one with Emilia taking over as the lady who decides to switch sides to save the hero. The 1987 version, despite its own deviations, had a more heroic version of the same, and it is only natural that people would prefer that Arnold version, as his work with the fights would also be more believable as he is provided with that kind of a past; the female lead in that movie also had that unparalleled presence in the film, but not anymore. The final battle in the flight could have also been bigger, and the lack of a huge spectacle makes sure that the movie struggles even further.

How it finishes :: Those who have watched that older version might wonder about the necessity of having this one around. There is the world that we have seen before, brought to the big screen again in a similar, but different form. There is the action and thrills in a fine world, and we are entertained enough to be interesting in the movie throughout its run. But when the familiar scenario keeps getting repeated, people will wonder if how much of the same returning to the screen and what all not being adapted from the novel would be the right thing for this kind of movies. The movie remains visually striking and adds to the Stephen King adaptations which have done a good job on the screen, but it was surprising to see it not going too good at the box-office – well, we never really go to know if the movie even released at this part of the world, and one has to guess that due to those lower quality imitations released in different languages in India, with even post-apocalyptic worlds cheaply imitated. This one is superior to those movies which ridiculously copies elements from Hollywood and other languages and presents them as their own, but does leave the audiences slightly wishing that the creative strength here had run stronger, but most of us would be happy with what is found here. Then there is the message against government control.

Release date: 14th November 2025
Running time: 133 minutes
Directed by: Edgar Wright
Starring: Glen Powell, William H Macy, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Katy O’Brian, Sean Hayes, Colman Domingo, Josh Brolin

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Pongala

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Vampire Owl: I did not know about this movie being released then.

Vampire Bat: Well, just some movies take all the hype in this world.

Vampire Owl: Most of those hyped movies are like good for nothing too.

Vampire Bat: Unless those collections come down, there will always be such movies.

Vampire Owl: Such movies will never be hits in the vampire world.

Vampire Bat: You know that vampires will never create such big movies, but will have content.

Vampire Owl: Only in our world, there is quality about everything.

Vampire Bat: You know that even the smallest stone of Dracula Castle is shaped in quality.

Vampire Owl: Uncle Dracula is never known to make mistakes, you know.

Vampire Bat: The Vampire Elders have given assurances to him towards infinity.

[Gets a gobi paratha and three cups of Bandarawela tea].

What is the movie about? :: Aby (Sreenath Bhasi) is a man who had to go through a lot of crisis and trauma during his early life, as his father Joseph (Alencier Ley Lopez) had owed a lot of money to man named Lawrence (Sudheer Karamana). This man had come into their home to sexually assault his mother, he had to fight as the elder child, and the situation led to the intruding man getting killed, for which he had to go to correctional home life followed. From that day, his father had gone missing, and he had to take care of his family including his mother and younger sister from the moment he returned from the correctional home. It was not an easy task for him, and he joins the gang of Sabu (Baburaj) a local fish monger and gang lord who has his own violent ways of dealing things and maintaining his business over everyone else. Aby quickly proves his worth in street fights, as he rises through the ranks of Sabu’s goons to become his most trusted henchman. At the side of Sabu’s brothers Biju (Kichu Tellus) and Baiju (Indrajith Jagajith), he remains a force to reckon for. They maintain a iron-fisted monopoly over the harbour of Vypin.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Despite things seemingly in a violent, but profitable manner, Aby remains a stoic young man who does not care about many things, and seems like a man without feelings for the people of the village. During this period of random fights, a woman from the neighbourhood named Linta (Yami Sona) keeps following him, and tells him that she is in deeply in love with him. Though Abhi remains to be stoic and focused on his responsibilities, Linta who does not stop following him becomes a part of his life, as she is the best friend of his sister and also keeps visiting their home. At the same time, one of Aby’s close friends, Martin (Surya Krish), has a hidden crush on Linta, which she never reveals to his friends or her. Things then take a further twist when Sabu attempts to sexually exploit the vulnerability of his former classmate, a woman who used to be his classmate. Sabu, Biju and Baiju also begin expanding their criminal enterprise into illegal drug trafficking which leads to further rift being formed with Aby, despite his effort to keep peace between him and his childhood friend Biju. Will there be peace or will everyone turn against Aby without mercy?

The defence of Pongala :: The movie’s natural backdrop of the Vypin fishing harbour within Cochin provides an authentic and atmospheric feel – the visuals support the same really well. The initial scenes which go longer with a few flashbacks could nicely bring the situation to the picture without much of a difficulty. In this world, the action also happens well, but in simple manner, despite the leading character’s heroics. There is no attempt to follow that absurd nonsense flying and slow-motion of the so-called superstars who look like balloons and rockets while getting claps from the dumb and brainless fans who celebrate their famous stars destroying SUVs, cars by trying to throw villains on them or out of them and enjoy broken vehicles. The songs are fine and the music remains effective, as the mood of the movie in that setting has been maintained well. The actors nicely get into situation and keep the movie going without any trouble. It is always good to see the less explored areas in the industry getting attention too. Even though it was not much known during its release, the OTT should do well for the movie.

The claws of flaw :: The plot seems to have been somewhat inspired from the predictable, pre-2000 revenge tropes with gang wars even though it is shown as happening much later at the same area. The dialogues also feel somewhat dated and uninspired for these times. There are also so many fights which the hero wins with unparalleled ease, and it is not something we would expect from a man fighting so many people at once and when battling terrifying antagonist who comes with such a build-up. The one-man army mode feels outdated even though the fights and more like a street fight and therefore more realistic than those infinite slow-motion fight scenes create for those superstars in the name of style or rather dumb nonsense created for the brainless fans. The romance also feels like not given the full strength and the focus there seems to be not on love, but a past and sympathy. The predictability in the movie can also be seen at times, with the movie going through what we expect on more than one occasion.

The performers of the soul :: Sreenath Bhasi leads the way in a convincing way here as he moves away from his earlier roles by a long way and delivers a committed, physically agile and intense performance as a stoic action hero who doesn’t show fear in his actions. He has surely come a long way, and the signs of the same were already visible in a few other movies which released earlier, and this one reiterates the same. There is something about Baburaj in this kind of movies and with similar roles which pose no challenge to him – this one is also a more controlled performance from him rather than the usual antagonists. Kichu Tellus also has a role which is familiar to him and leaves him any difficulty. Yami Sona is a lovely addition to the movie, and this feels like the first time I am seeing her in a movie, and she does her job really well, even though we do not see her that much as we wanted in the movie, and the romance should have had a better focus than just her forcing it upon the situation. Sampath Ram has a fine screen presence, but does not get that much to do in the movie other than talk, following by contact on mobile phone. Alencier Ley Lopez only has a limited role here too. But Sadiq Mohammed has a notable presence and it is a role in which we have seen him multiple times, as he shows no struggle with it.

How it finishes :: It is clearly seen that the movie does not try too hard, as it follows an idea which has been tried so many times. The action works well, and we enjoy this as another old model movie which never really tries too hard. The predictability will hold it back and repetitions will do the same, but it keeps us interested from the beginning to the end. The atmosphere of the Vypin coastal belt and harbour brings a breathing character of its own. Sreenath Bhasi as a stoic becomes a fine action hero too. This adds to his versatility and carries the movie’s action sequences almost entirely on his shoulders. The attempt at the revolutionary side would not work, but taking the movie back to the working class who are actually hardworking itself has been a tough thing, and the movie has made that happen without any character who is lost in the internet – such movies are rare when taken in a big city, and that much is achieved. But with a little bit more focus and a shorter length, this one could have done wonders as there were nice opportunities for a fine twist and one villain who could unleash himself in a grand manner.

Release date: 5th December 2025
Running time: 138 minutes
Directed by: A B Binil
Starring: Sreenath Bhasi, Baburaj, Kichu Tellus, Sampath Ram, Sadiq Mohammed, Alencier Ley Lopez, Yami Sona

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

<<< Click here to go to the most awaited sequel of the year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Anaconda

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Vampire Owl: So, we are back to having some snakes around too.

Vampire Bat: We have been the fans of some nice anacondas in the past.

Vampire Owl: Do you think that there can be a vampire anaconda?

Vampire Bat: We do not take snakes in the vampire team anymore.

Vampire Owl: What section of the vampire rule book says so?

Vampire Bat: The new set of rules will be coming up soon.

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein approves of such vampires for sure.

Vampire Bat: Well, Mr. Frankenstein is the only man who knows nothing.

Vampire Owl: Frankenstein is a man of great knowledge.

Vampire Bat: Uncle Dracula knows the man a little too well to allow him here.

[Gets a kadai paneer dosa and three cups of Peermade tea].

What is the movie about? :: Jeff (Terence Yin) is a poacher who has been going through hunting adventures for very long, and is looking for something bigger this time. He focuses on tracking the legendary Crimson Anaconda which would make him so rich that he would not have go on a hunt again any time soon. He arrives in a forest to find the snake. At the same time, a circus in China is failing like many others. Lan (Nita Lei) leads the show with her performance called Naked Escape which is a water-escape act supported by water-escape. She has an underwater escape routine inside a large glass tank where she is tied up and thrown, and her friendly pet python is also part of the act. Li (Xingchen Wang) wishes to be the leader of the show as she performs high-flying acrobatic acts along with some balancing stunts, and often follows a seductive mode to keep the audience interested. Jiao (Gang Wang) plays the strong man of the circus with some heavy lifting and a boy Peng (Zirun Wang) who performs in a monkey outfit. As the audience catches that the monkey is not real, they also find out that the strong man is not carrying that much weight as it falls on them.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: According to the audience, Li’s performance is considered to be not enough and Lan’s performance is considered to be cheating as despite being called Naked Escape, she is fully clothed. As the circus is sold and the new manager Jin (Shaohang Xu) takes over, he is revealed to be someone with a past of working with the crew earlier in a lower role. Li is quick to try and seduce him while Lan decides to leave the circus immediately. According to him, there is a new show set in Thailand, and they have to travel on a boat through the rainforests of the country. After a lot of discussions, Lan decides to return, much to the dismay of Li who had hoped to be the charming leader of the show. While on the river, she almost succeeds in being the face of the circus by providing sexual favours to Jin but is disturbed by Wei (Hao Wu) who has been added as a zombie surprise to the circus, and is forced to put her clothes back on. They are stopped on the way by the waterway facing a block with some strange crates in the river.

And what is to follow her in the world of humans and snakes that follow? :: The group would need to turn away from the path and take a much longer route, which would take them a few more days to arrive, but their new manager is completely against the same. He tells them that they need to reach there within the stipulated time or they will keep losing money, as the show really need to start when required. He still hides the truth that he does not intend to do have any show, but sell the organs of the performers as part of his deal with the traffickers, as it was how he had become rich after leaving the circus. They decide to destroy the crates using a dynamite, but as they destroy the same with an explosion, a number of snakes from the crates fall into the boat, and Li is almost killed with snakes fall on her and runs through her clothes, only to be saved by Lan using a hose. Jin who is chased by snakes is saved by Jeff, and it turns out that he is looking for his anaconda in this particular jungle only. He also saves Jiao who gets a tiny snake inside his ear. He earns everyone’s trust with ease, but Lan remains doubtful. Now, are they going to be hunted be anaconda or will Jeff get to the snake even if he has to go through them?

The defence of Anaconda: Cursed Jungle :: The movie delivers some simple fun which reminds us of some of those older movies dealing with the same kind of situations. There is a believable location nicely built here, and we realize the same quick enough. The humour here is very much working, and the two ladies lead the way very well. Nita Lei and Xingchen Wang plays two contradicting characters, and this adds to the overall comic side of the movie, and the character of the former makes her the perfect scream queen to face some unlimited horror. The scares work with a certain amount effectiveness, especially with the quick snake attacks. The feeling of danger can be felt throughout the movie as nothing other than snakes seem to have a say in the jungle or even in the river right in the middle. Terence Yin also makes a strong, sinister villain that never seems to step back from his mission. One keep feeling that the change of setting and characters from the Americas to the South-east Asia has only helped the franchise. This reboot of the movie can be said as something which has saved the franchise.

Positives and negatives :: The movie feels too short, but it is also its advantage as there is no dull moment in there. Along with the action and the use of snakes, the movie uses its fine greenery to the advantage. The snakes do not look that perfect all times especially with its movements and attacks, but it might be the best we have had with giant snakes in a long time; there are moments when the snakes look some extra believable, as we feel that China has used the budget much better than any other nation not just with this particular movie, but also with a few others. Then there is that scope for sequel too, and with the leading lady surviving as expected, the same would be a great watch. Still, we keep wondering why the movie did not use the special skills of the circus-based characters here, and at least the art of escape and acrobatics could have been put to the best use, even though not in the highest form. There are also those predictable ideas of horror happening around here, with some repetitions, especially as it seems to follow that usual horror formula – yet, the same remains entertaining as much as interesting.

How it finishes :: This movie is the first of its franchise which is not in English, and is also the shortest among those films. As it introduces new types of anacondas to the franchise, the young cast from China nicely adds some fine humour as much as the action. This world of the snakes is nothing less than realistic while staying within the world of horror. As the fear is generated effectively, we are only glad to see the Anaconda franchise back running as we keep wondering if Lake Placid will also return soon with the Jaws. This is that kind of movie which will also bring some nostalgia back to us, as the many movies of this franchise has kept coming to us through Times Now channel. Whenever we think about a creature movie, this might be the first thing that comes to our mind, unless it is full in water, as sharks often take the first spot. With the scope to wander through both water and land, this snake, with a team of many others, serves the purpose really well. Then you also remember that there is nobody better than the Chinese to come up with a surprise classic with so much grandeur, something which was done earlier with The Wandering Earth.

Release date: 23rd January 2025
Running time: 84 minutes
Directed by: Xiang Qiuliang, Xiang Hesheng
Starring: Terence Yin, Nita Lei, Xingchen Wang, Gang Wang, Zirun Wang, Shaohang Xu, Tat-Wah Lok, Paul Che

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

<<< Click here to go to the most awaited sequel of the year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Gorge

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Vampire Owl: I know such a gorge at the end of the vampire world.

Vampire Bat: It is the border of the known vampire lands.

Vampire Owl: Where do we reach if we cross that?

Vampire Bat: They call it the whisper to infinity.

Vampire Owl: There is no infinity in this world. Everyone ends.

Vampire Bat: Our immortality is subject to market risks. It is not the same for everyone.

Vampire Owl: You are talking about the vampire elders.

Vampire Bat: There could be creatures lurking under the border gorge.

Vampire Owl: Yet we leave that area unprotected.

Vampire Bat: Well, if any zombie is going to fall into it, let it better be underneath rather than at the surface. The shadow demons have already crossed over to the surface from the shadow world.

[Gets a paneer samosa and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: Levi (Miles Teller) is former United States Marine Sniper who is recruited by a mysterious woman for a special mission which requires his special skills as a record-breaking sniper on the enemy lines. He is taken on a flight to a remote location where he gets down on a parachute in the middle of nowhere. There he meets Drake (Sope Dirisu), a former British Royal Marine corporal, who was in charge of guarding a tower on the west side of a gorge. He explains that the location is kept hidden from the outside world by powerful cloaking antennas and he is not supposed to talk to the outside world about it. He adds that both the west and east towers are armed to contain some strange, monstrous creatures within the gorge, which they have nicknamed “The Hollow Men”. There is also the warning about “Straydog”, an unknown emergency protocol. He talks about the towers’ history which had that battalions of soldiers sent into the gorge in the late 1940s and none of them had ever returned. Drake who leaves the gorge is picked up by helicopter, but is not taken home as he is shot dead.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy), a Lithuanian sniper who is involved in covert operations assigned by the Russian forces gets a special offer for a year. Her father Erikas (William Houston) who was once associated with KGB, is now dying due to cancer asks her to go on despite Drasa not feeling that good about so many sniping killings from a distance. The offer that she gets is the same as what Levi had received from the mysterious person whose name is revealed to be Bartholomew (Sigourney Weaver). She is given charge of the eastern tower opposite Levi’s tower, fully armed and meant to stop the creatures coming out of the gorge, a position which has been held by so many people throughout the last few years. Levi who suffers from nightmares coming right out of his trauma tries to live by the rules including the ban on having any contact with the person on the other side. But Drasa contacts Levi with a writing which tells him that she does not care and that it is her birthday. With a birthday wish and following contact, they keep fighting the creatures coming up from underneath along with a lot of continuous talks getting them close to each other. But the secrets of the gorge might be the end of them, or will they survive this?

The defence of The Gorge :: The movie’s world is the first thing that catches our attention, as it is really well-created. The feeling that the two towers with horror in between keeps us excited from the beginning itself. A certain romantic side and the feeling of danger keep making an impact from two sides, while there are many heart-warming sweet moments as well as the surprising terror, making the two sides of the coin work so well in balance. The first point of contact between the two snipers is one of the most charming moments that one would ever see, and the quick twist see the danger, and then we see some more of those lovely situations which stay in our minds. The on-screen chemistry between the two is something that lasts since the first point of meeting itself, through the dangers, between all the shooting and explosions and more. As this one blend sci-fi, horror, action, thriller and romance in an unusual way, there is so much of freshness added here and we keep feeling the same throughout its run. The mysterious gorge setting, visual effects and creature and underworld designs are nothing less than classic in nature. What lies beneath gets the best of design as much as the view of the top.

Positives and negatives :: The movie could have had more moments of romance, and the cuteness factor often leaves too early. But we see that the action scenes are so engaging with romantic possibilities never leaving either. The final moments seem to get to that end too early and the climax gets a little bit predictable with a quick finish. Even though the background tale is nicely revealed and remains strong, it is not something new or that innovative – yet, they have made the whole thing look so good and made in a way in which it will remain strong and interesting. The birthday and dance moments are the cutest moments of the movie, and there is also that satisfying lovely ending which would make you hope for a sequel with these two. The battle underneath definitely makes the whole world gain in strength, and such a world could not be made with such quality and style in another movie. The setting itself is the one thing which made this happen. If these protagonists of the movie are not the most likable ones around as they set new meanings for long distance relationships, one can only wonder what else can be.

The performers of the soul :: The movie thrives on its performances as the leading cast make the whole thing so lovely and believable. We have known Miles Teller from Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant making a trilogy, and that version of Fantastic Four which is not remembered in compared to two other more famous ones. Here, he comes up with a performance to remember for very long. Meanwhile, Anya Taylor-Joy is so lovely in such a way that she stays in our minds like a beautiful memory of a lost world. She was someone who started so well with her first flicks, The Witch and Morgan, followed by being a part of Split and Glass, and she made Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga a movie known as much as for her performance as it was for the action and world building. We know that she is also part of the Dune series, and we are sure to have more of her around. She could be the perfect Resident Evil protagonist, but Umbrella Corporation’s people seem to have other ideas even with reboots. She could also be in an Underworld reboot with the action skills. These two protagonists share such an onscreen chemistry that it is the viewer who falls in love. The two are just remarkable also in the action sequences as they were with those cute moments of romance together.

How it finishes :: The Gorge is the one movie which comes out of nowhere to make a huge impact while blending its genres as it hesitates to be limited to one thing or even two. While the film’s mystery leads to some genuine suspense in the first half, the later revelations and action-filled climax keep the movie at the same level, while never losing the romantic side in the process. The blend of romance, horror, action, thrills and impressive visuals make it a worthwhile watch with some genre-bending science fiction. The combination of Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy is something that we will remember for a long time, as the movie keeps itself emotionally strong, with no dull moment at all. I would consider this movie as one of those rare flicks which appealed to us as part of all genres which it represented. The same is not an easy job, but it has been achieved with such ease, thanks to the performances. I would recommend this for fans of different genres and almost everyone, and I would have loved to watch this one on the big screen.

Release date: 14th February 2025
Running time: 127 minutes
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
Starring: Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sigourney Weaver, Sope Dirisu, William Houston, Ruta Gedmintas

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

<<< Click here to go to the most awaited sequel of the year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Whisper

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Vampire Owl: Have you heard about vampirism spreading through whispers in the wind?

Vampire Bat: Vampirism is supposed to spread only by biting.

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein knows about scientific vampirism.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein does not know science or vampirism.

Vampire Owl: Well, we only have one scientist and he is Frankenstein.

Vampire Bat: It is a shame that we immortals are to trust a duplicate from another realm.

Vampire Owl: He is the original certified scientist who is also a half-vampire.

Vampire Bat: Still, you shall find the vampires of this movie as stranger.

Vampire Owl: I do not see why they would not be strange in comparison.

Vampire Bat: You cannot expect all vampire depictions around the world to be the same.

[Gets a thattu dosa and three cups of Ooty tea].

What is the movie about? :: Lucía (Ana Clara Guanco) has fled from her home with her young brother Adrian (Marcelo Michinaux) as the situation in their home with their father Victor (Luciano Cáceres) would need them to follow a family vampire tradition. Victor has always been telling them that Adrian is just like him and will turn into a vampire, but Lucia who cared for her little brother did not listen to the same. Leaving Victor behind, they arrive at a secluded mansion deep into the woods seeking refuge and hoping that one day, they will have normal lives. But this attempt to stay normal is shattered when a cat which lives in the area brings them a human finger, revealing the fact that there is something terrifying going on in the area. There are movements around the house at night and something keeps triggering the car alarms, while the switches and electricity are not working properly either. The night seems to be difficult to go through, but she keeps asking Adrian to keep the headsets in his ears and forget all of these, while a group keeps kidnapping girls to kill them on camera and then sell the snuff videos for financial gains.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: She finds the worst when they find a girl being killed by some masked people on the camera on the collar of the cat. She checks for information online and finds out that many girls have been kidnapped from the area and one of such incidents happened on the road that goes in front of their home. She feels that they could be attacked any moment, and as she takes a file out of the camera and plays it on her desktop computer, she realizes that the house has been entered and they had tried to take her, but her brother had gone missing. Desperate to save him, she goes out and finds the men killed by her brother who seems to have bitten them and even turned one of them into a ruthless vampire. As they try to escape from the rest of the members of the group, she finds herself and the boy kidnapped and tied up in a warehouse. As she is unable to come up with an explanation what had happened to the other gang members, the group focusing snuff videos, decides to make her their next victim as they strip her down to her bra and panties and chain her to a bed to brutally kill her on the camera. Can the siblings escape in time?

The defence of The Whisper :: The tale of a brother and sister escaping an ancient family curse while also fighting a group of criminals makes such an interesting premise with a lot of possibilities, often endless and most of time very interesting. The isolated home with woods creates a bleak, eerie atmosphere that keeps viewers engaged while being emotionally attached to the brother and sister. The abiding sadness which surrounds the character of Ana Clara Guanco will keep us emotionally attached to her. An air of melancholy surrounds her at all times, and the depth of the same is reflected not just on her face, but in her movements which feels more motivated by perpetual sadness rather than fear. A crime thriller, supernatural horror, family drama and mystery come together towards the same here. The visuals of the setting are nicely captured to increase the tension and the feeling of danger. One can also note how well the cat in the movie serves the purpose, and how the initial scenes had set things in motion. The darkness has been effectively used as the movie’s ally too.

The claws of flaw :: The non-linear path which is taken here does not serve the purpose that well. The psychological side does not work that well here, and the terror could have also been shown in a more detailed manner with the cruelty felt even more. The slowness of the movie could also be seen as a concern as the movie brings down its pace a lot in the middle, which basically makes us feel that nothing much is to happen here and there would be just some forced ending to follow. The multiple ideas and genres followed here, despite having something in each, might not satisfy everyone as it goes through all of them without full focus on anything. Some subplots could have also been better explored and some character development for the characters other than the protagonist would have been much appreciated. Even the other two clearly named characters could have had more focus, but as Ana Clara Guanco does a brilliant job, most of it is just forgotten and not claimed as a big problem. The fights could have also been shown in a better manner and the vampire attacks misses out on fangs and claws while there were so many opportunities for the same.

The performers of the soul :: Ana Clara Guanco as Lucía does that kind of a work which we will remember for her being that tragic heroine who is ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for her brother. For him, she is ready to leave her home and all possibilities of a better life, moving to the middle of nowhere with no assurance of doing any better for herself and she does not even care for her safety. She plays the sibling whom every little brother would wish for, and the same is done in a believable manner. It can be seen that she runs to save him when he seems to be in some kind of trouble and when there is some problem, she tries to protect him with all her life. This reluctance to bring any harm to the boy lands her under the knives of a butcher, stripped to her underwear and chained to be hacked to death brutally in front of a camera. In the end, she would have to make the ultimate sacrifice and as the tragic heroine, embrace the worst. It is a very emotional performance which is there to stay. Luciano Cáceres as Victor has more than what we think he has to do, as he brings a lot more as the movie goes towards the end. Marcelo Michinaux also plays some good work as the little brother. The rest just have to follow the flow.

How it finishes :: The idea of escaping a violent world, stumbling into a world of snuff films and confronting a terrifying family curse at the same time is an idea that had a lot of scope. This definitely works, but one cannot say that it is at his best of strengths, and losses the power at regular intervals in between. This is still another interesting vampire movie and the one movie which it reminds one the most is Byzantium, but that was a more superior movie in all aspects; this one can only follow with most elements. Throughout the movie, we are still reminded that vampirism is one of the lesser evil that we can encounter, and there is always the bigger evil, which comes from humans who might know no way to stop themselves from turning pure evil. We are reminded that evil always finds a way and being attacked by a vampire is the least of your problems as human horror is always ready to be unleashed as darkness becomes more of their ally than that of any known nocturnal creature from myth or reality. With an emotional side, this one brings that particular reminder well, as we watch this one Amazon Prime Video.

Release date: 22nd January 2026
Running time: 100 minutes
Directed by: Gustavo Hernández Ibañez
Starring: Luciano Cáceres, Ana Clara Guanco, Marcelo Michinaux, Darío Lima, Horacio Camandulle, Rasjid César, Joro Gorfain, Machu Gutiérrez

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Seetharam

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Vampire Owl: I remember hearing about the previous movie of this franchise.

Vampire Bat: Well, we have started hearing about more movies in different languages.

Vampire Owl: We have not reviewed enough Kannada movies either.

Vampire Bat: Well, we are still with a lot of chances to do the same.

Vampire Owl: Do you think that this is the twilight of our movie reviewing times?

Vampire Bat: Twilight and vampires are no longer related at all.

Vampire Owl: Still, nobody really reads the movie reviews. They only watch YouTube.

Vampire Bat: You know how lazy the humans are. They will stop reading completely.

Vampire Owl: As if they are reading anything right now.

Vampire Bat: Well, the lower number of students taking BA English clarifies on their lack of wisdom.

[Gets some Enchiladas and three cups of Agua Fresca].

What is the movie about? :: Seetharam (Vijay Raghavendra) is an honest sub-inspector who takes strict measures against criminals, and was only recently transferred from Haveri to a rural area where the Aanegadde police station is situated in Shivamogga district of Karnataka. The village appears calm like any other place which is far away from the busy cities and intermediate towns, but it has been experiencing a series of smaller crimes, burglaries and violent incidents that had created problems for him, but the biggest crisis was yet to come in the form of some gruesome murders. His investigation often suffered due to the lack of higher-level support and the reluctance of residents to cooperate with the police, but this time, everyone knew that things already went out of control and it was up to him to save them. This series of brutal murders without clear pattern except for the brutality continues to worry the village. As bodies continue to surface, forensic analysis suggests that these murders might be done by a psychopath and not by someone simply seeking revenge.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As Seetharam and his team continue to try and identify the motives along with the patterns which could establish some connections that could lead them to the killer, they arrest Sebastian (Gopalkrishna Deshpande), a former headmaster who lost his mind and murdered his daughter’s boyfriend, but still thinks that his daughter who committed suicide lives with him. But after they arrest him, they find out that more killings continue in the same pattern, and Sebastian seems like a man living in hallucinations and causing no harm to people outside except for filing fake cases in the police station. At the same time, Seetharam is having his problems with reconciling with his sister and brother-in-law. As each breakthrough only mean more complications or a dead end, his frustrations combined with his personal problems make it more difficult for him. Now it is to be seen if he can solve this mystery and find the killer before more people are dead.

The defence of Second Case of Seetharam :: The movie has its suspense maintained well, and the mystery holds its ground with red herrings nicely doing the job of bringing new paths. The serial killer mode has us interested since its inception. The village settings work in favour of the movie as the sinister feeling never leaves the environment and one can remember that there are many areas for a serial killer to be present, and the possibility of finding a serial killer in the darkness has never been this high. There is danger in every corner, with the clues that lead the police to a psychopath or the other never really ending the problem as the killings continue without any chance seemingly there to stop. With violent killings of unexpected people in acts which are not just of random revenge, this keeps on the level of Forensic more than any other, as random killings without any big reason keeps us close to the true psycho killer mode rather than the usual tales of vengeance which has lowered the level of movies like Anjaan Paathira and Pappan during the later stages. There seems to be something special about investigating such a case in rural area with fine visuals and all the greenery and a grand twist.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does make us feel that it is another version of similar movies, and there are moments when we feel that it is going to be another Memories – the family elements and some possible red herrings point to something similar, even though the same does not happen in the end. The feeling that we have seen these before seems hesitant to leave us. The movie does not have that much of a pace, and we often feel that the brother-sister angle did not help to improve on the same much. The stretch seems to have kept this movie at a longer run-time than it should have ever had. The emotions are not working at all times, and sometimes we feel that some moments were not used well enough to create that feeling of disgust and anger as in some other movies dealing with similar topics. The action is minimum and even a consistent talk about clues being found is rather minimum here when compared to other movies with police investigation at the core. When dealing with psychological elements, the movie keeps on struggling too, as we just have the killer established all of a sudden.

The performers of the soul :: Vijay Raghavendra as Seetharam goes through the police role with ease, and along with the investigation, we see the emotional side being safe with him, as such a man’s struggle with the unsolvable problems and a family which is not there for him. The flashback helps to assert the same very well as much as the past of the serial killer. Even though not the main antagonist, Gopalkrishna Deshpande as Sebastian makes quite an impact which would make him more significant than the rest of the characters, as he is also a tragic hero. Both of these characters have been performed with some fine maturity and intensity which makes them some perfect examples of their own kind. There are multiple layers to their performances too, as they are both family men as much as what they have become, one for duty and the other madness. Sagar Puranik and Usha Bhandary provide good support, contributing meaningfully to the emotional to the overall work. The supporting cast, even though much limited in screen time, performs their roles convincingly, never really moving out of the film’s realistic tone. They enhance the film, making the mystery and emotional moments more engaging and impactful to the audience.

How it finishes :: The mixed opinions for the movie might be more or less justified, as the movie seems to keep itself at a specific level, never really going above with innovations in the genre. It surely had the scope for future, even though that much does not get close to being achieved by the makers. A combination like this one which has mystery, suspense and emotional depth will work well for most of the audience, but it is to be noted that Malayalam movie industry has the best thrillers, and they are there to be watched. Before this, Movies of the Soul only had two Kannada movies reviewed, Murphy and Mythri, and the former was such a wonderful experience. The truth is that I have never managed to get that many recommendations about some good movies in the language except for those which have some action which does not work with the willing suspension of disbelief with seemingly superpowered people. Those would be less explored, less commercialized gems, and I would be looking for them rather than those big budget movies. Until then, there would be three movies in the same language from the industry and the hope for more would stay.

Release date: 20th February 2026
Running time: 120 minutes
Directed by: Devi Prasad Shetty
Starring: Vijay Raghavendra, Gopalkrishna Deshpande, Sagar Puranik, Usha Bhandary, Pradeep Anche, Madhusudhan Gatte, Aravind Shetty, Rajesh Keelambi, Mathew Surani. Ananth Bhat, Manjunath, Shanmugam, Nataraj Aralasurali, Sridhar Shimoga, Sudheendra Rao, Latha Rajkumar, Aishwarya Nagaraj, Sushma Honnalli, Fathima Rodrigues, Manaf

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Osiris

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Vampire Owl: A movie about the Egyptian god who brings the dead back to life?

Vampire Bat: I feel that there will be only a small connection.

Vampire Owl: The name should actually be associated with us as we come back from the dead.

Vampire Bat: The vampire elders do not approve of the dead given more importance than the undead.

Vampire Owl: Is there any undead who do not come from the dead?

Vampire Bat: The undead are also summoned through magic.

Vampire Owl: Aren’t they the animated skeletons of necromancers and northern witches?

Vampire Bat: And they call us the animated ones.

Vampire Owl: The necromancers have been banished for too long.

Vampire Bat: There are still the necromancer vampires.

[Gets an avocado shake and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: US Special Forces on a mission in the desert, Kelly (Max Martini), Rhodie (LaMonica Garrett), Jax (Jaren Mitchell), Reyes (Michael Irby), Gibbs (David Meadows), Nash (Linds Edwards), Bull (Dawson Towery) and Scars (Stanley White Jr) find themselves in a tough battle on the ground, only to find something else also coming up. They are abducted by some strange floating structure of gigantic proportions that appears on the sky after unleashing some kind of weapon on the ground. The floating structure seemed to cause enough havoc on the ground, much more than what was happening around. After a series of nightmares, those who survived awaken, disoriented and confined within some stasis pods, on what seems to be an alien spaceship or an extra-terrestrial building, maybe even located outside the planet. The structure seems to be scientifically advanced, with very less lighting, even though not without stains and dirt, as if straight out of a realistic first-person shooter game.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As the soldiers further explore the areas, they come across skinned human corpses hanging from above and unfamiliar but seemingly advanced weapons and technology. They also find a struggling young Russian woman Ravishka (Brianna Hildebrand) who is tightly chained to a pole, and as they rescue her, they meet her captors too. The captors are strange creatures, tall, eyeless humanoids with armored skin, sharp claws and energy-based weapons and shields. They keep fighting their way with the help of alien devices which they manage to take from the fallen ones. Ravishka tells them that she feels that she is from around there as she has been around for a long time, and explains that the ship collects humans to be processed as food. She guides them in a journey away from danger through lesser-traveled maintenance tunnels. After a series of encounters with aliens and near-death situations, they fall into a pool of blood filled with remains of dead humans.

What more happens here as aliens seem to be near-invincible and ready for food? :: They are rescued by another survivor named Anya (Linda Hamilton), Ravishka’s mother, who tells them that she has been there for a very long time, and was part of a Russian team which tried to fight the aliens who tried to take over the world. None of them are left now with the last group being captured with Ravishka and brutally murdered. Now, they have to depend on the newly found friends. There, they realize some of the strangest truths about what happened on Earth and how aliens have been going about. They have now lost almost half their soldiers, and are only fortified better with the alien weapons and ammunitions – but the aliens are tracking them through heat signatures and sound. After knowing more, they realize that they have a bigger mission than they thought about and it would be tougher than ever. Can they accomplish that without losing any more of their people?

The defence of Osiris :: The movie has some fast-paced combat that keeps us interested at all times. The signs are shown early enough with the first battle in the desert before the aliens’ arrival, and points to some military warfare more than a random alien invasion. The shootouts feel great from the desert to the alien ship and we have an action game mode feeling going on here. The details are very good, with the spaceship having a classic look, and aliens looking like part of a fine design. There are those moments when we first see the aliens, and the second just before that, which kept us at the edge of the seat like not many other alien movies could do. These are the kind of aliens that we can accept more than any other, and brings some nostalgia back to us. The action feels classic, and we are reminded of Doom in its multiple forms as aliens are no less than demons either, even supported further by some dialogues spoken. The intensity of the battles keeps a certain level at all times. The need for survival is always there, hoping against hopelessness.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does not go deep into the material, and is happy with the surface level journey. There seems to be a little bit too much dependance on the early science fiction movies, including Alien and Predator as well as those sequels. The innovation was there to be taken, but it does not come to the front. The script could have used a push, with more classic elements, and as we see how the movie ended, there could have been more clues in between, with better connection to the title. By the end of the movie, saving the girl gets too much of an attention despite her being introduced as a fighter in captivity in the beginning. Some of the characters are just there for the sake of being there, and even the main characters seem to get less attention to their detail. The moments of survival and twists could have also been better written to create better impact, and alien invasions could have been explained with visuals. There were so many opportunities to make the situations more and more interesting.

How it finishes :: There was always scope for so much more, but that much is not taken here, with the safe zone seemingly the place to be, without that extra innovation. There are not many deviations which seem to be in the mind of the makers which could come out of the box. Still, this remains a very much entertaining journey – there is no boring moment as you are transported to this dangerous world. It is that strong sci-fi action entertainer rather than a thoughtful science-fiction movie. The fast-paced action, alien attacks and nostalgic appeal the best for some time-pass watch rather than provoking thoughts. But some struggle in writing, predictability in plotting, and thin character development keep it from standing out within its genre or leaving a lasting impact. It feels more like a derivative sci-fi action film that never ceases to be entertaining, and also has a scary side taking it close to another genre, as we wonder if this could also become a successful computer game in future.

Release date: 25th July 2025
Running time: 108 minutes
Directed by: William Kaufman
Starring: Max Martini, Brianna Hildebrand, LaMonica Garrett, Linds Edwards, Jaren Mitchell, David Meadows, Michael Irby, Linda Hamilton

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Dheeran

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Vampire Owl: Here is a movie title which translates to being brave.

Vampire Bat: Well, vampires are born brave.

Vampire Owl: You mean that we are reborn as the brave ones.

Vampire Bat: I have not yet seen a vampire who is not brave.

Vampire Owl: I have doubt about the Vampire Mouse.

Vampire Bat: All mouses that bite would not be a Vampire Mouse.

Vampire Owl: Still, he had given an application.

Vampire Bat: And it was rejected in just half an hour.

Vampire Owl: We would need more brave vampires in case there is a war.

Vampire Bat: The pact with werewolves stand strong, and the rest, whether witches or demons do not fight direct wars.

[Gets a paneer puffs and three cups of Bandarawela tea].

What is the movie about? :: Eldhose (Rajesh Madhavan) is someone who had received a bravery medal from the President of India when he was a child, for saving the village’s only welder, Aruvi (Manoj K Jayan) who was drowning in the middle of a river. But after developing a pre-marital relationship with Suramya (Aswathy Manoharan) whose wedding he is blamed to have ruined, both of them are caught during their private moments in the bus which he was driving, right in the middle of the night, while most of the village were busy with the local temple festival. As he tries to escape, it had also led to the Panchayat President Abbas (Jagadish) getting injured. Finding himself in trouble, and with people about to forcibly getting him and Suramya married against her will, he runs away from the village and reaching Erode in Tamil Nadu. There, he becomes the assistant of Abubacker (Vineeth), a Malayali gangster who only trusts him and his long-time henchman Suhail (Arun Cherukavil), as he had made too many enemies, and used a perfume store as front to hide.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Abubacker who keeps being worried about his former friends turning rivals, cannot sleep at night, and sleeps with a gun on his chest. He decides to find some relief by killing Saravanan (Srikrishna Dayal), one of his former henchmen, and assigns Eldhose to do the work, while pretending to be someone looking for work in the fruit factory which served as a front in a land where even the police were frightened to enter. But things do not seem to go well, as there is the news about Eldhose being killed in a fire-related accident in the fruit factory. This leads to a group of people deciding to go to Tamil Nadu to receive his body. Abbas who feels that he would go for the purpose any way, is joined by Aruvi, along with his two uncles Kunjan (Ashokan) and Joppan (Sudheesh) and brother-in-law Dixon (Abhiram Radhakrishnan). Spinesh (Shabareesh Varma), his old friend turned nemesis, also decides to drive the ambulance, leaving their past problems behind. But the question remains about what awaits them after crossing the border.

The defence of Dheeran :: The movie maintains its dark humour and silliness really well, and the situations for humour have been nicely created and maintained. Then there is some classic humour that comes of out of nowhere to create the fun all of a sudden. Then there are the simple and realistic moments that work, as the characters feel close to life as in those feel-good movies. The fine visuals of the villages of Kerala and Tamil Nadu also serve the purpose, as the movie has arranged a suitable cast for the purpose. The background score and music do serve the purpose well. Their use of the devotional song “akkarekk yathra cheyyum” which comes from the speaker nicely fits the situation. The execution of the final moments with a lot of action serves very well in a mixture of action and humour, with the special new year firework effects. The satire is as much present as everything else, and when there is such a veteran cast that can do the job so well, one can be assured of at least a minimum quality.

The claws of flaw :: There is a certain amount of struggle that the movie shows in between, as the narrative keep going back and come right back to the front – the non-linear journey was not really the option for a movie of this genre. The progress of the movie is rather slow, and the silliness often keeps us not interested rather than bring the humour to the front. We also have some dragging of the situation in the middle, and the flashback also feels too long. The overall length is a bit more considering the fact that the content does not have that much to keep the parts strong. The movie also goes on a predictable path with nothing new getting on the screen. The side characters are often lost, without the kind of significance which made other films like Kunjiramayanam and Adi Kapyare Koottamani successful. This one was so close to being a wild adventure ride, but not that much there to be taken. The fact that the movie gets back to Kerala from Tamil Nadu too soon, then everyone travels vice versa, does not help the purpose at all. The female characters also fall short except for some dialogues.

The performers of the soul :: The movie is led by Rajesh Madhavan, whose work has been memorable through Minnal Murali, Nna Thaan Case Kodu and Maranamass which had him making such a fine impact in different ways, but surely adding some fine humour. Jagadish’s work reminds us of what he did in Falimy, a movie which had similar humour running through, and had become a family travel humour sample to look forward to. Ashokan and Sudheesh adds to the humour well, according to the situations. Manoj K Jayan as Aruvi also brings both the funny as well as the emotional side to work. Vineeth as Abubacker also contributes to the fun, and Arun Cherukavil nicely supports him in the world of gangsters with a little too much of fear – the early gangster fun had surely got everyone interested. Shabareesh Varma keeps doing what he has been doing since Premam, really well. Abhiram Radhakrishnan can also be seen as further adding to the humour. Srikrishna Dayal as Saravanan gives the character the right elements of a real gangster, and Sidharth Bharathan remains notable.

How it finishes :: Not to be confused with other movies with the same or similar titles but deals with different topics and genre, Dheeran is that kind of a movie which goes on the lines of simple and silly fun with some dark humour to support it, and the same comes up with memorable moments. With Malayattoor as the setting, there is the feeling of watching something familiar with this one. The world of villagers and later that of gangsters work effectively here, and the funny side does not disappear from this one even when there is a serious scene or flow of emotions. The action comes strong by the end, with the adventure almost reaching that fine ending which also leaves like a feel-good movie, but with even a scope for sequel that could develop these characters in an even better way. Despite the bumps here and there, the movie is surely worth a try, especially as we keep looking for some lighter moments in a world of chaos. A weekend with this movie running on television would surely be the one with the laughs.

Release date: 4th July 2025
Running time: 137 minutes
Directed by: Devadath Shaji
Starring: Rajesh Madhavan, Jagadish, Ashokan, Manoj K Jayan, Sidharth Bharathan, Vineeth, Sudheesh, Shabareesh Varma, Abhiram Radhakrishnan, Aswathy Manoharan, Srikrishna Dayal, Arun Cherukavil, Indumathy Manikandan, Vijaya Sadhan

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Mercy

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Vampire Owl: Hope that the vampire elders will have mercy on us.

Vampire Bat: I wonder why you have started caring for the vampire elders.

Vampire Owl: I have a deal which I have to make for them.

Vampire Bat: We have an official Vampire Deal-Maker. You need to do nothing.

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein had assured of a special scientific deal.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein can only make pseudo-scientific deals.

Vampire Owl: Frankenstein is a scientist beyond all infinite understanding.

Vampire Bat: He tried to create life out of chicken fried rice yesterday.

Vampire Owl: Well, it was chicken noodles, and I remember that.

Vampire Bat: It could be even chicken biryani, but that is not my point.

[Gets a paneer biryani and three cups of Yercaud tea].

What is the movie about? :: In the year 2029, the world has changed by a long way. This time at Los Angeles, the Mercy Capital Court while trying to deal with a surge in crime, brings Artificial Intelligence judges for trials of violent crimes, which have been too common in an attempt to keep the general public safe. These AI judges give the defendants enough resources to find and provide all the evidence needed, and they are to prove their innocence in ninety minutes, or in the case of failure, will be executed. Los Angeles Police Department Detective Christopher Raven (Chris Pratt) is the one who finds himself in trouble due to the same new system despite himself having fought for its implementation after his best friend and partner in Los Angeles Police Department, Ray Vale (Kenneth Choi) was murdered, and the killer had walked free after he had hesitated to take a shot when there was the chance to finish off the criminal. He is put on trial for his wife Nicole Raven’s (Annabelle Wallis) murder, and is given not a second more than ninety minutes of investigation with the AI help to persuade the judge AI Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson) of his innocence.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: All the evidence seems to point to Chris having killed his wife, as her blood was found on his clothing and doorbell camera footage places him returning to home from the office just before her murder, and nobody else had come to their house on that day, and their daughter Britt Raven (Kylie Rogers) who came just after he left, was the first person on scene. Chris’s guilt probability is 97.5%, which he needs to lower to 92% to avoid a quick execution. There is also proof for Nicole planning a divorce due to his increasing drinking problem and all the shouting at her that came under the alcohol influence. For the same, Nicole was spending time with another man, Patrick Burke (Jeff Pierre), with whom she had started a romantic relationship, seemingly intimate in nature as they saw each other in hotel rooms. But the man could not be linked to the murder. This means that there is something more sinister in this murder as Christopher knows that he did not commit the crime. But time is less and can he survive?

The defence of Mercy :: The idea of an Artificial Intelligence judge coming up with a judgment in such a short period of time, and thus racing against time, remains something that will keep us glued to the screen from the beginning itself. As we go with the protagonist is bringing together the pieces to solve the puzzle, that works well. The expected themes like surveillance, privacy and effects of technology are surely there to be seen. The use of digital footprints to find someone also reminds us of a familiar world. The constant reminder of an end and such a countdown create a constant tension which keeps the movie engaging. The short run-time delivers everything well, and with much of a complication. There is that feeling of what is next, which is maintained, and with suspense, the twists come into the picture post the thrills. This is why the movie remains constantly entertaining as a movie that sticks to its genre. There is no need to think too much even though the premise with science fiction based on artificial intelligence and just feels heavy; it does serve purpose too. Aristotle would love the maintenance of the three unities with everything happening in the courtroom with the protagonist within ninety minutes too.

The claws of flaw :: The feeling of having seen this idea before will surely be around, as we come across the idea for not the first time, as there has only recently been the movie known as Artificial Justice in Spanish, and we also keep remembering about a Tom Cruise starrer from some more years ago. There is some unrealistic side that comes in even if we avoid the genre, with the willing suspension of disbelief not always getting its due. The ideas of artificial intelligence and justice do not also go that deep, as we are more with the surface level journey here. With such big ideas on paper, maybe the movie could have dived in deeper. The cliches could have been pushed to the side in this new world which deserved better strength. There is also a certain amount of artificiality related to the same, and the pacing remains uneven. The characterization is not that much present to be seen either. The side characters are just present seemingly because there was a need for the main character to gather evidence, and most of the action takes place in the AI courtroom and with live and recorded footages from outside which might leave a few not happy.

The performers of the soul :: Chris Pratt is the man who has to do most of the work here, and he does not disappoint, as most of us had expected. From moving through Guardians of the Galaxy and its sequels as well as the final Avengers movies with more adventures like The Tomorrow War and Passengers in between, he now goes on with more of the thrills, but without the action, and even on the chair, keeps us interested. Rebecca Ferguson of Mission Impossible, Doctor Sleep, Reminiscence and Life fame gets to be the artificial intelligence judge, and the same is managed with near-perfection as the machine who takes the human form and the determination to keep to the rules make the character even more memorable. Annabelle Wallis whose character is killed off earlier has much less to do. Kylie Rogers and Chris Sullivan also have their moments while Kali Reis drops in with some interesting minutes too. Kenneth Choi has something from the flashbacks, and has a character relevant to the chain of events, and so does Jeff Pierre. But we are still very much focused on the two main characters who gets all the screen time.

How it finishes :: The movie keeps reminding us of some the titles which have come in the past dealing with similar ideas, and there has been only a limited expansion of the original ideas. Despite many negative reviews, this is surely one fast-paced artificial intelligence tale which suits the time period, and could be watched with some popcorn on a weekend for some pure fun. After all, we are always looking for such fun in a world which has been missing the same in the name of many other factors including political correctness. Still, we see that certain gap between a powerful idea and its execution. At its core, the concept was so much full of potential in this world, and we can say that the film chooses a subject that could have been even more impactful. This is one of those movies which seems to have had almost no hype in this part of the world, and we feel that with a little more attention, it could have come late to the theatres here, stronger. But this one remains a recommended watch as an entertainer with a fine idea and classic theme.

Release date: 23rd January 2026
Running time: 100 minutes
Directed by: Timur Bekmambetov
Starring: Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson, Kali Reis, Annabelle Wallis, Chris Sullivan, Kylie Rogers

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Housemaid

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Vampire Owl: We have waited for this movie to come in the OTT for some time.

Vampire Bat: And it is on Amazon Prime Video, which is for the best.

Vampire Owl: Well, we all needed our Amazon Prime deliveries.

Vampire Bat: There is no Amazon delivery in Dracula castle.

Vampire Owl: Well, we can always pick them up from the borders of the realm.

Vampire Bat: What we need are very much here, and at best quality.

Vampire Owl: The vampire apprentices are really working hard, aren’t they?

Vampire Bat: We have shifted to magic for doing the work for us.

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein had invented enough to help with that.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein’s pseudo-science actually helps and saves nobody. Frank no longer has enough access to our work.

[Gets a vegetable samosa and three cups of Kodaikanal tea].

What is the movie about? :: Wilhelmina Calloway a.k.a. Millie (Sydney Sweeney) is on parole after committing a murder in self-defence. It is then that she is hired by Nina Winchester (Amanda Seyfried) as a live-in maid, much to her surprise as her criminal records did not stop her from being hired for such a big job after so many rejections. The home also has her daughter Cecelia Winchester (Indiana Elle) and husband Andrew Winchester (Brandon Sklenar) who are surprised to see her around there, but Nina is determined that she should have a housemaid as she cannot manage household work even though Enzo Accardi (Michele Morrone) takes care of the work outside. Mille is given an attic bedroom that can be locked from the outside, much to her surprise, and she tries to get a key for the same. But she is so desperate to keep her job as it is a term of her parole; due the same, she just goes on with the process despite the problems that come in her way, and feels that there is something wrong with Nina and the family seems to be slowly falling apart.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Mille further learns that in the past, Nina was locked in a mental hospital for a period of nine months for trying to drown Cece in a bath tub under the effect of drugs and for has tried attempting suicide by overdose. Nina is considered mentally unstable by different people, and some of them seems to keep a distance from her too. Millie also finds her to be very angry towards her, and breaks things while keeping on shouting. It could also be seen that Nina says one thing to her and forgets the same later, keeping on saying that Millie decided to do that thing against her instructions. The neighbours consider her to be a dangerous woman, without a family, and has attached herself to her husband who is rich, handsome, and sweet to everyone around. Andrew’s mother Evelyn Winchester (Elizabeth Perkins) is also that high society lady whom everyone revered, and keeps telling the family about a few things which they should always follow without fail.

And what more is to happen around here as a crisis seems to be on the way? :: A similar case occurs as Millie books Broadway musical tickets and a hotel for the Winchesters in one of the richest areas, but later, Nina just denies having given her those instructions, and tells her that she will take the money out of her salary as the tickets are not refundable. But when Nina was talking her daughter to the ballet camp, Andrew tries to cheer Millie up by secretly taking her to the show, and after enjoying dinner together, they check into the hotel. Millie receives a large number of angry texts from Nina, but Andrew, and the two start and intimate relationship in the hotel bedroom. Then, when they return home, and Millie realizes that Nina has found out that she spent ten years in prison for murder. Nina uses this knowledge to make sure that police arrest her on stealing their car, after reporting a stolen car. But this would not be the end of it, as her plans might be more sinister, and the family secrets would mean more trouble. Can Millie survive this?

The defence of The Housemaid :: The movie maintains a certain level, with nice red herrings and the suspense always ready to come out, with thrills going on strong – the performances of the leading actresses are also to be noted, as Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried blends into the situation really well. Sydney seems to be very close to becoming the next scream queen in a horror movie, and we have seen her capability with thrillers earlier itself, through The Voyeurs. Amanda had a more complicated role, and she maintains a certain amount of skill to go through the transformation of the character. Brandon Sklenar also joins well here. The tension is nicely built, as the viewer gets curious with secrets to be revealed, mind games and twists which might not be the kind that one can predict with ease. There is the feeling that we are watching the kind of thrillers which we had during much earlier times. The dramatic side also works and entertainment is guaranteed, with most of the action set in a big and isolated house which is set far away from the city.

The claws of flaw :: The movie’s ending seemed to be too quick and forced. After that, there is another scene which feels like not relevant at all, as Sydney Sweeney’s character was surely not fit to that situation, and it is not a kind of job that one could take when on the list of police; strange that some fine endings feel the need to be made further complicated by an additional scene – even if it was created to bring hope for a sequel which also would not fit in. The predictability also comes in after the grand twist, and after that, the situation feels just going on and on, and nothing more. There was also the slowing down in between, and seemingly an attempt to divert the movie a little too much. The length of the movie is surely a little too much, as sometimes, time is just lost in the dialogues. With the movie becoming too much filmy, we can also see that the realistic side, despite being present, sometimes losses its charm. The flashback and the explanations are also too long, and the main character, without any prior knowledge of the predicament, seems to guess and thus understand everything with relative ease.

How it finishes :: This particular movie had successfully become more than what is seen on the outside, and we know that movies like this one and Deep Water, as well as Gone Girl, strikes because they have something more than what is seen on the surface. Compared to those titles, this one also ultimately stands as a highly watchable but not the best psychological thriller that leans more towards providing the old-style entertainment rather than focusing on the much-needed depth. Powered by the performances led by Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney, the movie could create an engaging atmosphere having tension, secrets and dramatic twists. It chooses the commercial side instead of the intellectual, and manages to work well in the same. It still relies on familiar tropes, some predictability and moments of too much talking about the past to reduce the overall impact. But you are sure to enjoy this one because the movie is made in a way that the appeal to the audience would be more, and catering towards the regular thriller fun side is here to be taken home, even if it is from Amazon Prime Video.

Release date: 19th December 2025
Running time: 131 minutes
Directed by: Paul Feig
Starring: Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Nicholas Galitzine, Julie Walters, Alex Wolff

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Ash

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Vampire Owl: They say that vampires become ash after death.

Vampire Bat: Everyone becomes ash after death, that is the point.

Vampire Owl: You are referring to returning to dust.

Vampire Bat: Yes, we are all dust and shall return to the same.

Vampire Owl: I am talking about ash in particular, like being burned in the sun.

Vampire Bat: Vampires burning in the sun will have no remains, not even ash.

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein has come up with a method to prevent vampire sunburns.

Vampire Bat: Last time Mr. Frankenstein tried that, the Vampire Penguin had moonburns.

Vampire Owl: As far as I remember it, that was Jupiterburn.

Vampire Bat: You should remember that pseudo-science based on science fiction has been banned for a long time now.

[Gets a thattu dosa and three cups of Yercaud tea].

What is the movie about? :: Riya Ortiz (Eiza Gonzalez) wakes up aboard a scientific research station located on a strange planet with no real recollection of what happened to her or the area – she does not even remember her name. As she explored the station, she has some nightmarish flashbacks with violence and deaths all around and finds some dead bodies. She also finds out that she is injured on the head, which might have led to the memory loss. She comes across a man named Brion Cargyle (Aaron Paul) who claims to have come to the research station from the space docking centre after receiving a distress signal. They come to the conclusion that one of the crew members whose dead body is not found in the research station, Catherine Clarke (Kate Elliott) might have lost her mind, or was affected by some parasite, leading her to go berserk and kill people, leaving the research station in a bloody mess. They also feel that she might not have traveled that far, and could be around somewhere in the barren planet with a strange climate.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: It is revealed that her crew were part of several expeditions all around the galaxy to discover new habitable planets after Earth’s environment became almost uninhabitable. They were the only crew got this far successfully, and the planet they are currently on, designated as K.O.I-442 with the nickname ASH, happens to be Earth’s last hope for survival of human race against all odds. As the crew were working at the research station, Brion had stayed on a second station in planet’s orbit to maintain contact with Earth along with passing the instructions and monitor the crew’s progress with their objectives. Riya and Brion make preparations to leave the planet, while Riya hopes that she could find Catherine during the same time, and even ventures outside the research station to look for her, with no result. At the same time, Riya begins to experience more flashbacks of murdering the crew, and wonders what part she had to play in the process, with her seemingly attacking people in the new nightmares full of blood and gore.

And what more can happen here in a distant planet of chaos and destruction? :: Riya has herself healed by a medical bot, and gets ready for the unexpected as a a meteor storm comes through, with the strange weather of the planet hurting the research station. The systems register a hull breach as the storm comes in unpredictable waves. While working hard to seal the breach, Riya finds signs of someone recently having gone through the maintenance shafts. As the station’s oxygen supply keeps on rapidly depleting, Riya and Brion find the emergency need to leave too. At the same time, in one of the drones’ recordings, Riya finds recordings of an external vehicle investigation made by the crew after some strange emissions came from different parts of the planet. The investigation had discovered some atmospheric converters of alien origin which had been terraforming the planet to its present status. Brion tells her that something strange happened after that, and a series of events followed, with the crew being exposed to the planet after the atmospheric converters started making noises.

The defence of Ash :: The movie scores nicely with its atmosphere, as the new world found on a new world with scary as much as beautiful visuals to deal with, comes in addition to that world inside research station that looks more or less like a spaceship itself. The world has so much of mystery in there, which makes us wonder if these could be revealed with a sequel – like in those video games, there is so much to explore on this planet; there is parasitic as much as modern technology for a species that seems to be something beyond the usual understanding. The blood and gore keep on being there and adds to the overall horror of the movie, in a world that has the creature which would be more lethal than Alien and Predator, because in its own dominion, not much is yet to be known, and there is no easy action-adventure way out of it. The twists work on its way, and there is certainly more than what meets eye for the same. The tension has always been nicely built throughout the movie. The suspense has us on the edge of the seat and keeps us thinking with the main character will searching for answers.

Positives and negatives :: The movie does have a few moments when nothing much seems to happen, with struggles there to get on track after the early exposition of the terrifying things which had happened around there as part of what seemed to be other-worldly terror. There were also the chances to have its heroine at a different level. Then, Eiza Gonzalez comes up with a fantastic work, looking stunningly beautiful on one side, but always suitable as the astronaut on another planet with memory loss and in a seemingly complex state of mind and her world itself. We had known her in another form Alita: Battle Angel, further noted in Fast and Furious: Hobbs and Shaw and as a stunning beauty in Bloodshot, not to forget Godzilla vs Kong in between. In this particular movie, she establishes her with a performance which might be the best by an astronaut on another planet facing her own hallucinations as much as alien life-form – surely not an easy thing to do, but done with such charm and grace. It is all about her, as others just have to play through. We would love to see her in a full action movie as the main character. Until then, we enjoy one of the best depictions of an alien planet and with all its mystery and terror beyond human understanding.

How it finishes :: Ash is surely that surprise quality alien movie which has kept us so much engaged even when there is less happenings around, and reminds us that Alien and Predator movies are not the final sayings, as there is always scope to further develop this kind of an idea – Life was a movie that tried, but did not that much reach there despite giving similar feelings. Then there was the Russian movie named Sputnik which came even closer to doing the same, but back on Earth. There were always the signs to bring the parasitic creature from outer space coming into the picture with humans trying to be the over-reachers. Here, we have the world built in a classic manner, and not really going trying to apply to the audience looking for mindless action. There is smartness in this movie, and the class here will make sure that we have something to remember for long, with twists and a world which we will remember for the technology and the beautiful details. It is surprising that we did not know about the existence of such a movie if not for an Amazon Prime Video recommendation, but the best movies are often the less hyped – this one gets it right, and we would love to have its sequel.

Release date: 21st March 2025
Running time: 95 minutes
Directed by: Flying Lotus
Starring: Eiza Gonzalez, Aaron Paul, Iko Uwais, Kate Elliott, Beulah Koale, Flying Lotus

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Borderlands

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Vampire Owl: When was the last time you went near the border?

Vampire Bat: You mean near the werewolf territory.

Vampire Owl: No, the zombie lands on the other side.

Vampire Bat: When did we begin to check the wastelands?

Vampire Owl: I believe that there is something more than the walking dead there.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that the movie is not referring to such borders.

Vampire Owl: Are we going for interplanetary borders then?

Vampire Bat: That has always been a better choice, for they are more open.

Vampire Owl: I have heard about those space vampires.

Vampire Bat: The space does have its own variety of blood-drinking species.

[Gets a blackcurrant shake and three cups of black tea].

What is the movie about? :: It is said that a long time ago, the whole of galaxy was ruled by an alien race known as Eridians, whose power and technology were far beyond the understanding of human race. But human beings were able to find some part of this science and use it to their advantage, thus becoming the reason for bettering their world and making themselves scientifically advanced enough to make an impact in their world above other species. But the best of such scientific knowledge was hidden in a vault in a planet known as Pandora. Corporations, criminals and treasure hunters who made peace impossible in the planet and nearby have been killing each other in an attempt to find the secret vault for no success in the end. Then there was the prophecy about a daughter of Eiridia who would restore peace. More people have died searching for this than all the wars which had occurred in the past. There is almost nothing good happening in the one prosperous planet with enough natural beauty to inspire enough tourists from Earth. But the only tourism event happening there might be a treasure hunt for vault.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Tiny Tina (Ariana Greenblatt) who is the daughter of Deukalian Atlas (Edgar Ramírez), the richest man around, and one of the most powerful corporate magnates in the galaxy, gets kidnapped by a rogue soldier Roland Greaves (Kevin Hart) and a psychopath Krieg (Florian Munteanu) who is released at the same time by accident. Despite the soldiers trying their best, the group of three manages to get out of the area and travel to the wastelands of Pandora where they do not come in the areas under scan. The job is given to a legendary bounty hunter Lilith (Cate Blanchett) who is almost ready to retire, but the offer is a little too much for her to reject. She is considered the best with a great history of bounty hunting by too many people to avoid her as an option, even though troops of Atlas are also after the kid. As she lands on Pandora to search for the missing girl, she comes across Claptrap (Jack Black), a robot that says that it was programmed a long time ago to assist her. With the help of the robot, she finally traces the location of Tina and embarks on the journey.

And what does this world bring in between all the chaos and destruction? :: There, she finds out that Tina was not really kidnapped, but had decided to escape with the rogue soldier and the psycho intentionally to avoid her father. She attacks Lilith with her two friends, and it is then that the troops sent by Atlas Corporation reaches the same area and attacks all of them. This leads to the strange new team of the teenage runaway girl, rogue soldier, bounty hunter, psychopath and the old robot escaping from there, with the soldier team known as Crimson Lance on their trail. It is discovered that Tina was not human or the corporate daughter as everyone had thought – she was a genetically engineered alien created with the biological parts taken from the Eridians, the ancient race that once lived and bettered Pandora. She was created through experiments by Atlas so that she can open the vault where lost civilization’s advanced science and technology are kept. Atlas Corporation intends to rule the world with the new advanced weapons they intend to gain. Can the one strange team stop him in time? Or will the gates to unlimited technology be opened to a greedy villain who would become invincible?

The defence of Borderlands :: There is some nice world detail that we see here, even though not perfect, there is something to watch out for at every corner here. Ariana Greenblatt adds more to the fun than the others here. The funny side mostly works in this movie, unlike those movies with ridiculous jokes like Deadpool and its strange relations. The battle scenes are truly exciting, and the detailing on small things will catch our attention. A good science fiction movie comes first out of the world where it is set, and this one wins there, and takes it to the side of action, where it secures another win for most of the time. There is also the reminder that this is from a game, with some fine weapons being shown, and explosions as well as stylish chases all around. The post-apocalyptic feeling is also present, like in Mad Max: Fury Road, but this one is surely the much lighter version, without that eternal depression of world going out of hand with no chance for a return. This feels mostly because of the knowledge about the existence of an alien life which would mean more than just giving up for humanity.

The claws of flaw :: The movie should have taken itself more seriously, and we feel the silliness a little too much in between. The main character should have been younger and got someone other than Cate Blanchett to play it, as we get the feeling of having the suitable one for the tale of such a past. The twist used in the movie seems to be rather too comfortable and safe for anyone’s liking too, and it is something about which one feels the need to bother less. The colours of the movie could have been reduced a little bit outside and used more inside the alien world within the portal, as we have too much of an opposite. Jamie Lee Curtis surely feels to have been more wasted than anyone in this particular role. The villain could have also had more to do in the earlier and middle stages of the movie. There could have been more of a journey of a mystery adventure which the movie leaves behind. As the movie came when my gaming times had mostly reached the beginning of the end stages, I could not really comment on a game – movie comparison, but positive reviews in that case were not found.

How it finishes :: As this movie is based on a computer game, the negative reviews were always expected. But like Until Dawn, Need for Speed, Hitman, Doom, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Warcraft, Mortal Kombat and others, this keeps the gaming side moving well to the cinematic world. I would love to see Mass Effect game made into movie, and it would have similar settings, but considering its capabilities as a game itself, there would be a big movie, with the looks of Jupiter Ascending, but that one would satisfy more critics. For now, for some simple entertainment during the weekends, this is the kind of movie that we would want to watch. Let us not go through too many of those negative reviews, as there are so many positives about this movie, which comes back every time we feel that there would be a problem. Maybe, a sequel could do this one a lot of good, with a lot of worlds to explore in a Star Trek or Star Wars model. Then we go back to the game and come back again to enjoy this.

Release date: 9th August 2024
Running time: 101 minutes
Directed by: Eli Roth
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Edgar Ramírez, Ariana Greenblatt, Florian Munteanu, Gina Gershon, Jamie Lee Curtis

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Falimy

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Vampire Owl: I think that humans no longer have the concept of ideal family.

Vampire Bat: Are you referring to the change of spelling here?

Vampire Owl: I am referring to the idea of a perfect family.

Vampire Bat: Humans have never been family-oriented by nature.

Vampire Owl: So, the human nature has been missing for long?

Vampire Bat: They are moving away from families as it is not in their nature.

Vampire Owl: So, there are no families anymore?

Vampire Bat: Almost all families of humans are broken now.

Vampire Owl: So, there is no more hope for them?

Vampire Bat: Hope is now a thing of the undead, not of the living.

[Gets a vancho cake and three cups of Darjeeling tea].

What is the movie about? :: Janardhanan (Meenaraj Palluruthy) is an 82 year old man, the eldest person in the family who keeps trying to travel to Varanasi, but every time someone from his family finds him on the way and brings him back. But that does not stop him from trying again and again. On one occasion, he had almost boarded the train itself. His son Chandran (Jagadish) does not go for any job, and had ended up shutting down the printing press owned by the family. He spends most of his time doing nothing except watching television. He has a lack of interest in family matters, and becomes more and more alcoholic as time progresses. Chandran’s wife Rema (Manju Pillai) is working at a press, and tries to keep her family running without problems. She keeps the family together after giving her best efforts. The elder son of Chandran and Rema, Anoop (Basil Joseph) works as a dubbing artist in a nearby studio. Abhijith (Sandeep Pradeep), the younger child spends his time doing nothing, and dreaming about getting out of India, preferably the United Kingdom.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Things seem to get better when Anoop gets an alliance from Anagha (Raina Radhakrishnan), a school teacher who had earlier rejected the idea of marriage itself. The engagement gets into trouble as a man named Robin (Joemon Jyothir) disrupts the ceremony, claiming to be her lover. Abhijith beats him up, only to be chased by the goons regularly. Anoop who feels cheated decides to go to Varanasi for a change, accompanying his grandfather, and a frightened Abhijith also decides to go with them. Chandran and Rema also decide to go and according to the plan, they get into the train. On the way, at a railway station at night, Chandran finds himself tricked by a tea-selling boy at a railway station, and he is stranded at the station with his wife and two sons. The grandfather is also forced to get out of the train, and the whole family is forced to continue the journey by road. But with tension building between them, can they finally finish the journey? How far will they travel?

The defence of Falimy :: There is a pretty good attempt to display a middle class family with all the small problems that become inflated as members do not understand each other too well. The realizations that come across them are nicely shown here. Having Basil Joseph at the centre surely has worked in favour of the movie, and Antony Varghese withdrawing from the project did not do that much of a damage. The message about importance of being one family and providing values to the desires of the elders could get the attention here. The frustrations in the movie do feel real, as the meaningless existence of a few and the inability to find meaning for others do get some presence here. Living through some habits which lead nowhere would not feel strange to our people, as doing nothing itself has become a habit due to the rise of Youtube – people these days know nothing other than to make videos which are watched by more jobless people, and it is one reason why we need the Terminator-type apocalypse to come and internet to go down. The visuals outside Kerala makes an impact, especially as we get closer to Varanasi with the characters.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does go through its struggles just like the characters within it. There seems to be the feeling that there is comedy when there is none. The comic side often losses its charm as it is lost between reality and the need to add something extra. In the name of showing middle class families, the movie also shows too many brainless people – in a society, we would expect at least one person to have some brain, but this locality and extended family seems to be different, and it is to be noted that this is not a Kuniramayanam or Adi Kapyare Koottamani type of film to move that way. The poverty here seems to be that of intellect rather than anything else. The movie could have used its spirituality at the end to its advantage, or bring back the wedding element to create the feel-good, but this one is caught between the feel-good and the dumb comedy which often prevents film from making the best out of the available potential. There was so much to be done, but this family takes the easy path, and that might have felt like the safer one for them. This is where the struggle feels more real for the movie than the characters.

The performers of the soul :: Basil Joseph remains the major protagonist here, and he adds more to the existing factors like in Enkilum Chandrike. He makes this character so good with the frustration, helplessness and meaningless existence which becomes him – you know that it is very difficult for a young man to get married in this part of the world if you do not have a government job. At the same time, Jagadish and Manju Pillai makes a fine combination and adds to some situational and realistic humour, but the latter do not have a Home-like platform here to get to serious mode. Sandeep Pradeep also comes up with some fine performance in a new generation realistic mode here. Meenaraj Palluruthy has a fine performance which would be remembered for long, and the emotional touch remains strong. Boloram Das who plays the main character outside Kerala also leaves us with some fine moments to cherish, filled with funny elements. Raina Radhakrishnan who is like the main female lead for a few minutes also leaves a mark – the moments have a cute side as well as a tragic one, which sets the world moving forward. It could have been good to have her back at the end of the movie, but it was not to be.

How it finishes :: Falimy is a movie which could have surely been much better, and there could have been better quality associated with different elements present here. The attempts to create comedy out of nowhere do not work at all times, but the simplicity and the plan to remain close to reality would keep it going and gain the positive appreciation that it required. The journey still does not become a Kumbalangi Nights kind of adventure which we could cherish for a longer period of time. It has been strange throughout the movie to see so many opportunities to be wasted. You cannot keep asking the ordinary space to create something special out of situations, and that is where the problem lies. Consistency has not been a quality of this film from the beginning itself. Yet, we watch this one for those moments, the comic ones that work here and there and the emotional ones that struggle even further to create impact. The movie surely manages to be at a higher level than the rubbish that is provided to us in the form of realism, like Angamaly Diaries and Annayum Rasoolum, two of the most miserable nothingness movies in the history of Malayalam cinema.

Release date: 15th December 2023 (Hotstar); 17th November 2023 (Theatre)
Running time: 127 minutes
Directed by: Nithish Sahadev
Starring: Basil Joseph, Jagadish, Manju Pillai, Abhiram Radhakrishnan, Raina Radhakrishna, Joemon Jyothir, Boloram Das, Amith Mohan, Meenaraj Palluruthy, Sandeep Pradeep

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Pendulum

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Vampire Owl: I have heard a lot about this movie being different.

Vampire Bat: One of the most divergent movies in Malayalam indeed.

Vampire Owl: I earlier had the feeling that this would be horror.

Vampire Bat: A mystery thriller need not be horror in any way.

Vampire Owl: Nothing would be better than a combination of all of these.

Vampire Bat: When it comes in Malayalam, there is a special feeling.

Vampire Owl: We need all the variety that we can have.

Vampire Bat: Let us thrive on such variety like never before.

Vampire Owl: The acceptance of audience would remain a question though.

Vampire Bat: The best movies would not be accepted well by our audience.

[Gets a marble cake and three cups of ginger tea].

What is the movie about? :: A truck driver named Antony (Shobi Thilakan) finds a strange man named Amir (Binoj Villya) on his vehicle, and despite his best attempts, the man does not get down, and seems to be mentally challenged and without most of his memories. Alex (Sunil Sukhada), the owner of the warehouse to which the truck supplied the goods tells them to keep him with them, and let him get down where he wanted to. Antony is surprised to find a number of snails around when Amir is there. Amir also predicts a number of things which would happen including heavy rains and hitting a dog on the way. Antony becomes more careful as Amir continues to reveal more. At the same time, Dr. Mahesh Narayan (Vijay Babu), a reputed surgeon returning from Australia after many years of service, joins a famous hospital in Kerala. He is accompanied by his wife Shwetha (Devaki Rajendran) and daughter Thanmayi (Aavani) who are happy to be back home from the concrete jungles of Australia’s cities. One day, he meets an old man in the hospital who tells him to find out where his son is, a case which he refers to the psychiatrist, feeling that the man is crazy.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As Mahesh and his family goes on a short trip to Marayur, he gets a feeling of déjà vu for no reason, and Thanmayi locks the key of the car inside the trunk while they were having tea on a roadside shop. They decide to stay there, and while he was trying to get signal for his mobile phone, gets hit by a truck, and this is proven to be the one driven by Antony with Amir in it. Shweta finds him unconscious on the side of the road, and only he remembers that he was hit by a truck. Just before he was hit, he had found him in a dream of Amir and his friend Angel without invitation, and the old man had also asked him to find his son again. There seems to be something strange about all of these, but only he feels that all these have actually happened. His friend Dr. Jain Joseph (Ramesh Pisharody) seems to have some belief in what he has been saying. He asks Mahesh to talk to a man named John Master (Prakash Bare) who has had some interesting explanations for strange events which have happened all around the world. But as the incidents of the dreams have happened with a huge time gap in between, can there be an actual solution and a chance to extract what is required from the dreams?

The defence of Pendulum :: The ideas of time travelling and lucid dreaming come as new concepts to Malayalam cinema, and they have been used with effectively to create an impact like never before. This entry of the elements of science fiction into our movies with quality is to be remembered for long, as we hope for more of similar movies after watching this one. We should always be looking for experimentation here, and hope that this is only the beginning of some fine variety which is to follow soon enough. Maybe such movies will be made in big budget instead. The quality of making is also to be noted here as we move forward. The dreams are presented very well, and nice visuals support them. The mystery that prevails in this movie keeps us going, like no other similar film. After all, we are all set in a series of time loops in our own lives, and there seems to be no end or chance to escape – the realities that we create do not come to our help. The film often feels like a reflection of our meaningless lives which seem like busy realities. The music serves the purpose well enough as the mystery only gets sharper and thicker as we move forward.

Positives and negatives :: There is no doubt about the fact that the movie could have used more refining as some more of attention to details would have helped this one to connect to its audience better. There are times when the film seems to be confused about where it is heading. After all, there was the need for more explanation as the concept is new for the audience – we do have a lot of explanation here for sure, but not in the way that there is a perfectly defined conclusion to things. As time is not linear in this movie, such an explanation could have done a lot of good to the non-complicated, unsuspecting viewers. There is still the need to understand how the main character is involved in all of these, and how things have actually turned out in the end. It leaves us with the feeling that we have watched something special, but the chance to become a classic movie is not there because of the absence of some focused writing in relation to the complication between time and dreams in a world that walks on a bridge between real and unreal.

The performers of the soul :: Vijay Babu nicely leads a complicated movie with twisted characters all around. The sinister and seemingly unsolvable problems faced by the character is nicely shown by Vijay Babu who seems to blend in to the doctor facing unexpected terror. He has to go through an Inception-like world living through magically created world, and at the same time, relive his life multiple times like in Edge of Tomorrow. The helplessness is displayed really well by the actor. Ramesh Pisharody comes up with an interesting role here, as a doctor and support. Devaki Rajendran plays the main lady character here, and keeps us hoping to see her more around. Anumol is playing the other lady character of relevance, and handles her moments really well with a touch of mystery following her. Prakash Bare has another strong role well played here as we go deep into a world of mystery. Indrans plays a strange character without enough attention provided to characterization, but it is nice to see him in another classic role. Shobi Thilakan also has a strong presence here. Sunil Sukhada and Neena Kurup also have some small, but notable roles.

How it finishes :: With lucid dreaming and time travelling making its way nicely in here, this becomes a landmark movie in Malayalam movie industry. It is just strange that it had gone unnoticed among the common audience – one can blame the absence of the required kind of advertisement and also the missing superstar at least in the form of a leading lady for the same. The cast that we see here is surely able to hold the movie universe together, but we needed that special ingredient which could have appealed better to our audience, and in its absence in advertising has left this film mostly unwatched, which is rather disappointing. Maybe some people still fail to understand the basic idea behind this movie. Yet, it is brilliant as the attempt, and I would say that this is a fine New Year movie which one could watch with the presence of what seems to be a blend of science fiction and magic. So, we go on and watch this one and wish each other a Very Happy New Year. May this new year bring the best moments in your life, as world never ceases to have enough to offer.

Release date: 8th December 2023 (Saina Play); 16th June 2023 (Theatre)
Running time: 106 minutes
Directed by: Rejin S Babu
Starring: Vijay Babu, Ramesh Pisharody, Devaki Rajendran, Anumol, Prakash Bare, Indrans, Shobi Thilakan, Deepu Navaikulam, Sunil Sukhada, Neena Kurup, Jolly Chirayath, Aseem Ibrahim, Biju Sopanam

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the previous full sci-fi review.

<<< Click here to go the review of latest thriller.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Vela

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Vampire Owl: Are we going for another investigative thriller?

Vampire Bat: I am sure that this will not be the usual murder investigation.

Vampire Owl: There have been some interesting investigations in a short period of time.

Vampire Bat: Yet, this movie came out with less hype.

Vampire Owl: The trailer was pretty much interesting.

Vampire Bat: We would not have a serial killer here though.

Vampire Owl: I miss those serial killers a lot.

Vampire Bat: Humans can have millions of serial killers among them.

Vampire Owl: I would expect that with the evilest species ever created.

Vampire Bat: The devil has too many similarities with them.

[Gets an oreo shake and three cups of Bagdogra tea].

What is the movie about? :: Ullas Augustin (Shane Nigam) is a newly appointed civil police officer appointed at the control room, and he is someone who is determined to do his job very well, as his father was also a police officer who died only a few months before the end of his service. One day, he receives a call about a minor and his friends consuming drugs in his room – the information is passed on to the nearest police unit doing patrol. It is the boy’s father who made the call, and Ullas understands that this case might ruin the minor’s life – he asks them to escape, but the police officer in pursuit, Mallikarjun Mannar (Sunny Wayne) has already reached the place and started chasing the boy. Mallikarjun abuses Ullas through the transmitter and from the very next day, it is heard that they boy has gone missing. Ullas finds himself on the receiving end of a suspension order. But that does not stop Ullas from searching for the boy, whom he feels that Mallikarjun kidnapped or murdered to help his partners in crime who deals with the drugs.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The only police officer who seems to care about him is SI Ashok Kumar (Sidharth Bharathan), and he asks him to get back to the control room, as he is the only person who is serious about the work. He decides to get back to work, but ends up with strained relations with Smitha Varadarajan (Namritha MV), who hopes that they can get married soon. Ullas is only concerned with providing justice to the missing boy, and finally decides to get back to the control room with all the evidences that he managed. But he would not be able to get an audience with higher ranking officers. At the same time, Manapullikavu Vela is the annual festival of the area is all set to take place. The festivities have the whole area of police officers distracted, and Mallikarjun, despite being part of the Vela, decides to teach Ullas a lesson with the help of his goons and police officers who are under his control. Can Ullas go beyond all these problems and help the boy’s father receive justice at some point of time?

The defence of Vela :: Here, we can see an attempt to move beyond the usual plot, and the narrative is really effective. The movie is not the usual police action masala and neither is it the police procedural stuff. The unpredictability is maintained at all times, and the stylish side is kept to an optimum level, never overdoing the same. There is never the overdose of elements to exaggerate the presence of the protagonist and the antagonist. The initial scenes have us interested in the film, and the interval is shown at the right point. The aesthetic side guides us well, as we see the beauty of the place with night making it even better with the shades of darkness with some fine colours added. The emotional side of the movie remains effective, and the helplessness against the system is shown with full strength. It shows how the common man, even with a police uniform is not able to make an impact to bring the truth to light. There is also a certain amount of casteist and racist angle being shown around here, as the antagonist attempts to thrive on his roots from many years ago. The dialogues are as much effective as the other elements.

The claws of flaw :: The movie is too long, stretching beyond the two and half hour border when we add those advertisements to the time we spent at the theatre. The length negatively affects the film in totality more than expected. There is some struggle to reach that end, and we feel that some parts should not have been extended too much. Some parts of the movie just seem to have been added to be present there as an extra addition, yet does nothing much. There could have also been more exciting moments here. There could have more control room calls and solutions to be shown here, and some cases where the unexpected happens, with better touch of humour or elements of possible terror that could only be stopped with that particular call. The romantic side remains very less explored too. The ending should not have been this quick either, as something more should have been told about what happens after that finish. The possibility of continuity that is seen in the end could have got a better touch. The music remains somewhat effective.

The performers of the soul :: Shane Nigam who had the biggest hit of Kerala’s grand festival in the form of RDX: Robert Dony Xavier, makes his mark again, and seems to be perfectly suited in the role of the youngster hopelessly trying to bring out the truth. His helplessness and angst while facing the supreme political and other faces of extreme power can be clearly seen here. His shades of excellence are often repeated through interesting moments. Sunny Wayne is a very admirable antagonist here, as he is one villain who has many shades of villainy. His dialogues remain very memorable, and he is clearly seen as the menace that we do not want to face. Sidharth Bharathan plays the third most important character in the film, and he has a much different avatar than we had seen him in, and he will also remain with us in the form of this character. Namritha MV, the new face leaves a lovely mark, and we expect to see her in more roles in future. We would have wanted to see her as part of the romantic side further, but the film remains focused on two main characters for most of its time. Aditi Balan’s small role will also be remembered for the timing itself.

How it finishes :: Vela seems to get less response at the theatres, but it is rather a strange thing because this is a classic story of unauthorized investigation with twists and turns having suspense maintained well at all times. The female characters in the movie could have had more screentime, at least the main heroine, and it could have been shorter with a smarter ending, but we know that this is one classic and mostly realistic tale about two sides of law and justice that never ceases to make us wonder what is going to happen next. The movie came without much hype, but has gained enough positive reviews to keep it going and gain the pace. After all, we have had our love for investigations before corona virus through Anjaam Paathira and Forensic, and the same effect has continued during these days too, as we have hoped for the police to do the right thing every time.

Release date: 10th November 2023
Running time: 148 minutes
Directed by: Syam Sasi
Starring: Shane Nigam, Sunny Wayne, Sidharth Bharathan, Aditi Balan, Namritha MV, Bipin Perumbilli, M Sajas

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the previous non-Malayalam film review.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.