Watchlist Roundup 2020 - Movies
WatchlistThis year started out pretty promising. There was a really exciting lineup of movies across genres and languages. But by mid March the theatres were shutdown and all releases were put on halt. After lots of delays in releases, new movies started to get a direct-to-OTT release. Some languages saw more releases than others.
Looking back though, most of the movies in that “exciting lineup” have still not been released and are waiting for a theatrical release next year. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t get to see any good films this year. I got to watch a good chunk of them and these are my favourites. In no particular order:
Tamil films
Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal
Streaming on Netflix
If you are planning to watch this, don’t even watch this trailer. The best way to enjoy this film is to have zero clue about the plot.
Don’t let the first 20-30 minutes fool you. There is a lot happening in this film. Just sit back and enjoy!
Here’s hoping that you already watched it. This brilliantly executed con / heist film entertains you for almost 3 hours with just 5 characters. The genre shifts are handled well and while the first 30 minutes might just make it look like a regular rom-com, the setups are all paid off pretty well!
Oh My Kadavule
Streaming on Zee5
This movie deals with some classic cinema tropes - broken relationships, true love and second chances - with a little bit of fantasy thrown in. It is a fun and entertaining rom-com and I guess this is the first time such a concept has been made in Tamil.
Ka Pae Ranasingam
Streaming on Zee5
This based-on-real-events drama, about a woman who wants to bring back the body of her dead husband from Dubai, has a lot going for it. The film is 3 hours and it requires this time so that we understand the pain and desperation of the characters. There is an interesting dilemma that has portrayed wonderfully - while the people at various points want to help her, the systems, institutions and policies make it difficult. The film has fantastic performances from everyone and especially from Aishwarya Rajesh!
Soorarai Pottru
Streaming on Amazon Prime
This was one of the movies from my “exciting lineup” at the beginning of this year. Something about this teaser that dropped in early January made it one of my most anticipated summer releases of the year. And when I finally got to see it after a really long wait, I was not disappointed at all. The film was emotional, moving and has fantastic performances throughout. The only disappointment was that I couldn’t see it in the theatres.
Andhaghaaram
Streaming on Netflix
There seems to be something going on for 3 hour long Tamil films this year. This film requires your patience in the beginning. Things unfold pretty slowly. You follow three totally unrelated characters struggling with their own problems. For a better part of the film you would be left wondering what is happening but don’t let that stop you. Things will make sense and there is some fantastic technical craft on display here. This interview with the director is a great follow up to this film.
Malayalam films
Ayyappanum Koshiyum
Streaming on Amazon Prime
A 3 hour film focussed only on the clash between two men because one man is insulted by the other may not sound interesting or unique on paper. This is a plot that has been done many times before. But this particular narrative is very different. Everything from who these characters are, how they react to the circumstances and how everything unfolds is so real and yet not something you usually see. The story explores the male pride/ego and what people do to prove their power.
An interesting follow up to this film will be Driving License. This is another malayalam movie by the same director and starring Prithviraj. What is it about? The clash between two men because one man is insulted by the other. Yet this plays out very differently. This movie will work for a family audience while AK may not work for everyone.
Varane Avashyamund
Streaming on Netflix
There is no succint way to summarise exactly what this movie is about. Vaguely, it is the story of the people in an apartment complex in a building. There are two love stories of different age groups. There are multiple stories of relationship dramas - father-son, mother-son, mother-daughter. It also deals with a lot of other dramatic issues, some that could be overcome while others just there in the background. This makes it sound like one big dramatic film. But the film is so light-hearted and it makes you smile throughout and you enjoy the journey with all these characters. The love stories are what hold your attention and Suresh Gopi easily steals the show!
Kappela
Streaming on Netflix
The movie start out as a story between Vishnu, an auto driver in the city and Jessy, from a hillside village. Jessy helps her mom with the household and tailoring work. A call to a wrong number starts a beautiful romance. But everything is not as good as it seems. The movie changes tracks and what unfolds is a cautionary tale that is a must watch.
C U Soon
Streaming on Amazon Prime
This movie was made during the pandemic specifically for the streaming platform. A story that unfolds completely on the mobile/computer screens can seem gimmicky. But this story quickly overcomes that and proceeds to show us a frantic search for a missing person that connects with everyone. This movie might seem like a rip-off of Searching - a movie with a similar premise and narrative structure but the similarity ends there.
Trance
Streaming on Amazon Prime
The story follows Prasad’s journey from a failed motivational speaker to an influential fake godman. The film builds up to a very powerful interval but looses it’s step in the second half. The film is still worth watching for Fahadh Faasil’s mesmerising performance and the amazing cinematography.
Telugu Movies
HIT: The First Case
Streaming on Amazon Prime
This is a solid murder mystery that is narrated and shot brilliantly. It works for the most part. The final revelation was a let down but the journey was still worth it.
Krishna and His Leela
Streaming on Netflix
The plot of this movie will seem very familiar - A comedy of errors that unfolds as one man falls in love with two women. But what makes this film work is the writing, specifically how it portrays the women characters. Also everything is handled in a realistic matter. What I also loved about this film is it’s background score.
Middle Class Melodies
Streaming on Amazon Prime
A Malayalam film masquerading as a Telugu film. This film has none of the cliches associated with Telugu cinema and tells the story of a man who wants to start a hotel in a town. The film is as much about him as the village he is from. We travel with a lot of characters and see the comedies and tragedies in their lives. This film has some great comedic sequences and is definitely a welcome surprise this year.
Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo
Streaming on Netflix
Expectations from a major star vehicle is pretty simple. Keep us entertained for 2+ hours. This film has an age old plot revolving around a baby swap. This film has everything from the traditional love track - that is definitely weird - to the mandatory songs that serve no real purpose. So why is this film in the list? The effort put into writing the mass and masala scenes in this film are quite something. The film beautifully infuses these classic tropes with mythical power and the sequences are a treat to watch.
Bheeshma
Streaming on Netflix/Sun Nxt
This film shares the same expectations and question I had for Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo. The film unfolds in two parallel tracks. The CEO of an organic farming company called “Bheeshma” is stepping down and everyone wants to know who the next CEO is. On the other end we have our typical Telugu hero, a technically jobless bachelor in search of love. He has no relation to the company. But what’s his name? Bheeshma. What is the name of the CEO who is stepping down? Bheeshma. A lot of Bheeshma’s here. And no points for guessing what happens.
So, Why is this film on the list? Masala films do somethings in a surprising/unique way at times. You think this film is going to unfold a certain way and for the most part it does. But it has its surprises. And it has two of my favourite sequences from movies this year - A kickass buildup to the interval block everyone sees coming and one of the most unexpected post interval twists ever!
Other Languages
Now while there were a few interesting other language releases this year, I couldn’t find a way to watch all of them. These are my favourites from the ones I managed to watch.
Parasite (Korean)
Streaming on Amazon Prime
While technically a late 2019 release, I only managed to watch it this year and what an experience this was. Even if you don’t want to read deep into the socio-political stance of the film, this is still an amazing con/heist film! The film is divided into 3 almost equal length acts. Each act builds up to a fantastic montage of events and everything falls into place with utmost precision. As each act progresses, a different dimension of the story is revealed that changes the meaning of the title itself.
1917 (English)
Streaming on Sony Liv
This World War 1 story was marketed as a “Single Shot Film”. While it might look like a gimmick, this format really enhanced the overall experience. The film is a collection of really long sequences that have been skilfully edited to give a feel of a single shot. It will be really difficult to spot where one sequence ends and the next begins and after a while, you stop caring because the plot is equally exciting!
Soul (English)
Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar
This heartwarming tale about the exploration of life’s purpose hits most of the right notes. This film feels like a nice companion piece to one of Pixar’s earlier releases - Inside Out. I don’t want to say much about this film as it would be more fun to discover it yourself. Skip the trailer and go in blind. The film has a few nice surprises.
AK vs AK (Hindi)
Streaming on Netflix
This wacky meta experiment of a film may not be perfect. But it is definitely one-of-a-kind in India Cinema and it is great that it exists. As you watch this film you slowly realise that it is more than just a narrative gimmick and what it is actually trying to achieve.
Thappad (Hindi)
Streaming on Amazon Prime
The film begins with a series of sequences featuring different women. 5 in total. And the story is about all of them. Even though the story is about the Amrita, the woman at the receiving end of the titular slap, the movie explores different issues in the life of all these women and how the main event affects each one in a different way.
Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (Hindi)
Streaming on Netflix
This film, about the first female Indian Air-Force pilot, is pretty straightforward. A nice touch here is that unlike the usual biopics, her entire journey is incidental in nature. She didn’t set out to be an Air Force Pilot. She had a simple dream - to become a pilot. But that didn’t mean it was easy. While it is a story about a woman in a man’s world, the story doesn’t get preachy and focusses equally on the father - daughter relationship. Some really good performances, clever writing and the characterization of the protagonist make it a satisfying watch.
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