In R Balki's latest film 'Chup: Revenge of The Artist', a serial killer is killing noted film critics one by one and giving ratings to their dead bodies. Gruesome right? Featuring Dulquer Salmaan, Shreya Dhanwanthary and Sunny Deol, 'Chup' is meta in so many levels. While Deol plays an investigating officer, Salmaan plays a mysterious florist called Danny who falls for entertainment reporter Nila, played by Dhanwanthary. Dulquer's role is complex and he gives his all to play Danny to perfection. Is the role his career's best? Watch Critically speaking to find out more.

Critically Speaking: Has Dulquer Salmaan delivered his career best in 'Chup'?

Filmmaker duo Pushkar-Gayatri bring their 2017 Tamil hit film 'Vikram Vedha' to Bollywood in 2022. Starring Saif Ali Khan and Hrithik Roshan in the lead, the film is a stylised, glossier version of the original which showcases Roshan in a glamorous avatar even though he plays a gangster from the heartland. Is 'Vikram Vedha' a worthy remake of the Tamil hit? Watch Critically Speaking to know more

Critically Speaking: Is Hrithik-Saif starrer 'Vikram Vedha' true to the original?

Actress turned filmmaker Olivia Wilde's latest 'Don't Worry Darling' has been in news more for its internal fights than the film itself. But the film turns out to be interesting watch with Florence Pugh and Chris Pine shining in their respective roles. But is the film worth the hype? Watch Critically Speaking to know more!

Critically Speaking: Does 'Don't Worry Darling' live up to the hype?

Filmmaker Ayan Mukerji's film 'Brahmastra' finally releases in theatres. The film has created a lot of buzz in the past few weeks, courted controversy and has been touted as the most expensive film ever made in Bollywood. The film has Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt pairing up onscreen for the first time. It also has some very prominent faces making cameo appearances. Is 'Brahamastra' worth your time? Does it live up to the hype? Watch Critically Speaking to find out.

Critically Speaking: Is 'Brahmastra' worth the hype?

The first-generation international model of the Yamaha MT-15 was a well-rounded package. But, the critical reason for disappointment with the Indian version was cost-cutting. And thankfully, in its first cycle of evolution, the MT-15 Version 2.0 has not been watered down for India. When it comes to aesthetic changes, things are largely limited to new and sporty-looking colour schemes like this combination of grey and turquoise we are riding. It also gets coloured alloy wheels that further enhance the sporty feel, but the chassis department has carried out two crucial changes. So, let's find out how it actually behaves on some real roads.

WION Pitstop | Yamaha MT-15 Version 2.0 review

If you think that the smartphone market has reached a saturation point, we say, think again. Foldable phones will be the next big thing in the smartphone space. Samsung has gotten off to a good start with the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip series. In this video, we will about the fourth generation of the Galaxy Z Flip. We spent some time on the phone and here's what we think about it.

Review: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 | Tech It Out

Filmmaker Puri Jagannadh's new film 'Liger' was much hyped before its release. After all, it marks the Bollywood debut of Telugu film star Vijay Deverakonda. The film also features Ananya Panday, Ronit Roy, and Ramya Krishnan in prominent roles.

Critically Speaking: Vijay Deverakonda's 'Liger' misses the mark by a mile

Rising motorcycling culture has made the premium segment quite interesting. We are witnessing some very compelling new bikes come to life, and it becomes even more exciting when a manufacturer does something very different from its usual products. A bit like that happened recently when we reached Thailand to ride a new Royal Enfield motorcycle, named Hunter 350. We were told that it's quite a different product from other Royal Enfield motorcycles, and we can confirm that it looks somewhat different as well. At 177 kilograms, the Hunter weighs about 15 kilograms less than a standard Classic 350 -- and that has been achieved by replacing some metal components, like the side panels and fenders, with plastic ones. But how does it actually feels on the road? Let's find out.

WION Pitstop | Royal Enfield Hunter 350 review

Czech automaker, Skoda, has introduced a new mid-size premium sedan - the Slavia. It is a sporty looking car with a low and wide stance, sharp character lines and some design cues from the Kushaq. But the overall design bears resemblance to the larger Octavia sedan and it offers a generous amount of space inside. The Skoda Slavia is being offered with two turbocharged petrol engine options -- a 1.0L TSI with an output of 115 horsepower and a 1.5L TSI with 150 horsepower. We recently got to drive both the options and here's all about our experience with the Slavia.

WION Pitstop | Skoda Slavia review: The enthusiasts' mid-sized sedan

Mercedes-Benz has introduced its new entry-level AMG car in India - the A 35 4Matic. Based on the new A-Class sedan, this performance model is not a full-blown AMG model. However, it features several performance upgrades and AMG specific cosmetic changes. But how this new performance model behaves on the Indian roads? That's what we are going to find out in this video.

WION Pitstop | Mercedes-AMG A 35 4Matic review: The entry-level AMG car

The OnePlus 10 Pro 5G is finally here. but the question is, just how exciting is it? And should you buy it? Let’s find out.

OnePlus 10 Pro 5G: Should you buy it? | Tech It Out

Anurag Kashyap returns to the big screen with his new directorial venture 'Dobaaraa'. An official remake of a Spanish film called 'Mirage', 'Dobaaraaa' features Taapsee Pannu, Saswat Chatterjee, Pavail Gulati and Rahul Bhatt in key roles.

Critically Speaking: Is Anurag-Taapsee's 'Dobaaraa' worth your time?

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan returns to the big screen after four long years in director Advait Chandan's 'Laal Singh Chaddha'. A remake of the 1994 Hollywood classic 'Forrest Gump', the film has Khan playing a slow-witted man whose life is anything but ordinary. Recounting some of the most important chapters of Indian history, 'Laal Singh Chaddha' manages to create its own individuality despite being a remake. The film also has Kareena Kapoor Khan delivering a restraint performance as Rupa D'Souza, Laal's childhood sweetheart. Written by Atul Kulkarni, the film also has Naga Chaitanya and Manav Vij in pivotal roles. Should you be watching 'Laal Singh Chaddha'? Watch this video to know more.

Critically Speaking: Is 'Laal Singh Chaddha' worth the hype?

Anand L Rai's ' Raksha Bandhan' featuring Akshay Kumar in the lead is a film that tries too hard to drive home a relevant point. It resorts to melodrama to address the issue of dowry and result is a very loud film where the lead actor hams throughout. Is Akshay Kumar losing his spark? Watch the video to know more

Critically Speaking: Akshay Kumar's 'Raksha Bandhan' is too loud

In WION's new weekly series 'Critically Speaking' we focus on the week's big release and tell you what is good and what's not good about the film. This week we discuss Alia Bhatt's maiden production 'Darlings'. Directed by Jasmeet K Reen, the film features Shefali Shah and Alia Bhatt as a mother-daughter duo living in Mumbai with multiple complexities in their lives. How they find solace and hope in each other and solve problems in their lives forms the rest of the story. So is 'Darlings' worth your time? Watch the video to find out more.

Critically Speaking: Should you be watching Alia Bhatt's 'Darlings'

We all have some people in our lives who appear omnipresent. They come all-guns-blazing each time they approach and you put your game face on to survive through the predicament. There are, then, some whose relative low-key presence is a delight and their existence, a weird assurance at the back of our minds.

When you think of music scene in India, Sona Mohapatra's musical presence definitely falls in the latter category. The artist may not meet you at every turn, but whenever you hear her voice, randomly or otherwise, you are forced to take a pause and take in all the creation.

'Shut up Sona', a documentary which depicts her art and as some would say, her 'flirting with controversies' is one-and-half-hours-long.

If you think 'Shut Up Sona' is an opportunity to 'check her out', you should probably stick to your late-night surfing of whichever websites you frequent with your VPN on. The documentary reveals a glimpse of Sona Mohapatra away from the limelight, letting us glean a bit into her thoughts.

In times when there is no telling talking about which religion would ruffle whose feathers, it's a delight to know that there are still few voices who believe in inclusive nature of our religions. 'Shut up Sona' brings us face-to-face with some such people as&nbsp;Mohapatra visits religious places. Some of the information that's revealed is bound to surprise us and question our conditioning due social forces over the years. Look out for discussion on Meerabai.

The documentary is peppered with her music of course, so you better watch it with good pair of earphones. Because it's quite soothing to hum the tunes with Sona. Better still, to guess the Raag if you are musically trained. Some of my favourites like Raag Sarang are very much there waiting to be heard.&nbsp;

Mohapatra, in past, has not shied away from naming people and institutes. She is very much her own self in 'Shut up Sona'.&nbsp;

Sometimes it's quite endearing to see her want to go all-guns-blazing only to be tempered by music composer and her husband Ram Sampath, who more than once comes across as the voice of reason.

On a tiny bit of downside about 'making' of the documentary, a few build-ups would have looked less predictable had there been better editing and better thought about placement of these sequences. But this does not interfere too much with the overall experience. 
&nbsp; 
Is 'Shut up Sona' a woman's march that is trying to bring a revolution of sorts? The documentary doesn't appear to have such pretenses. It is, however, a much-needed revisit to and a statement against black-and-white 'deify or denigrate' tendency of India when it comes to women.

'Shut up Sona' is now streaming on Zee5.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

We all have some people in our lives who appear omnipresent. They come all-guns-blazing each time they approach and you put your game face on to survive through the predicament.

We all have some people in our lives who appear omnipresent. They come all-guns-blazing each time they approach and you put your game face on to survive through the predicament. There are, then, some whose relative low-key presence is a delight and their existence, a weird assurance at the back of our minds. When you think of music scene in India, Sona Mohapatra's musical presence definitely falls in the latter category. The artist may not meet you at every turn, but whenever you hear her voice, randomly or otherwise, you are forced to take a pause and take in all the creation. 'Shut up Sona', a documentary which depicts her art and as some would say, her 'flirting with controversies' is one-and-half-hours-long. If you think 'Shut Up Sona' is an opportunity to 'check her out', you should probably stick to your late-night surfing of whichever websites you frequent with your VPN on. The documentary reveals a glimpse of Sona Mohapatra away from the limelight, letting us glean a bit into her thoughts. In times when there is no telling talking about which religion would ruffle whose feathers, it's a delight to know that there are still few voices who believe in inclusive nature of our religions. 'Shut up Sona' brings us face-to-face with some such people as Mohapatra visits religious places. Some of the information that's revealed is bound to surprise us and question our conditioning due social forces over the years. Look out for discussion on Meerabai. The documentary is peppered with her music of course, so you better watch it with good pair of earphones. Because it's quite soothing to hum the tunes with Sona. Better still, to guess the Raag if you are musically trained. Some of my favourites like Raag Sarang are very much there waiting to be heard. Mohapatra, in past, has not shied away from naming people and institutes. She is very much her own self in 'Shut up Sona'. Sometimes it's quite endearing to see her want to go all-guns-blazing only to be tempered by music composer and her husband Ram Sampath, who more than once comes across as the voice of reason. On a tiny bit of downside about 'making' of the documentary, a few build-ups would have looked less predictable had there been better editing and better thought about placement of these sequences. But this does not interfere too much with the overall experience. Is 'Shut up Sona' a woman's march that is trying to bring a revolution of sorts? The documentary doesn't appear to have such pretenses. It is, however, a much-needed revisit to and a statement against black-and-white 'deify or denigrate' tendency of India when it comes to women. 'Shut up Sona' is now streaming on Zee5. WATCH WION LIVE HERE × You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Shut Up Sona' review: It's Mohapatra's statement against 'deify or denigrate'

MG Motor has launched the new ZS EV in India with a starting price tag of INR 21.99 lakh. The electric car has received a complete cosmetic makeover, but the major update is under the floor. The new MG ZS EV has got a bigger battery that offers a longer range, along with some advanced features and some other bells and whistles. So, we went for a drive in the new ZS EV to understand how it behaves on the Indian roads, and here is what we came back with.

2022 MG ZS EV review: Gets a new design and a longer range

This video is about a premium smartphone that promises high-end features and costs over one lakh rupees. We are talking about the brand-new Galaxy S22 Ultra. We spent some time with it and here is what we think about it.

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra: Is it worth the price? | Tech It Out

'Undekhi' (SonyLIV, 10 Episodes) 
Directed by Ashish R Shukla 
Rating: *** 
 
More of the same, and yet at the top of the game. That just about sums up the second season of 2020’s well-played cat-and-mouse crime thriller about a super-rich wedding, murder and the affluent arrogance of a family that thinks crime is the only way to stay wealthy.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-rrr-to-the-batman-big-moviesshows-to-look-out-for-in-march-2022-458623" hreflang="en">From RRR to The Batman: Big movies/shows to look out for in March 2022</a> 
 
It’s a world where people get shot randomly, remorselessly. The patriarch of the family(Harsh Chhaya over-the-top) is a drunken lout whose empirical viciousness is manned and powered entirely by his wild nephew Rinku(Surya Sharma, brilliant).

<img alt="1" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="46c9b06f-f910-4003-872c-52ba7622f38e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1_141.jpg" /> 
 
Rinku remains as interesting in Season &nbsp;2 as he was the first time around. He is rough, rude, violent and unstoppable. Yet he gives us fleeting glimpses of something less toxic especially when his wife Muskaan(Shivangi Singh) is around. Muskaan is another character to look out for. She looks homely but loves guns especially when they are in use and more especially when she is using them. 
 
And the way Muskaan participates in shootouts with her violent husband gives a completely unexpected twist to the till-death-do-us-part theory of marital togetherness.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-exclusive-sumaira-shaikh-on-her-journey-from-mumbai-locals-to-her-own-show-dongri-danger-dream-come-true-458548" hreflang="en">Exclusive: Sumaira Shaikh on her journey from Mumbai locals to her own show 'Dongri Danger': Dream come true!</a> 
 
The women are, in fact, exceptionally aggressive in Undekhi. There is one on the run, a &nbsp;dancer who has tremendous survival instincts in the jungles. Then there is Teji(Aanchal Singh) married to the most peaceful heir of the violent Atwal family, Teji is rapidly learning the ropes of the illicit business. 
 
And then there is Saloni(Ayn Zoya) &nbsp;a television journalist not averse to blackmailing and extortion.

<img alt="SS" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d384ced2-ea58-4ebb-afb9-9ff813e6ab00" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/2_132.jpg" /> 
 
For a &nbsp;series about toxic masculinity, the women in &nbsp;Undekhi have a &nbsp;lot to do, and not much of it is legal or legit. Writer Sumeet &nbsp;Bishnoi plunges us into this dangerous sleazy world with no hope for any redemptive thrusts. Nobody changes, there are no character reformations in &nbsp; Undekhi at least not in Season 2. Perhaps the characters will begin to shed their plumes in Season 3. This time, for now, &nbsp;they are avaricious, vicious sneaky and mostly unlikeable. 
 
There is not a single character in this series that &nbsp;I &nbsp;would like to run into at a party. Director Ashish R Shukla just about succeeds in holding this irrevocably immoral world together. A &nbsp;lot of the times in the &nbsp;9 episodes we see characters on the run from imminent death. Whether it is the tribal girl Koel(Apeksha Porwal) &nbsp;or the slimy blackmailer Timma(Diwakar Jha) they inhabit a dark dreadful world with no way out. 
 
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PpNqMywF8Hs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> 
 
Fast-paced and breathless Season 2 may seem to some like just a repeat performance of Season 1. That, 'Undekhi &nbsp;2' is. And yet the core issue of a police inspector Ghosh(Dibyendu &nbsp;Bhattacharya) trying to save a tribal girl from a filthy rich family has a kind of contextual resonance that doesn’t get worn in repetition. 
 
'Undekhi 2'&nbsp;has some glaring plotholes—for example, when the two on-the-run journalists Saloni and Shaswat get locked in a truck in a dangerous factory, &nbsp;they announce their presence when they hear a &nbsp;noise outside. Why wouldn’t two people in grave danger just hide until the truck drives out into safety?

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-exclusive-sumaira-shaikh-on-her-journey-from-mumbai-locals-to-her-own-show-dongri-danger-dream-come-true-458548" hreflang="en">Exclusive: Sumaira Shaikh on her journey from Mumbai locals to her own show 'Dongri Danger': Dream come true!</a> 
 
&nbsp;A lot of the writing here involves physical action. And yet a sluggishness seeps into storytelling that luckily doesn't storm into a state of exhaustion. Looking at the brighter side, the characters are never allowed to get lazy, although the writing occasionally does.

'Undekhi' (SonyLIV, 10 Episodes) Directed by Ashish R Shukla Rating: *** More of the same, and yet at the top of the game. That just about sums up the second season of 2020’s well-played cat-and-mouse crime thriller about a super-rich wedding, murder and the affluent arrogance of a family that thinks crime is the only way to stay wealthy.

'Undekhi' (SonyLIV, 10 Episodes) Directed by Ashish R Shukla Rating: *** More of the same, and yet at the top of the game. That just about sums up the second season of 2020’s well-played cat-and-mouse crime thriller about a super-rich wedding, murder and the affluent arrogance of a family that thinks crime is the only way to stay wealthy. From RRR to The Batman: Big movies/shows to look out for in March 2022 It’s a world where people get shot randomly, remorselessly. The patriarch of the family(Harsh Chhaya over-the-top) is a drunken lout whose empirical viciousness is manned and powered entirely by his wild nephew Rinku(Surya Sharma, brilliant). Rinku remains as interesting in Season 2 as he was the first time around. He is rough, rude, violent and unstoppable. Yet he gives us fleeting glimpses of something less toxic especially when his wife Muskaan(Shivangi Singh) is around. Muskaan is another character to look out for. She looks homely but loves guns especially when they are in use and more especially when she is using them. And the way Muskaan participates in shootouts with her violent husband gives a completely unexpected twist to the till-death-do-us-part theory of marital togetherness. Exclusive: Sumaira Shaikh on her journey from Mumbai locals to her own show 'Dongri Danger': Dream come true! The women are, in fact, exceptionally aggressive in Undekhi. There is one on the run, a dancer who has tremendous survival instincts in the jungles. Then there is Teji(Aanchal Singh) married to the most peaceful heir of the violent Atwal family, Teji is rapidly learning the ropes of the illicit business. And then there is Saloni(Ayn Zoya) a television journalist not averse to blackmailing and extortion. For a series about toxic masculinity, the women in Undekhi have a lot to do, and not much of it is legal or legit. Writer Sumeet Bishnoi plunges us into this dangerous sleazy world with no hope for any redemptive thrusts. Nobody changes, there are no character reformations in Undekhi at least not in Season 2. Perhaps the characters will begin to shed their plumes in Season 3. This time, for now, they are avaricious, vicious sneaky and mostly unlikeable. There is not a single character in this series that I would like to run into at a party. Director Ashish R Shukla just about succeeds in holding this irrevocably immoral world together. A lot of the times in the 9 episodes we see characters on the run from imminent death. Whether it is the tribal girl Koel(Apeksha Porwal) or the slimy blackmailer Timma(Diwakar Jha) they inhabit a dark dreadful world with no way out. Fast-paced and breathless Season 2 may seem to some like just a repeat performance of Season 1. That, 'Undekhi 2' is. And yet the core issue of a police inspector Ghosh(Dibyendu Bhattacharya) trying to save a tribal girl from a filthy rich family has a kind of contextual resonance that doesn’t get worn in repetition. 'Undekhi 2' has some glaring plotholes—for example, when the two on-the-run journalists Saloni and Shaswat get locked in a truck in a dangerous factory, they announce their presence when they hear a noise outside. Why wouldn’t two people in grave danger just hide until the truck drives out into safety? Exclusive: Sumaira Shaikh on her journey from Mumbai locals to her own show 'Dongri Danger': Dream come true! A lot of the writing here involves physical action. And yet a sluggishness seeps into storytelling that luckily doesn't storm into a state of exhaustion. Looking at the brighter side, the characters are never allowed to get lazy, although the writing occasionally does.

'Undekhi' season 2 review: The series will keep you glued

Garmin's new Epix smartwatch promises a host of new functionalities. but how well does it deliver? Let’s find out.

Review: Garmin Epix smartwatch

For the first time in 64 days, India reported over 16,000 new infections in a day, and a total of 1271 omicron cases have been reported in 23 states, with the highest omicron cases detected in the state of Maharashtra with 450 cases, followed by the national capital at 320.

India reports over 16,000 new cases in a day after 64 days, with Omicron tally rising to 1271

Scientists have sounded an alarm on limiting global warming. The government across the globe were urged to step up with their efforts.

A Review of conservation efforts in 2021: Scientists sound an alarm on limiting global warming

Mercedes' most compact AMG model, the A45 S hatchback, has been launched in India with an ex-showroom price tag of INR 79.50 lakh. Unlike the A35 sedan that's locally assembled, the Mercedes-AMG A45 S comes to India as a completely built unit (CBU) and will be available in limited numbers only. At the heart, it has the world’s most powerful turbocharged four-cylinder series-production engine, with 421 horsepower on tap. We went to the world-class test track at Natrax, Indore, to check its full potential, and here is what we came back with.

New Mercedes-Benz A45 S AMG 4Matic review

The Omicron variant is gaining pace across India as well. The total number of confirmed omicron cases in India today stands at 269.

Indian PM Narendra Modi to hold review meeting over rising Omicron cases in the country

Starring Raveena Tandon, Parambrata Chatterjee, Ashutosh Rana,&nbsp; Meghna&nbsp; Malik, Zakir Hussain

Directed&nbsp;by Vinay Waikul 
 
Streaming on: Netflix

Rating: ***

No comparison intended. But in Satyajit Ray’s classic &nbsp;Aranyer Din Ratri the forest held so much mystery and intrigue, &nbsp;it was almost like exploring a universe of foliage in search of the true meaning of life. 
 
The forest in Aranyak is also crammed with mysteries, as a series of murders occur in the thick of the forest. The gruesome goings-on in the greenery are attributed to a beast called the nar-tendua, half-man half-beast, full monster.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-chandigarh-kare-aashiqui-review-ayushmann-khurrana-vaani-kapoors-film-is-brave-entertaining-and-refreshing-435760" hreflang="en">'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui' review: Ayushmann's film is brave and entertaining</a> 
 
So is the nar-tendua responsible for the multiple killings? Or is a &nbsp;deadly human impersonating the beast-man's bestial bloodshed technique? &nbsp;The answer to that is of course obvious. Aranyak milks the mystery of the forest. But it doesn’t go deep enough. &nbsp;The director &nbsp;Vinay Waikul, relatively new to the craft, &nbsp;stops short of exploring the wide mysterious landscape.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/aarya-2-review-sushmita-sen-is-a-scene-stealer-in-this-worthy-sequel-435711" hreflang="en">'Aarya 2' review: Sushmita Sen is a scene stealer in this worthy sequel&nbsp;</a> 
 
Most of the tense narrative is confined to the indoors with the actors captured in clenched sweaty close-ups as they open up old wounds that never healed. 
 
The series opens with the brutal murder of a French tourist Julie’s daughter Amy. Julie’s 'French'&nbsp;accents prove as elusive as &nbsp;the murderer, slipping in and out at will. Raveena Tandon’s pahaadi accent is more reliable. She plays &nbsp;a hard-nosed gritty cop on the verge of taking a year-long sabbatical from her official duty when the serial killer strikes. Her role has echoes of &nbsp;Mita Vashisht in the far-superior series 'Your Honor'.

<img alt="Ashutosh" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e74f1469-fb41-4897-b1db-7c18c68ffcf1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/happy%2030th%20birthday%20%2881%29.jpg" /> 
 
Raveena in her OTT debut is impressively transformed. Her scrubbed face, suspicious eyes and tense alert body language constantly convey that Kasturi Dogra knows more than she is willing to divulge. 
 
Kasturi’s partner in crime is the ever-dependable &nbsp;Parambrata Chatterjee.&nbsp;Does he ever give an inept performance? As &nbsp;Angad Malik, the cop who initially comes to take over &nbsp;Kasturi’s job but soon makes her his chief accomplice in crimebusting, Parambrata gives &nbsp;Raveena just the right queues. 
 
Sadly the plot lets them down at all the crucial points. Where there should have been high drama, there is a sense of anti-climax. The denouement is specially disappointing. Indian whodunits think zeroing in on the most unlikely suspect is&nbsp;the best methodology to wrap up a &nbsp;suspense&nbsp;drama. In truth, the lies and redherrings are a huge distraction to a &nbsp;credible conclusion to the whodunit.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KcWcu1ytazY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The supporting actors hardly get a &nbsp;chance to emerge from the&nbsp;thick foliage. Ashutosh Rana, Meghna Malik and Zakir Hussain are actors who never let the plot down even if the plot chooses to let them down. They grapple valiantly&nbsp;but in vain with the improbabilities in the plot. The young cast comprises of characters who are either in serious trouble or looking for it. 
 
There are many gaping wounds and open cesspits in this messy serial on serial killer on the prowl. What works is the work&nbsp;relationship between Tandon and Chatterjee. Tandon’s effort to be a good mother and a good wife(the latter includes buying sexy lingerie, a&nbsp;desperate move that prompts a sarcastic comment&nbsp;from her&nbsp;husband on &nbsp;“supermom, &nbsp;masterchef and &nbsp;Sunny Leone”) while being a conscientious cop are well conveyed. 
 
The series could have gone for the jugular—like the killer does—but instead choose to just prod some secondary veins.

Starring Raveena Tandon, Parambrata Chatterjee, Ashutosh Rana, Meghna Malik, Zakir Hussain Directed by Vinay Waikul Streaming on: Netflix Rating: *** No comparison intended.

Starring Raveena Tandon, Parambrata Chatterjee, Ashutosh Rana, Meghna Malik, Zakir Hussain Directed by Vinay Waikul Streaming on: Netflix Rating: *** No comparison intended. But in Satyajit Ray’s classic Aranyer Din Ratri the forest held so much mystery and intrigue, it was almost like exploring a universe of foliage in search of the true meaning of life. The forest in Aranyak is also crammed with mysteries, as a series of murders occur in the thick of the forest. The gruesome goings-on in the greenery are attributed to a beast called the nar-tendua, half-man half-beast, full monster. 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui' review: Ayushmann's film is brave and entertaining So is the nar-tendua responsible for the multiple killings? Or is a deadly human impersonating the beast-man's bestial bloodshed technique? The answer to that is of course obvious. Aranyak milks the mystery of the forest. But it doesn’t go deep enough. The director Vinay Waikul, relatively new to the craft, stops short of exploring the wide mysterious landscape. 'Aarya 2' review: Sushmita Sen is a scene stealer in this worthy sequel Most of the tense narrative is confined to the indoors with the actors captured in clenched sweaty close-ups as they open up old wounds that never healed. The series opens with the brutal murder of a French tourist Julie’s daughter Amy. Julie’s 'French' accents prove as elusive as the murderer, slipping in and out at will. Raveena Tandon’s pahaadi accent is more reliable. She plays a hard-nosed gritty cop on the verge of taking a year-long sabbatical from her official duty when the serial killer strikes. Her role has echoes of Mita Vashisht in the far-superior series 'Your Honor'. Raveena in her OTT debut is impressively transformed. Her scrubbed face, suspicious eyes and tense alert body language constantly convey that Kasturi Dogra knows more than she is willing to divulge. Kasturi’s partner in crime is the ever-dependable Parambrata Chatterjee. Does he ever give an inept performance? As Angad Malik, the cop who initially comes to take over Kasturi’s job but soon makes her his chief accomplice in crimebusting, Parambrata gives Raveena just the right queues. Sadly the plot lets them down at all the crucial points. Where there should have been high drama, there is a sense of anti-climax. The denouement is specially disappointing. Indian whodunits think zeroing in on the most unlikely suspect is the best methodology to wrap up a suspense drama. In truth, the lies and redherrings are a huge distraction to a credible conclusion to the whodunit. The supporting actors hardly get a chance to emerge from the thick foliage. Ashutosh Rana, Meghna Malik and Zakir Hussain are actors who never let the plot down even if the plot chooses to let them down. They grapple valiantly but in vain with the improbabilities in the plot. The young cast comprises of characters who are either in serious trouble or looking for it. There are many gaping wounds and open cesspits in this messy serial on serial killer on the prowl. What works is the work relationship between Tandon and Chatterjee. Tandon’s effort to be a good mother and a good wife(the latter includes buying sexy lingerie, a desperate move that prompts a sarcastic comment from her husband on “supermom, masterchef and Sunny Leone”) while being a conscientious cop are well conveyed. The series could have gone for the jugular—like the killer does—but instead choose to just prod some secondary veins.

Aranyak review: Raveena Tandon’s OTT debut is impressive

While the entire world is grappling with the fear of the new Covid variant, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has come up with his words of optimism as he predicts the ending time of the pandemic. In his review of the year, which has been published on GatesNotes blog, Gates wrote, "It might be foolish to make another prediction, but I think the acute phase of the pandemic will come to a close some time in 2022."

Deeming the Omicron variant as "concerning," he says that researchers are working to learn more and more about it and soon the world will have a lot more information.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
2021 was an incredibly hard year for many people, including me, but there are reasons to be optimistic that 2022 will be better: <a href="https://t.co/BxF6Q4K9Mq">https://t.co/BxF6Q4K9Mq</a> <a href="https://t.co/C0SdhYxKg8">pic.twitter.com/C0SdhYxKg8</a>
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1468664794567700483?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"It’s troubling any time a new variant of concern emerges, but I’m still hopeful that, at some point next year, COVID-19 will become an endemic disease in most places. Although it is currently about 10 times more lethal than flu, vaccines and antivirals could cut that number by half or more," he wrote in his blog.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-variant-almost-certainly-not-more-severe-than-delta-top-epidemiologist-anthony-fauci-434951">Also read |&nbsp;Omicron variant 'almost certainly' not more severe than Delta: Top epidemiologist Anthony Fauci</a>

He urged the world to take important lessons from Covid response that will make people better prepared next time.

He has appreciated the progress in terms of vaccines and said that it is remarkable. "The world has never made and distributed a vaccine for a disease faster than it did for COVID-19," Gates wrote. He further highlighted that he thinks the mRNA vaccines will be seen as the most consequential breakthrough of the pandemic.&nbsp;

Apart from the pandemic, he wrote about several other topics including the container ship being stuck at the Suez canal and WHO's approval of the first Malaria vaccine.&nbsp;

While the entire world is grappling with the fear of the new Covid variant, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has come up with his words of optimism as he predicts the ending time of the pandemic.

While the entire world is grappling with the fear of the new Covid variant, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has come up with his words of optimism as he predicts the ending time of the pandemic. In his review of the year, which has been published on GatesNotes blog, Gates wrote, "It might be foolish to make another prediction, but I think the acute phase of the pandemic will come to a close some time in 2022." Deeming the Omicron variant as "concerning," he says that researchers are working to learn more and more about it and soon the world will have a lot more information. 2021 was an incredibly hard year for many people, including me, but there are reasons to be optimistic that 2022 will be better: https://t.co/BxF6Q4K9Mq pic.twitter.com/C0SdhYxKg8 — Bill Gates (@BillGates) December 8, 2021 × "It’s troubling any time a new variant of concern emerges, but I’m still hopeful that, at some point next year, COVID-19 will become an endemic disease in most places. Although it is currently about 10 times more lethal than flu, vaccines and antivirals could cut that number by half or more," he wrote in his blog. Also read | Omicron variant 'almost certainly' not more severe than Delta: Top epidemiologist Anthony Fauci He urged the world to take important lessons from Covid response that will make people better prepared next time. He has appreciated the progress in terms of vaccines and said that it is remarkable. "The world has never made and distributed a vaccine for a disease faster than it did for COVID-19," Gates wrote. He further highlighted that he thinks the mRNA vaccines will be seen as the most consequential breakthrough of the pandemic. Apart from the pandemic, he wrote about several other topics including the container ship being stuck at the Suez canal and WHO's approval of the first Malaria vaccine.

In his review of the year, Bill Gates predicts the ending time of pandemic amid fears of Omicron

“Landscapers,” premiering Monday on HBO, is a true-crime miniseries, but it doesn’t look or feel like any other did-they-or-didn’t-they dramatization you’ve watched recently.

 
They, in this case, are Susan and Christopher Edwards of Nottinghamshire, England, who are played, in a coup of casting, by Olivia Colman and David Thewlis. In 2014, Susan and Chris were each sentenced to at least 25 years in prison for killing Susan’s parents and burying them in their own backyard.

 
The Edwardses claimed that Susan’s mother had shot her husband and that Susan, who hated her abusive parents, had been provoked into shooting her mother — a crime of passion followed by years’ of guilt-ridden cover-up. Prosecutors said that Susan and Chris carried out a calculated execution for profit, an argument supported by the inconvenient fact that they opened a bank account the first business day after the killings and eventually siphoned off about 285,000 pounds of her parents’ money.

 
The case is full of fascinating and outlandish details — a straightforward retelling would have no trouble being greenlit — but one stands out: what they spent the money on. They were spendthrift collectors of autographed movie memorabilia. When they turned themselves in 15 years after the killings, all they had left was some spare change.

 
Ed Sinclair, a first-time screenwriter, and director Will Sharpe build their four-episode series around that detail, in imaginative and highly stylized ways that shift the focus away from true-crime investigation. “Landscapers” recounts the case, but the crime is one element in Susan and Chris’ love story, a star-crossed tale of two damaged people constructing a world in which they can survive, at least until the money runs out.

 
This involves a wide range of filmmaking tricks. Sharpe shoots some scenes as keyholes in a black screen, as if we’re watching a play. Others he stages like full-on Hollywood productions, echoing the films Susan loves, such as “High Noon” and “The Last Metro.” (Gary Cooper and Gérard Depardieu are significant, if imaginary, figures in the story.) At key moments Sharpe literally breaks the fourth wall, pulling back the camera to show us the soundstage as the actors, in and out of character, walk from one set to another.

 
In the hands of the gifted Sharpe, who directed the series “Flowers,” starring Colman, and the feature “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” (with Benedict Cumberbatch), these interventions are mostly engaging rather than distracting. They set up a theme of artifice and delusion, but “Landscapers,” thankfully, isn’t about the tyranny of modern media — it’s more about the ways in which ordinary, troubled people make sense of their lives by casting themselves in the stories of heroism and self-sacrifice that they’ve seen at the movies. The show doesn’t have to take a position on whether the Edwardses were telling the truth about what happened in the real world because it lives inside the reality they constructed.

 
If “Landscapers” doesn’t, in the end, entirely fulfill the promise of Sharpe’s visual wizardry, it’s down to the screenplay by Sinclair, who is also Colman’s husband and producing partner. It doesn’t match the inventiveness of the direction, and it’s also more murky (and sentimental) than it needs to be about Susan’s true nature, which slightly dampens Colman’s performance. She spends most of the series playing things down the middle, and she’s only able to break out her fierce, splendid technique in a few scenes.

 
The script does much better by Chris, though, and “Landscapers” is a showcase for Thewlis, with his angular frame and his distinctive style of commanding awkwardness. He perfectly captures Chris’ willing subservience to Susan and the way that his love for this “fragile” woman, who is also demanding and manipulative, shapes his personality in a manner that might seem pathetic to us but that is ennobling and ego-boosting to him.

 
Thewlis is phenomenal throughout — in a pinpoint moment when Chris is thrown off by evidence of Susan’s dishonesty or in the larger gestures of the movie-love scenes, as when he twirls a six-shooter like a pro (before dropping it, of course). “Landscapers” may be noncommittal on the Edwardses’ guilt, but Thewlis absolutely nails Chris.

“Landscapers,” premiering Monday on HBO, is a true-crime miniseries, but it doesn’t look or feel like any other did-they-or-didn’t-they dramatization you’ve watched recently.

“Landscapers,” premiering Monday on HBO, is a true-crime miniseries, but it doesn’t look or feel like any other did-they-or-didn’t-they dramatization you’ve watched recently. They, in this case, are Susan and Christopher Edwards of Nottinghamshire, England, who are played, in a coup of casting, by Olivia Colman and David Thewlis. In 2014, Susan and Chris were each sentenced to at least 25 years in prison for killing Susan’s parents and burying them in their own backyard. The Edwardses claimed that Susan’s mother had shot her husband and that Susan, who hated her abusive parents, had been provoked into shooting her mother — a crime of passion followed by years’ of guilt-ridden cover-up. Prosecutors said that Susan and Chris carried out a calculated execution for profit, an argument supported by the inconvenient fact that they opened a bank account the first business day after the killings and eventually siphoned off about 285,000 pounds of her parents’ money. The case is full of fascinating and outlandish details — a straightforward retelling would have no trouble being greenlit — but one stands out: what they spent the money on. They were spendthrift collectors of autographed movie memorabilia. When they turned themselves in 15 years after the killings, all they had left was some spare change. Ed Sinclair, a first-time screenwriter, and director Will Sharpe build their four-episode series around that detail, in imaginative and highly stylized ways that shift the focus away from true-crime investigation. “Landscapers” recounts the case, but the crime is one element in Susan and Chris’ love story, a star-crossed tale of two damaged people constructing a world in which they can survive, at least until the money runs out. This involves a wide range of filmmaking tricks. Sharpe shoots some scenes as keyholes in a black screen, as if we’re watching a play. Others he stages like full-on Hollywood productions, echoing the films Susan loves, such as “High Noon” and “The Last Metro.” (Gary Cooper and Gérard Depardieu are significant, if imaginary, figures in the story.) At key moments Sharpe literally breaks the fourth wall, pulling back the camera to show us the soundstage as the actors, in and out of character, walk from one set to another. In the hands of the gifted Sharpe, who directed the series “Flowers,” starring Colman, and the feature “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” (with Benedict Cumberbatch), these interventions are mostly engaging rather than distracting. They set up a theme of artifice and delusion, but “Landscapers,” thankfully, isn’t about the tyranny of modern media — it’s more about the ways in which ordinary, troubled people make sense of their lives by casting themselves in the stories of heroism and self-sacrifice that they’ve seen at the movies. The show doesn’t have to take a position on whether the Edwardses were telling the truth about what happened in the real world because it lives inside the reality they constructed. If “Landscapers” doesn’t, in the end, entirely fulfill the promise of Sharpe’s visual wizardry, it’s down to the screenplay by Sinclair, who is also Colman’s husband and producing partner. It doesn’t match the inventiveness of the direction, and it’s also more murky (and sentimental) than it needs to be about Susan’s true nature, which slightly dampens Colman’s performance. She spends most of the series playing things down the middle, and she’s only able to break out her fierce, splendid technique in a few scenes. The script does much better by Chris, though, and “Landscapers” is a showcase for Thewlis, with his angular frame and his distinctive style of commanding awkwardness. He perfectly captures Chris’ willing subservience to Susan and the way that his love for this “fragile” woman, who is also demanding and manipulative, shapes his personality in a manner that might seem pathetic to us but that is ennobling and ego-boosting to him. Thewlis is phenomenal throughout — in a pinpoint moment when Chris is thrown off by evidence of Susan’s dishonesty or in the larger gestures of the movie-love scenes, as when he twirls a six-shooter like a pro (before dropping it, of course). “Landscapers” may be noncommittal on the Edwardses’ guilt, but Thewlis absolutely nails Chris.

Review: ‘Landscapers’ is not your typical true-crime love story

Clinking of silverware in an expansive ranch, thudding of cowboy boots and an overbearing presence of a hyper-macho Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) casts a foreboding shadow on the Burbank household. The setting is 1925 and the mood, perpetually, of forbidden desires and suppressed emotions. In Phil's complex world, a man exhibiting even a shred of vulnerability gets labelled as 'half-cooked Miss Nancy'. Perhaps, this is why his brother George (Jesse Plemons) despises his tough, foul mouthed elder brother so much so that he doesn't pass up on the chance to marry the 'cheap schemer' widow, Rose (Kirsten Dunst), Phil ungracefully loathes.&nbsp;

<img alt="Benedict Cumberbatch is a menacing presence in 'The Power of the Dog'" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a279b438-4624-4c0e-90cf-11ebf9fd397a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-12-02T151530.262.jpg" /> 
For the world outside, Phil embodies 1920s machismo typical of the Western stretch during that era: where pianists tremble with fear upon his single glare, maids hurdle up in one corner on&nbsp;his arrival and nobody, not even the 'fatso' younger brother he seems to love, challenges his rugged and hillbilly habits.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-tick-tick-boom-review-andrew-garfields-ode-to-musical-genius-is-heart-wrenching-430496" hreflang="en">'Tick, Tick... Boom!' review: Andrew Garfield's ode to musical genius is heart-wrenching</a>

 
Through mere body language, Jane Campion (director) makes the demarcation clear to her viewers: Phil is the epitome&nbsp;of masculinity and George, a prop for Phil to impose his twisted ideologies on. The ones&nbsp;that were introduced to him at a tender age by 'friend and greatest cowboy of all time', Bronco Henry: a character we never meet in person but know of his grip over the brothers--for various reasons--only through dialogues.&nbsp;

 
Jane Campion's slowburner is a house of secrets, with heightened drama rendered by a stupendous Jonny Greenwood's background score.

However, Phil's authority is questioned by a lanky, sensitive sissy Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee, Rose's son) who is everything he&nbsp;is not: kind, artistic and a visionary of sorts.&nbsp;

<img alt="A revelation: Kodi Smit-McPhee as kind and sensitive Peter" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="eb0b0773-d70c-46bb-87c5-60b88e7b43d4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-12-02T151640.725.jpg" /> 
Campion, who has always&nbsp;been pro-female protagonist, makes an exception with this namesake adaptation of Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel: instead of a female character learning to find her feet in a male-dominated world, Campion lets Cumberbatch sweep us all with his toxic bravado while the layers of sentimentality are saved up for his most private moments. Campion juxtaposes Phil's persona against Peter's, with sexual tension galore and emotional baggage serving as the common component for them to bond over. 'The Power of the Dog' personifies unrealized dreams: Phil, like Bronco, wanted to be a mentor to a rather disappointing George. In Peter, he sees a glimmer of hope for the revival of that mentor-mentee relationship that he has always hankered after. Little did he know, Peter would crack open an array of emotions within him.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-chhorii-review-nushrratt-bharuccha-takes-one-for-the-team-431971" hreflang="en">'Chhorii' review: Nushrratt Bharuccha takes one for the team</a>

 
'The Power of the Dog' is 2021's visual masterpiece--with Campion winning the Venice Film Festival's Silver Lion for Best Director--as&nbsp;cinematographer Ari Wegner captures the anger, loneliness and complexity of the characters in her camera that leaves one gasping for breath. The ranch life, too, never looked so glamourous and tempting: every flip of a horse's tail is a story in itself.&nbsp;

<img alt="Kirsten Dunst evokes empathy as troubled Rose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="40f3e6c1-7644-4318-b901-00da1dd43198" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-12-02T151605.090.jpg" /> 
Kirsten Dunst, as Rose, is drowning in alcoholism and unresolved issues and the actor internalizes her trauma with mastery. Her on-as-well-as-off-screen partner Jesse Plemons displays a plethora of emotions solely through his expressions: a quality Plemons has forever been appreciated for. The secret weapon in this sinister Western saga, however, is Kodi Smit-McPhee. You don't know what hits you once he is on frame. Like Phil, Kodi&nbsp;wraps his audience around his finger and there one stays till the very end.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-tiger-king-2-review-joe-exotics-life-is-now-a-reality-show-with-more-drama-than-the-kardashians-430587" hreflang="en">'Tiger King 2' review: Joe Exotic's life is now a reality show with more drama than the Kardashians</a>

 
Dark, desolate, disturbing and ominous are some of the apt adjectives for delineating Jane Campion's comeback film--yes, this is her first directorial venture after a hiatus of 12 years--and she unleashes ruthlessness of the central figure through an actor we did not know could do mean so exquisitely: Benedict 'marvelous' Cumberbatch.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

'The Power of the Dog' is now streaming on Netflix.

&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ELvKuuXdfCU" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Clinking of silverware in an expansive ranch, thudding of cowboy boots and an overbearing presence of a hyper-macho Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) casts a foreboding shadow on the Burbank household.

Clinking of silverware in an expansive ranch, thudding of cowboy boots and an overbearing presence of a hyper-macho Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) casts a foreboding shadow on the Burbank household. The setting is 1925 and the mood, perpetually, of forbidden desires and suppressed emotions. In Phil's complex world, a man exhibiting even a shred of vulnerability gets labelled as 'half-cooked Miss Nancy'. Perhaps, this is why his brother George (Jesse Plemons) despises his tough, foul mouthed elder brother so much so that he doesn't pass up on the chance to marry the 'cheap schemer' widow, Rose (Kirsten Dunst), Phil ungracefully loathes. For the world outside, Phil embodies 1920s machismo typical of the Western stretch during that era: where pianists tremble with fear upon his single glare, maids hurdle up in one corner on his arrival and nobody, not even the 'fatso' younger brother he seems to love, challenges his rugged and hillbilly habits. Also read: 'Tick, Tick... Boom!' review: Andrew Garfield's ode to musical genius is heart-wrenching Through mere body language, Jane Campion (director) makes the demarcation clear to her viewers: Phil is the epitome of masculinity and George, a prop for Phil to impose his twisted ideologies on. The ones that were introduced to him at a tender age by 'friend and greatest cowboy of all time', Bronco Henry: a character we never meet in person but know of his grip over the brothers--for various reasons--only through dialogues. Jane Campion's slowburner is a house of secrets, with heightened drama rendered by a stupendous Jonny Greenwood's background score. However, Phil's authority is questioned by a lanky, sensitive sissy Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee, Rose's son) who is everything he is not: kind, artistic and a visionary of sorts. Campion, who has always been pro-female protagonist, makes an exception with this namesake adaptation of Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel: instead of a female character learning to find her feet in a male-dominated world, Campion lets Cumberbatch sweep us all with his toxic bravado while the layers of sentimentality are saved up for his most private moments. Campion juxtaposes Phil's persona against Peter's, with sexual tension galore and emotional baggage serving as the common component for them to bond over. 'The Power of the Dog' personifies unrealized dreams: Phil, like Bronco, wanted to be a mentor to a rather disappointing George. In Peter, he sees a glimmer of hope for the revival of that mentor-mentee relationship that he has always hankered after. Little did he know, Peter would crack open an array of emotions within him. Also read: 'Chhorii' review: Nushrratt Bharuccha takes one for the team 'The Power of the Dog' is 2021's visual masterpiece--with Campion winning the Venice Film Festival's Silver Lion for Best Director--as cinematographer Ari Wegner captures the anger, loneliness and complexity of the characters in her camera that leaves one gasping for breath. The ranch life, too, never looked so glamourous and tempting: every flip of a horse's tail is a story in itself. Kirsten Dunst, as Rose, is drowning in alcoholism and unresolved issues and the actor internalizes her trauma with mastery. Her on-as-well-as-off-screen partner Jesse Plemons displays a plethora of emotions solely through his expressions: a quality Plemons has forever been appreciated for. The secret weapon in this sinister Western saga, however, is Kodi Smit-McPhee. You don't know what hits you once he is on frame. Like Phil, Kodi wraps his audience around his finger and there one stays till the very end. Also read: 'Tiger King 2' review: Joe Exotic's life is now a reality show with more drama than the Kardashians Dark, desolate, disturbing and ominous are some of the apt adjectives for delineating Jane Campion's comeback film--yes, this is her first directorial venture after a hiatus of 12 years--and she unleashes ruthlessness of the central figure through an actor we did not know could do mean so exquisitely: Benedict 'marvelous' Cumberbatch. 'The Power of the Dog' is now streaming on Netflix.

The Power of the Dog review: Benedict Cumberbatch's a marvelous old, lonely ranch man

Animation takes viewers where movie cameras don’t easily travel — to the upper reaches of the world’s highest mountains — in “The Summit of the Gods,” a French-language adaptation of a Japanese manga.

 
The object that sets the plot in motion is, fittingly, a camera: At a bar in Kathmandu, a photojournalist named Fukamachi (voiced by Damien Boisseau) is approached by a stranger eager to sell him what he claims was the camera George Mallory brought to Everest in 1924. Mallory and his climbing partner, Andrew Irvine, didn’t survive, but whatever images they shot might answer the question of whether they reached the summit. When Fukamachi subsequently sees a reclusive Japanese climber, Habu (voiced at different ages by Éric Herson Macarel and Lazare Herson Macarel), snatch the Vest Pocket Kodak, he suspects the device might be legit.

 
Employing a faintly “Citizen Kane”-like approach to structure, the movie’s first half alternates between Fukamachi’s investigations into what motivated Habu’s disappearance and flashbacks to Habu’s life, with the contents of the camera serving as the functional equivalent of Rosebud. Patrick Imbert, making his feature-directing debut, works with a plainness of line and motion and a subdued color palette that appear to owe more to certain anime artists than the textured illustrations of the original manga. Imbert is said to have drawn inspiration from the “Grave of the Fireflies” filmmaker Isao Takahata, among others.

 
The present action of this time-hopping film is subtly placed several years before the unmentioned real-life discovery of Mallory’s body, sans camera, in 1999. On limited terms — capturing the physicality of mountain climbing within the ethereal medium of animation — “The Summit of the Gods” is distinctive.

Animation takes viewers where movie cameras don’t easily travel — to the upper reaches of the world’s highest mountains — in “The Summit of the Gods,” a French-language adaptation of a Japanese manga.

Animation takes viewers where movie cameras don’t easily travel — to the upper reaches of the world’s highest mountains — in “The Summit of the Gods,” a French-language adaptation of a Japanese manga. The object that sets the plot in motion is, fittingly, a camera: At a bar in Kathmandu, a photojournalist named Fukamachi (voiced by Damien Boisseau) is approached by a stranger eager to sell him what he claims was the camera George Mallory brought to Everest in 1924. Mallory and his climbing partner, Andrew Irvine, didn’t survive, but whatever images they shot might answer the question of whether they reached the summit. When Fukamachi subsequently sees a reclusive Japanese climber, Habu (voiced at different ages by Éric Herson Macarel and Lazare Herson Macarel), snatch the Vest Pocket Kodak, he suspects the device might be legit. Employing a faintly “Citizen Kane”-like approach to structure, the movie’s first half alternates between Fukamachi’s investigations into what motivated Habu’s disappearance and flashbacks to Habu’s life, with the contents of the camera serving as the functional equivalent of Rosebud. Patrick Imbert, making his feature-directing debut, works with a plainness of line and motion and a subdued color palette that appear to owe more to certain anime artists than the textured illustrations of the original manga. Imbert is said to have drawn inspiration from the “Grave of the Fireflies” filmmaker Isao Takahata, among others. The present action of this time-hopping film is subtly placed several years before the unmentioned real-life discovery of Mallory’s body, sans camera, in 1999. On limited terms — capturing the physicality of mountain climbing within the ethereal medium of animation — “The Summit of the Gods” is distinctive.

‘The Summit of the Gods’ review: In the (mountain) heights

Whether you are a fan of the sport of Tennis or not, most bibliophiles know and would tell you that Andre Agassi's memoir 'Open' is one of the finest, most trite yet egoistically well-written look-back-at-my-famous-life there ever was. Will Smith's penchant for detail--from the beltings at home by his raging alcoholic father to that life-altering moment with Arnold Schwarzenegger, this man has the memory of a whale--is similar in language. The loud, self-derogation tonality of the biography is nothing but a curtain raiser to the self-obsessed, extremely talented and one of the finest salesman of Hollywood, ladies and gentleman: Will Smith for you!&nbsp;

<img alt="vjlnljbvjhbnk" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="10f8fc88-da4f-479e-9892-e394bcc8489f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-11-27T195542.495.jpg" /> 
'Will' impresses for two reasons: the actor presents the self-help rhetoric at periodic intervals to satiate his readers' need for a good cry, and, despite his best efforts to keep ego massages in check, his preachy anecdotes about the glorious life he gets to live as one of the biggest Black stars of all time. Will Smith sure as shell knows it's not easy being Will Smith, but success is self-admittedly his heroine and he isn't in it for rehabilitation, so he masks his insecurities and plays the game. Every single day, or so he says.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-chhorii-review-nushrratt-bharuccha-takes-one-for-the-team-431971" hreflang="en">'Chhorii' review: Nushrratt Bharuccha takes one for the team</a>

 
The chapters dedicated to his tender years and the subsequent bravado at home--he quit school to be a rapper, one of the firsts to win a Grammy in fact--are carefully planted emotional snippets from the life of a Black success story who catapulted to superstardom at a time when inclusion was a topic people did not talk even at support group meetings.&nbsp;

 
'Men in Black', 'Enemy of the State', Oscar nominated 'Ali' and 'The Pursuit of Happyness', again 'Men in Black II', 'Independence Day' and even 'Hancock', Will Smith will proudly have you know he has made outrageous amounts of money that he could retire tomorrow if he wants to.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-wion-exclusive-carryminati-my-alter-ego-made-me-from-being-invisible-to-widely-recognised-430716" hreflang="en">WION exclusive! CarryMinati: My alter ego made me from being invisible to widely recognised</a>

 
Entertainment must really be running thick in his blood veins for he gets candid about love and sex, slightly held back in portions where he talks about his polygamous marriage to Jada Pinkett-Smith, and his unapologetic tendency for success. "Skeptics call it self-delusion (referring to 'Summertime'); I call it ‘another Grammy’ and ‘my first #1 record.’ ” Will Smith is boastful and wants his life to serve as case study to those on the brink of giving up, or not. The intention is noble, the tone could have been mildly modest.&nbsp;

<img alt="vbjkllb.lm." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5c2944e5-74e0-47c5-bbc8-667483393229" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pjimage%20-%202021-11-27T195620.495.jpg" /> 
Yes, a recurring theme in Smith's memoir--which he has written with able help from 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck' author, Mark Manson--is the constant tussle between the invincible Hollywood star and the 'coward' buried under layers of 'overcompensation and fake bravado'. But the most honest Will Smith ever gets in this self-deprecating, megalomaniacal memoir is the part where he gets around to talking about the driving force in his life--the absolute desire to win. We learn that even when he is just playing Monopoly with his children, he is in it to win. The 'King Richard' star--one of the Oscar hopefuls this year--has zero, and we really mean 'zero', qualms about his characteristic trait of wanting to be somebody, reach somewhere in life. So, this piece of information should come as no surprise that when one of his movies smashed all Box-Office records, he wanted to surpass the actor who was making all the noise at the time: Jim Carrey. If Carrey was making $20 million a movie, Smith started bidding at 21. As a reader and lover of cinema, one cannot help but respect Will Smith's unquenchable thirst for success, and he being so brutally open about it.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-tiger-king-2-review-joe-exotics-life-is-now-a-reality-show-with-more-drama-than-the-kardashians-430587" hreflang="en">'Tiger King 2' review: Joe Exotic's life is now a reality show with more drama than the Kardashians</a>

 
In one of the first pages, Smith describes his persona as "the alien-annihilating MC, the bigger-than-life movie star, is largely a construction — a carefully crafted and honed character — designed to protect myself. To hide myself from the world. To hide the coward"--which, frankly, is a bit over the top of an introduction even by Smith's standards, but it does drive home a strong point: you love Will Smith for all the charm he sprinkles all over you whenever he is on camera, and not the sob stories that seem to have defined his formative years.

 
Both 'Will' and Will Smith are put ups that you love to love, sexual drama or shameful tax fiascos or not.&nbsp;

'Will' is now available on Audible India.&nbsp;

Whether you are a fan of the sport of Tennis or not, most bibliophiles know and would tell you that Andre Agassi's memoir 'Open' is one of the finest, most trite yet egoistically well-written look-back-at-my-famous-life there ever was.

Whether you are a fan of the sport of Tennis or not, most bibliophiles know and would tell you that Andre Agassi's memoir 'Open' is one of the finest, most trite yet egoistically well-written look-back-at-my-famous-life there ever was. Will Smith's penchant for detail--from the beltings at home by his raging alcoholic father to that life-altering moment with Arnold Schwarzenegger, this man has the memory of a whale--is similar in language. The loud, self-derogation tonality of the biography is nothing but a curtain raiser to the self-obsessed, extremely talented and one of the finest salesman of Hollywood, ladies and gentleman: Will Smith for you! 'Will' impresses for two reasons: the actor presents the self-help rhetoric at periodic intervals to satiate his readers' need for a good cry, and, despite his best efforts to keep ego massages in check, his preachy anecdotes about the glorious life he gets to live as one of the biggest Black stars of all time. Will Smith sure as shell knows it's not easy being Will Smith, but success is self-admittedly his heroine and he isn't in it for rehabilitation, so he masks his insecurities and plays the game. Every single day, or so he says. Also read: 'Chhorii' review: Nushrratt Bharuccha takes one for the team The chapters dedicated to his tender years and the subsequent bravado at home--he quit school to be a rapper, one of the firsts to win a Grammy in fact--are carefully planted emotional snippets from the life of a Black success story who catapulted to superstardom at a time when inclusion was a topic people did not talk even at support group meetings. 'Men in Black', 'Enemy of the State', Oscar nominated 'Ali' and 'The Pursuit of Happyness', again 'Men in Black II', 'Independence Day' and even 'Hancock', Will Smith will proudly have you know he has made outrageous amounts of money that he could retire tomorrow if he wants to. Also read: WION exclusive! CarryMinati: My alter ego made me from being invisible to widely recognised Entertainment must really be running thick in his blood veins for he gets candid about love and sex, slightly held back in portions where he talks about his polygamous marriage to Jada Pinkett-Smith, and his unapologetic tendency for success. "Skeptics call it self-delusion (referring to 'Summertime'); I call it ‘another Grammy’ and ‘my first #1 record.’ ” Will Smith is boastful and wants his life to serve as case study to those on the brink of giving up, or not. The intention is noble, the tone could have been mildly modest. Yes, a recurring theme in Smith's memoir--which he has written with able help from 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck' author, Mark Manson--is the constant tussle between the invincible Hollywood star and the 'coward' buried under layers of 'overcompensation and fake bravado'. But the most honest Will Smith ever gets in this self-deprecating, megalomaniacal memoir is the part where he gets around to talking about the driving force in his life--the absolute desire to win. We learn that even when he is just playing Monopoly with his children, he is in it to win. The 'King Richard' star--one of the Oscar hopefuls this year--has zero, and we really mean 'zero', qualms about his characteristic trait of wanting to be somebody, reach somewhere in life. So, this piece of information should come as no surprise that when one of his movies smashed all Box-Office records, he wanted to surpass the actor who was making all the noise at the time: Jim Carrey. If Carrey was making $20 million a movie, Smith started bidding at 21. As a reader and lover of cinema, one cannot help but respect Will Smith's unquenchable thirst for success, and he being so brutally open about it. Also read: 'Tiger King 2' review: Joe Exotic's life is now a reality show with more drama than the Kardashians In one of the first pages, Smith describes his persona as "the alien-annihilating MC, the bigger-than-life movie star, is largely a construction — a carefully crafted and honed character — designed to protect myself. To hide myself from the world. To hide the coward"--which, frankly, is a bit over the top of an introduction even by Smith's standards, but it does drive home a strong point: you love Will Smith for all the charm he sprinkles all over you whenever he is on camera, and not the sob stories that seem to have defined his formative years. Both 'Will' and Will Smith are put ups that you love to love, sexual drama or shameful tax fiascos or not. 'Will' is now available on Audible India.

'Will' book review: Will Smith, the superstar, confronts Will Smith, the coward

“Licorice Pizza,” a shaggy, fitfully brilliant romp from Paul Thomas Anderson, takes place in a 1973 dream of bared midriffs and swinging hair, failures and pretenders. It’s set in Encino, a Los Angeles outpost in the shadow of Hollywood and the birthplace of such films as “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Boogie Nights,” Anderson’s 1997 breakout about a striver’s passage into pornographic stardom. There’s DNA from both old and new Hollywood in “Licorice Pizza,” a coming-of-age romance in which no one grows up.

 
The film’s improbable teenage hero is Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman, son of Philip Seymour Hoffman), another classic striver. A child performer who’s hit maximum adolescent awkwardness, Gary is 15 and aging out of his professional niche. He still performs but has started to diversify. Yet even as he embraces uncertain new ventures, his faith in himself remains steady, keeping his smile lit and smooth talk oozing. Deranged optimism and self-importance are American birthrights, and if his confidence weren’t so poignantly outsized — and if Anderson were in a tougher mood — Gary would be a figure of tragedy rather than of comedy.

 
Anderson always maintains a level of detachment toward his characters, letting you see their unembellished flaws, both insignificant and defining. He loves them with the prerogative of any director. But his love for Gary is special, as lavish as that of an indulgent parent, and his affection for the character is of a piece of the soft nostalgic glow he pumps into “Licorice Pizza,” blunting its edges and limiting the film’s overall effect. The gap between what you see in Gary and what he sees in himself makes the character hard to get a handle on, and more interesting. Gary blunders and bluffs, finding success and defeat, fueled by a braggadocio that, much like one of the earthquake faults running under the city, threatens to bring the whole thing tumbling down at any moment.

 
This instability suits the freewheeling, episodic structure, even if Gary wears out his welcome. The film opens on a school picture day with high school boys preening in a bathroom and lines of students snaking outside. An amusingly portentous cherry bomb explodes in a toilet, and before long Gary is ogling Alana (Alana Haim, the rock musician), an assistant for a creep who’s taking the kids’ pictures. The photographer slaps her ass. Gary is more of a romantic. He’s knocked out by Alana, instantly smitten, a thunderbolt moment that Anderson memorializes with a prodigious tracking shot that gets both the camera and the story’s juices going. Gary has met the girl he’s going to marry, even if she doesn’t know it.

 
Anderson keeps the camera and characters beautifully flowing through minor and major adventures of varying interest. Most of these are inaugurated by Gary’s entrepreneurial hustling, which takes him all over the nabe and sometimes beyond. He dips into bars and restaurants, shops and audition rooms, and belts out a tune in a show where he upstages a cruelly funny stand-in for Lucille Ball (Christine Ebersole), who threatens to castrate him (not really, but the rage is real). He jousts with his enemy (Skyler Gisondo), a wee smoothie who slides in like Dean Martin in his cups, which is as sleazy and silly as it sounds. Gary also gets busted, starts a few businesses, runs from the law and into Alana’s arms, which remain as dependably open as a late-night diner.

 
“Licorice Pizza” has its seductions, most notably Alana. She’s a fabulous creation, at once down-to-earth real as a friend who grew up in the valley and as fantastical as a Hollywood dream girl. When Alana first walks through Gary’s school, Anderson makes sure to show her in long shot, head to toe, exasperated and slumped, hair and miniskirt gently in sync. This is Haim’s first movie, but she has a seasoned performer’s presence and physical assurance. Her expressive range — her face drains and fills as effortlessly as if she were handling a water tap — and humanizing lack of vanity are crucial, partly because she’s a delight to watch and because Hoffman is a frustratingly limited foil.

 
For reasons that only she knows, Alana agrees to go out with Gary, initiating a relationship that makes no sense but one that Anderson certainly enjoys. She’s about 10 years older than Gary, maybe more. He’s big for his age and taller than her, and with his swagger and belly bulging over his belt, you can already see the used car salesman he might one day become. But right now he’s a kid. “Do you think it’s weird,” Alana asks a friend, while smoking a joint, “that I hang out with Gary and his friends all the time?” Alana says she think it’s weird (it is), but what she believes doesn’t have much bearing on the story, and she continually bends to suit Gary’s needs as well as Anderson’s, which don’t include psychological realism.

 
Anderson asks a lot of Haim: He makes sure we see her nipples at full mast under her shirt and parades her around in a bikini when everyone else is dressed. These moments are in line with some of the more flagrantly obnoxious stereotypes that he folds in, just like a studio hack might have done back in the day while having a witless chuckle. There’s a sycophantic assistant who’s a mincing cliché, and the white owner of a Japanese restaurant who speaks in broken English. Anderson deploys these stereotypes without editorializing, which is a commentary on their use, and with just enough timing and attention to make it clear that he’s enjoying tweaking contemporary sensibilities.

 
These moments are cheap and stupid and add nothing to a movie that throws out a great deal to alternating scattershot and lasered effect: the OPEC oil crisis, water beds, the silhouette of palm trees against a night sky and the kind of stars who no longer shine bright. One of the recurrent beats that Anderson hits best in “Licorice Pizza” is what it’s like to live in a company town like Los Angeles, where everyone is in the business, seems to be, or wants to be, and so keeps hanging on to Hollywood and its promise, whether it’s Gary or the faded and midlevel stars idling in the neighborhood joint. There, Sean Penn roars in as an old-studio lush as Tom Waits and other pals grin on the sidelines.

 
Throughout, Alana keeps fuming and blazing, steadily lighting up Gary and the film as brightly as Fourth of July fireworks, even as the story slides here and there, and gathers and loses momentum. The movie doesn’t always know what to do with Alana other than dog after her, and it’s a particular bummer that while Anderson makes her an object of love and lust, he shortchanges her sexual desire. Alana may be lost, but she isn’t dead; quite the reverse. She’s a woman who’s alive to the world and aware of her own attraction. But she’s a blank libidinally, as virginal and safe as a teen comedy heroine. She doesn’t even ask Gary to pleasure her, not that he would know what to do.

 
Alana deserves better, dammit! Everyone knows it (OK, not Gary). Even the Hollywood producer based on the real Jon Peters (a sensational Bradley Cooper) knows it. Resplendently fuzzed, a white shirt framing his chest hair, a kilo of coke (probably) up his nose, Peters appears after Gary starts a water bed company. The business is a long, not especially good story, but Peters, who’s dating Barbra Streisand, wants a bed and he wants it now. This initiates a tour de force sequence in which Alana, who’s helping Gary run things, natch, takes the wheel of a monstrous moving truck. She’s a natural, a genius, Streisand, Andretti, a California goddess, and, as she brakes and slows and goes, Alana gives you a vision of perfection and “Licorice Pizza” the driver it needs.

“Licorice Pizza,” a shaggy, fitfully brilliant romp from Paul Thomas Anderson, takes place in a 1973 dream of bared midriffs and swinging hair, failures and pretenders.

“Licorice Pizza,” a shaggy, fitfully brilliant romp from Paul Thomas Anderson, takes place in a 1973 dream of bared midriffs and swinging hair, failures and pretenders. It’s set in Encino, a Los Angeles outpost in the shadow of Hollywood and the birthplace of such films as “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Boogie Nights,” Anderson’s 1997 breakout about a striver’s passage into pornographic stardom. There’s DNA from both old and new Hollywood in “Licorice Pizza,” a coming-of-age romance in which no one grows up. The film’s improbable teenage hero is Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman, son of Philip Seymour Hoffman), another classic striver. A child performer who’s hit maximum adolescent awkwardness, Gary is 15 and aging out of his professional niche. He still performs but has started to diversify. Yet even as he embraces uncertain new ventures, his faith in himself remains steady, keeping his smile lit and smooth talk oozing. Deranged optimism and self-importance are American birthrights, and if his confidence weren’t so poignantly outsized — and if Anderson were in a tougher mood — Gary would be a figure of tragedy rather than of comedy. Anderson always maintains a level of detachment toward his characters, letting you see their unembellished flaws, both insignificant and defining. He loves them with the prerogative of any director. But his love for Gary is special, as lavish as that of an indulgent parent, and his affection for the character is of a piece of the soft nostalgic glow he pumps into “Licorice Pizza,” blunting its edges and limiting the film’s overall effect. The gap between what you see in Gary and what he sees in himself makes the character hard to get a handle on, and more interesting. Gary blunders and bluffs, finding success and defeat, fueled by a braggadocio that, much like one of the earthquake faults running under the city, threatens to bring the whole thing tumbling down at any moment. This instability suits the freewheeling, episodic structure, even if Gary wears out his welcome. The film opens on a school picture day with high school boys preening in a bathroom and lines of students snaking outside. An amusingly portentous cherry bomb explodes in a toilet, and before long Gary is ogling Alana (Alana Haim, the rock musician), an assistant for a creep who’s taking the kids’ pictures. The photographer slaps her ass. Gary is more of a romantic. He’s knocked out by Alana, instantly smitten, a thunderbolt moment that Anderson memorializes with a prodigious tracking shot that gets both the camera and the story’s juices going. Gary has met the girl he’s going to marry, even if she doesn’t know it. Anderson keeps the camera and characters beautifully flowing through minor and major adventures of varying interest. Most of these are inaugurated by Gary’s entrepreneurial hustling, which takes him all over the nabe and sometimes beyond. He dips into bars and restaurants, shops and audition rooms, and belts out a tune in a show where he upstages a cruelly funny stand-in for Lucille Ball (Christine Ebersole), who threatens to castrate him (not really, but the rage is real). He jousts with his enemy (Skyler Gisondo), a wee smoothie who slides in like Dean Martin in his cups, which is as sleazy and silly as it sounds. Gary also gets busted, starts a few businesses, runs from the law and into Alana’s arms, which remain as dependably open as a late-night diner. “Licorice Pizza” has its seductions, most notably Alana. She’s a fabulous creation, at once down-to-earth real as a friend who grew up in the valley and as fantastical as a Hollywood dream girl. When Alana first walks through Gary’s school, Anderson makes sure to show her in long shot, head to toe, exasperated and slumped, hair and miniskirt gently in sync. This is Haim’s first movie, but she has a seasoned performer’s presence and physical assurance. Her expressive range — her face drains and fills as effortlessly as if she were handling a water tap — and humanizing lack of vanity are crucial, partly because she’s a delight to watch and because Hoffman is a frustratingly limited foil. For reasons that only she knows, Alana agrees to go out with Gary, initiating a relationship that makes no sense but one that Anderson certainly enjoys. She’s about 10 years older than Gary, maybe more. He’s big for his age and taller than her, and with his swagger and belly bulging over his belt, you can already see the used car salesman he might one day become. But right now he’s a kid. “Do you think it’s weird,” Alana asks a friend, while smoking a joint, “that I hang out with Gary and his friends all the time?” Alana says she think it’s weird (it is), but what she believes doesn’t have much bearing on the story, and she continually bends to suit Gary’s needs as well as Anderson’s, which don’t include psychological realism. Anderson asks a lot of Haim: He makes sure we see her nipples at full mast under her shirt and parades her around in a bikini when everyone else is dressed. These moments are in line with some of the more flagrantly obnoxious stereotypes that he folds in, just like a studio hack might have done back in the day while having a witless chuckle. There’s a sycophantic assistant who’s a mincing cliché, and the white owner of a Japanese restaurant who speaks in broken English. Anderson deploys these stereotypes without editorializing, which is a commentary on their use, and with just enough timing and attention to make it clear that he’s enjoying tweaking contemporary sensibilities. These moments are cheap and stupid and add nothing to a movie that throws out a great deal to alternating scattershot and lasered effect: the OPEC oil crisis, water beds, the silhouette of palm trees against a night sky and the kind of stars who no longer shine bright. One of the recurrent beats that Anderson hits best in “Licorice Pizza” is what it’s like to live in a company town like Los Angeles, where everyone is in the business, seems to be, or wants to be, and so keeps hanging on to Hollywood and its promise, whether it’s Gary or the faded and midlevel stars idling in the neighborhood joint. There, Sean Penn roars in as an old-studio lush as Tom Waits and other pals grin on the sidelines. Throughout, Alana keeps fuming and blazing, steadily lighting up Gary and the film as brightly as Fourth of July fireworks, even as the story slides here and there, and gathers and loses momentum. The movie doesn’t always know what to do with Alana other than dog after her, and it’s a particular bummer that while Anderson makes her an object of love and lust, he shortchanges her sexual desire. Alana may be lost, but she isn’t dead; quite the reverse. She’s a woman who’s alive to the world and aware of her own attraction. But she’s a blank libidinally, as virginal and safe as a teen comedy heroine. She doesn’t even ask Gary to pleasure her, not that he would know what to do. Alana deserves better, dammit! Everyone knows it (OK, not Gary). Even the Hollywood producer based on the real Jon Peters (a sensational Bradley Cooper) knows it. Resplendently fuzzed, a white shirt framing his chest hair, a kilo of coke (probably) up his nose, Peters appears after Gary starts a water bed company. The business is a long, not especially good story, but Peters, who’s dating Barbra Streisand, wants a bed and he wants it now. This initiates a tour de force sequence in which Alana, who’s helping Gary run things, natch, takes the wheel of a monstrous moving truck. She’s a natural, a genius, Streisand, Andretti, a California goddess, and, as she brakes and slows and goes, Alana gives you a vision of perfection and “Licorice Pizza” the driver it needs.

‘Licorice Pizza’ Review: California dreaming and scheming

review

Review, News on Review, stories on Review, articles on Review, Review stories at Wion, Review news, Review latest news