Missing the last train isn’t that bad, and neither is getting snatched by a human-like giant
#7
This Retake issue will give you a peek inside my head with my favourite film of all time. It’s funny, heart-warming, and brave — all at the same time. But that’s not all; you will also get a sight of a cold, dystopian world that shows no mercy towards its people. Then there’s this little girl who befriends a giant and a carefree young man who falls into a dreamy sequence after he misses the last train to his home.
In short, you’re going to be very busy catching up on all these films and shows, so cancel all other plans for at least two weekends.
The BFG
A human-like giant as tall as a multi-storied building sneaks into the civilized world each night to do his only job — deliver dreams (and sometimes nightmares) when people are fast asleep. One day, he is forced to pick up a 10-year-old Sophie from her orphanage after she accidentally spots him and takes her to his dream lab. Sophie is safe with him because he’s none other than the Big Friendly Giant!
However, other giants are quite the opposite of friendly to the BFG or Sophie. The little girl devises a plan to pull BFG out of his misery, and she seeks help from the Queen of England.
This fantasy world was created in a 1982 novel by Roald Dahl and visualized in its movie form by Melissa Mathison and Steven Spielberg. The best part about The BFG is its simplicity and the ability to put a smile across your face. Also, these giants have their own version of kaddu that all of them collectively hate, so that’s one thing common between us.
Ek Chalis Ki Last Local
Nilesh (Abhay Deol) is your average, young and careless city dweller who is partying late at night after work and misses the last local train. A tragic event in the city led to a rickshaw strike, leaving Nilesh stranded on Mumbai roads along with Madhu (Neha Dhupia). A night that started with bud luck soon turns on its head as Nilesh gets into a winning streak in gambling.
But not everything is rosy this night. Nilesh and Madhu find themselves in the middle of a gang fight with the police. You will have to watch for yourself to know if Nilesh gets out of that night as a lucky man or not.
Calling the events in the film unexpected would be an understatement. As the night unfolds, one thing leads to another, and both the characters and the audience are left thinking: what the hell just happened?
Leila
In the 2040s, Shalini is abducted, and her little daughter Leila is taken away for being born out of an interfaith marriage, to cleanse her. The purity camp is nothing but a prison where more women like Shalini are made to work day in and out and submit to religious fanaticism. When Shalini finds a friend in a law enforcement member, she breaks out to find her daughter in a world that is working against them.
The dystopian world that Leila creates is set far into the future, yet it doesn’t quite feel that far. The show talks about many of the issues that plague our today, but in a more heightened form: basic natural resources have depleted, Skydome is a giant closed-up area with clean air for the elite, and the sky-high walls physically divide society.
Netflix hasn’t renewed Leila beyond its first season, likely because of the subjects it talks about. If you’re eager to know what happens after the first season, your best bet is the novel (by Prayaag Akbar) it is based on.
Little Miss Sunshine
A family sets out on a trip across the country in a van as functional as the family on a road as twisted as the clan. They are taking their little girl Olive to a beauty pageant. As they face a series of setbacks on their way to the event, the family starts to accept each other as they are and unite for the cause of Little Miss Sunshine. The aspiring beauty queen Olive also faces her own fears while being a part of this madhouse and manages to get on the stage to do her set.
When the father has to ask everyone to “pretend to be normal,” you know that the family is anything but. The cast of Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, and Steve Carell is brilliant, and the story is even better — it’s one hell of a hilarious ride. If there’s one road trip movie you can watch this weekend, make it Little Miss Sunshine.
Short Term 12
Whenever someone asks about my favourite movie, Short Term 12 always comes up in the conversation. From the very first scene, the film makes you a part of this group of young people who themselves are flawed but are trying to help other troubled teens at their centre. Short Term 12 isn’t too long a film, but it is still densely packed with emotions as it shows every side of its characters, good or ugly.
Grace (Brie Larson) is pretty young, but she knows how to care for and soothe a dozen teenagers in her centre. When a closed-off girl, Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever), joins the centre, something changes in Grace. She becomes much more protective of Jayden than any other kid there. And as the two gain each other’s trust, Grace also learns to open up to and confide in her boyfriend and co-worker, Mason.
Okay, there’s a little more.
A theft, a red scooter, and Adil Hussain. In this playful robbery investigation film Lorni, some objects of great cultural value are stolen, and Shem is tasked with the investigation. What follows next brings together the local folklore and culture for a movie that explores all aspects of human nature and Shillong. Watch the trailer below, and if it interests you enough, catch the full movie on Sony LIV.
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