Amit Bachani

This will go down as one of the great Spy thrillers and shows of our time, no doubt about it. Now that all episodes have been released, it’s a no brainer to say that this is an absolute masterclass in TV making from start to finish, and a brilliant showcase of the sheer powerhouse of talent that Eddie Redmayne is. That Golden Globe has his name ALL over it. It’s an amazing globetrotting thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, perfectly executed with amazing editing, tight direction, and outstanding performances from the entire cast. If you’re looking for your next watch this holiday season, The Day of The Jackal is it! The production value on this show is unlike anything you’ve seen before, and is absolutely impeccable. It rivals that of a James Bond film and is stunning to say the least. Croatia, Spain, Germany, the list goes on, and each episode is more gorgeous than the last. “The Day of the Jackal” follows an intense cat and mouse chase between MI6 agent Bianca (Lashana Lynch) and the International Assassin known as The Jackal (Eddie Redmayne). While the premise seems simple enough and may feel like nothing you haven’t seen before, it’s the unpredictable storytelling and the immaculate atmosphere of this show that keeps you coming back for more. I can’t iterate much beyond what others have said, but this show is a brilliant rollercoaster. All the directors on this show are here to stay and the biggest credit of this show’s success goes to the writing and the production team. I’m not the biggest Lashana Lynch fan and didn’t love her acting in the last Craig Bond film, but she’s a stellar lead for this show. She has such a great restraint to her performance and her parallel arc to Eddie Redmayne’s is just amazing. The level of detail she’s put into characterizing Bianca’s hair and how her Black identity ties into her character is so commendable! She’s one of her generation’s best. I don’t even know what to say for Eddie Redmayne. He’s one of the most consistently brilliant actors around and I’m happy after he got a raw deal with the Potterverse / Fantastic Beasts trilogy, he’s back to showcasing his dramatic chops. He literally makes the show. As The Jackal, he’s as effortlessly charming as he is sociopathic and dead in the eyes. The duality is brilliant and it’s unlike anything you’ve seen Eddie play on screen before. He kills without remorse but he’s also a loving family man on the other side of it all. He’s a pathological liar but he’s also truthful in his desire to be a better person. His past is checkered, and despite all you see, you want him to come out unscathed. The timeless elegance of his outfits and the way he carries himself with poise is so much more than an elite fashion statement, and you just can’t take your eyes off of Eddie. He’s considered one of the most handsome people in Hollywood and the world for a reason. His scenes with Ursula Corbero (his wife, Nuria) are some of the show’s best, and Corbero is amazing in her dramatic scenes. If you can get past some of the slower episodes, the pay off and the final is so worth the wait! If you’re craving some James Bond style action, then this is gonna be your cup of tea!

Queer is an ambitious film, not only for Luca Guadagnino, but for Daniel Craig himself. It’s equal parts mesmerizing — a brilliant showcase of the sun kissed splendor of Mexico — and deeply stirring and polarizing. The film is split into three chapters and an epilogue, two of which are linear and are just a breezy watch and a strong testament to why Daniel’s one of the best to ever do it.  The last chapter of this film really ventures into experimental territory a bit too deeply for my liking (it gets weird) and left me with an unsatisfying interpretive conclusion to the story, but it’s technically and visually brilliant. This final third act will certainly divide viewers for sure. Luca Guadagnino’s partnered up with some of the best emerging and current talent across multiple generations, but his collaboration with Daniel is a stratospheric achievement. Their creative partnership should be studied because Luca strips back every inch of the hyper masculinity that characterized Daniel’s tenure as Bond and with which he’s naturally associated with.  Craig’s Lee, a wealthy expat donning beige linen suits and constantly on the prowl for a night of erotic excitement, is such a phenomenal character study and its hand’s down his best performance. I think the years of Bond really detracted from some decades audiences could’ve had of viewing Craig as a serious dramatic actor in the same league as the all time greats, and I think this is the aggressive career shakeup he needed.  He’s a cocktail of desperate longing, unrequited love, a scattered junkie brain searching for his next fix, and an obsessively selfish lover that’s torn to pieces by his own addictions and vices. The way he toys with Eugene, comically gets flustered while trying to flirt across a bar, or even seduce another man with his weird swan dance is so depressing but weirdly endearing.  I don’t wanna go out there and say the same buzzwords that all the fancy critics say, but the things Craig agreed to do and commit to in this film as a heterosexual actor are “fearless” and “bold” to say the least. He’s always been an actor with guts of steel, but I think everyone who sees this film will sit up and take notice because this is a performance that I think will be remembered for a very long time to come. The man’s immensely watchable and outside studio tentpoles, he’s a movie star who can lead anything.  Drew Starkey is opposite Daniel and to be honest I didn’t have much expectations for him because he seemed like a random pick. Starkey’s Eugene is enigmatic and a bit too passive aggressive for my taste, because his character adds to a significant confusion. The love story obviously feels one sided, but I couldn’t really tell why his character’s in many scenes because his behavior feels inconsistent from scene to scene. Superimposed editing shots of touching and the cinematic language of the film are very effective ways to tell this story visually, and even though the climax feels like a jumbled mess as the movie really loses steam and plot, I did feel like it was a film that knew what it was trying to do. It’s not the best film I’ve seen this year, but it has a unique vulnerability and tenderness that stands out from anything else I’ve seen from Luca before. Worth the watch! Daniel Craig you dropped this 👑

A brilliant, tragic, and visually refreshing portrait of an artist's spirit and how a jealous and bitter world clipped the wings of his greatness. This is one of the best, if not, the crowning achievement in Imtiaz Ali's filmography, and one of the best Hindi films to release in the past decade. This is the standard audiences should keep towards Hindi films. It's a slight shame that this was a direct OTT release because this would've turned theaters into stadiums. Indian cinema needs filmmakers like Imtiaz Ali, and this is such a glorious comeback after "Love Aaj Kal" (2020) and "Jab Harry Met Sejal". "Amar Singh Chamkila" follows the rise of Chamkila and his wife, Amarjot, as they become the highest selling artists in Punjab, captivate the world with their provocative and raw music, and Chamkila's enduring love for performing and music as the world couldn't stomach his success. I won't say more, but if you're reading this and are debating the watch, drop everything and go experience this. Diljit Dosanjh is already known as an international gabru rockstar, and I think people fail to realize sometimes that under all the funny reels, incredible youth centric music, and public appearances that he's a true gentleman and a sensitive artist who loves what he does. He's absolutely perfect as Chamkila, and unless 2024 surprises us, I don't see anyone else delivering a better performance. He radiates sincerity and his performance is a beautiful ode to the spirit and legacy of Chamkila. He's having his moment and he honestly deserves it. There is no better actor to play Chamkila than him -- he gives his vocals to all of the original music with Parineeti, he's sweet and endearing when he needs to be, and he's brash and confident when the world makes life tough. It's an award worthy performance and one that people will always resonate with Diljit, who's accomplished so much in music himself. To perform day after day knowing your stage performance could be your last takes tremendous courage. It's this fearless spirit that Imtiaz Ali taps into, and Parineeti is another great casting choice that pays off wonderfully. "Chamkila" is a rather straightforward story. However, its the presentation of the film that's completely spellbinding and that makes this film a MUST WATCH. The visual style of the movie is unlike anything we've seen in Hindi films -- the incredible animations, the colorful translation of songs from Punjabi to Hindi, the vibrant and bold lyrics, it's so mesmerizing. Imtiaz Ali gives such tight direction and flawless writing that you stay with the journey for the whole film. It's a respectful and also celebratory look at the life of Chamkila, the power of his voice, and his ability to tap into the pulse of his audience to give them exactly what they wanted while speaking about the things that everyone openly enjoys and talks about, but would rather do behind closed curtains. Chamkila took the curtains and burnt them, and he set the world on fire. For Diljit's fiery performance and the outstanding score and music by AR Rahman, I'd say drop everything and experience Chamkila.

Exquisitely told, gorgeous in every frame, and with probably one of the greatest television performances of all time (Andrew Scott), this is a retelling of Ripley and a crime drama that will be remembered for a long time. If the trailers weren’t enough to get you hooked or trivial things like the actors’ ages or the black and white style threw you off, my advice is to get RID of those apprehensions right away. This is one of the most refreshing shows you’ll ever see in terms of its approach and the way it tells its story. This is a grounded, realistic, and an extremely gripping portrayal of a psychopath’s unwavering resolve to scheme to a higher social class. Unlike recent films and stories like “Saltburn” or the original Mr. Ripley, it’s a deep character study into the extent someone will go to commit murder to get what he wants, the (sometimes) funny messiness in covering up crimes, and how someone who can be both charming and utterly heartless. Andrew Scott deserves so much more love and praise than some bland young Hollywood actors that are getting work too easily. And I think this show is a perfect star making vehicle for him — better late than never! He’s unnervingly good. It’s such a skin crawling portrayal and when compared to Matt Damon’s great performance as Ripley, he’s a true character study of a psychopath but not in an off putting way. The Talented Mr. Ripley is one of my all time favorite films for so many reasons. You had the inimitable Jude Law as sex on legs Dickie Greenleaf, an awkward but silently cunning Matt Damon, Anthony Minghella’s stunning direction, a gripping screenplay, and a Queen like Gwyneth Paltrow trying to put two and two together as Tom’s lies become too elaborate.  Steven Zallian’s directorial spin is a true masterclass in tension building, a simmering arc of madness, and finding stillness in the moments that characterize a psycho. The camera absorbs Andrew’s tiniest moments and flickers of madness like a sponge and it’s a sight to see. While I do wish at least parts of the show weren’t black and white because the cinematography captures Italy out of all places, the stylistic decision to keep the entire visual palate  of the show in black and white weirdly works very well.  Episode 5 in particular is a masterclass in tension building and actors flirting with subtext in a scene. My hands felt like they’d taken a shower. Throughout the show, I’ve never seen this much detail go into cleaning up a murder (I won’t say whose) - the fatigue, the adrenaline, the methodical disposal, everything that can go wrong for a newbie, etc. It’s so disturbing yet comical.  The inverse approach to casting that I love in this adaptation is that it takes the focus off of a charismatic Dickie from the 1998 version, and casts this mini series purposefully so that it fully revolves around Ripley. While a Jude Law basked in the spotlight of the original, it feels as if Zallian cast a watered down and bland Dickie (Johnny Flynn) and Dakota Fanning so that their performances are in support of the heavy work done by Andrew Scott. I’ve seen Dakota do good work in the past, but unfortunately IMO she was the worst part of this series. Andrew Scott’s performance will be remembered for a VERY long time to come. Just an incredibly satisfying, visually engrossing, and deeply memorable watch.

Let me preface by saying that this show is not for those who are squeamish with the display of nudity and sex. This is a provocative, deeply nuanced, and powerful display of sex and love in all its forms and a commentary on sex’s ability inspire, empower, and be harnessed as a tool for power and control. If this does not sound like your cup of tea, I’d stay away from this one. If you’re looking for a beautiful story with great characters and masterclass level acting, this is it! “Supersex” is the latest addition to Netflix’s growing collection of stories around pornographic film industries, both on and off screen. In similar fashion to Netflix Japan’s groundbreaking “The Naked Director,” it’s a character driven story of one man and his rise to the very apex of Porn. While “The Naked Director” focused on censorship in Japan and a Wolf of Wall Street-esque rise to power, “Supersex” is a loosely based exploration of the life of “The Italian Stallion” / Rocco Tano “Siffredi,” the most famous porn actor in the world in the 80s and 90s. The Tano family lives in the seaside town of Ortona, Italy, where poverty, unfortunate circumstances, and Gypsy gangs have stifled all hope for a better future. Young Rocco is mesmerized by his adoptive older brother, Tomasso, whose words become like a mantra for him — the world is ruled by those who can escape their poverty and who can sleep with the most beautiful women. As Rocco matures into a young man and an adult, he increasingly begins to command his sexuality and carnal desires. How Rocco’s unquenchable lust leads him to become The Italian Stallion and how his relationships sour is what forms the 7 episodes. Right from the opening, you can tell that this is a brilliant work of art. The way the title cards appear, the way the score blends, and the performances from the ensemble cast are immaculate and perfectly curated. Although the story starts to really drag and go all over the place from Episode 5, it delivers some incredible highs and lows. It touches on many unsettling emotions along the way. Trust in relationships, fear of responsibility, fatherhood, sex as escapism, etc. Disclaimer - This is a STRONG watch about messy people. Saul Nanni plays the teen Rocco in Episode 2, and it’s outstanding how his performance sets up the stage for Alessandro Borghi, who is the main Rocco we follow throughout the majority of episodes. Both actors have such a tremendous physicality to them and drink the viewers in, and Saul leaves a very strong lasting impression and has a very bright future ahead of him. However, this is Borghi’s show all the way. As Rocco, his performance is the work of a master on screen. After his run on Suburra, he’s in a career defining performance, and along with Adriano Gianni, they deliver a tour de force to remember for a very long time to come. “Supersex” works because of the complexities it explores in intimacy and the power dynamics in relationships and sex. It’s vulgar in places, candid, and above all, a refreshing dive into the human experience with sex and intimacy on a primal level. Borghi’s performance is so stellar because he makes you feel exactly what he’s feeling. Moment by moment, victory by victory, it’s uncanny and devastating. He’s so bloody gifted and the reason I’d revisit this show just to study his acting. While certainly not for everyone, it’s Italian Television and actors at their finest. If THIS is what Netflix Italia has to offer, we’re really entering the golden age of streaming.

There’s a palpable ethereal longing that characterizes much of Andrew Haigh’s All Of Us Strangers that in turn compels you to feel a cocktail of nostalgia and deeply vulnerable. It’s an incredibly sensitive and poignant watch whose entire thematic fabric and narrative is rooted in memory and the idea of what once was, and yet, I couldn’t help but relate to Adam (Andrew Scott). Despite us being at vastly different emotional stages in our lives and our sexual identities being completely different, there’s a universality in how Adam and Harry are characterized and it’s a masterclass in screenwriting. The camerawork is outstanding and it really drinks them both in beautifully. These are very much multidimensional, complex, and emotionally turbulent individuals who are connected together in extremely powerful ways. Like most of my favorite films, I love it because it does so much without doing much at all. There’s a seemingly static pace to the story, and yet its emotions oscillate in beautiful but also violent and unsettling waves. Andrew Scott’s performance isn’t something that anyone has the right to critique or comment on for film review purposes. What he delivered is for the ages. His childishness, crippling loneliness, the lumps in his throat, the way his body collapses like a child when he weeps, his eyes teeming with a long repressed excitement when love enters his life, the traumatic screams, I can go on. Awards cant justify that kind of performance. It’s the mark of a true artist, and he’s one of those rare performers that comes a long every few decades. Paul Mescal’s in a league of his own, and my perception of other actors like Timothee Chalamet and other media hyped actors becomes less and less extraordinary the more I see Paul. Comparison’s the thief of joy, but someone has to say it. Irish actors are the finest in their craft, and for someone under 30, Paul’s physicality, his body language, diction, everything paints him as unrecognizable. Each role he does, I feel as if I only see his characters, and yet there’s a true movie star aura to him I can’t exactly explain. It’s like his characters use his body as a vehicle to live, and then go retire somewhere when Paul picks up a new character. He’s gonna be one of the greats. This film isn’t perfect. Yet I felt compelled to give an extra star instead of the 4 star reviews because of how it unexpectedly disarmed me and the entire auditorium I was seated in at the Angelika Film Centre in New York. There’s a quote by Rumi that I couldn’t get out of my head that’s been used in many movies from around the world, most notably the Indian film Rockstar (2011) — “out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing there’s a field… I will meet you there”. I’m puzzled by the ending, but I think that quote is perfect enough to put a smile on my face when I think of Adam and Harry.

There’s a sense of immensity that permeates each frame and piece of dialogue of Denis Villeneuve’s "Dune." A film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 epic science fiction novel, "Dune” is anticipated to be the film that rectifies the turbulent relationship between Herbert’s novel and failed silver screen adaptations after more than three decades. An intergalactic take on the hero’s journey, "Dune" is set in the year 10191 and tells the story of a gifted young man named Paul Atreides (played by Timothée Chalamet) whose family inherits the responsibility of a dangerous planet that houses a mysterious drug and natural resource called "spice." For an adapted screenplay that's supposed to condense a storyline of five books that boldly tackle themes of religion, messiah figures, environmentalism, power and violence, "Dune" is an operatic space tale that excels at immersing viewers in a mostly comprehensible world while retaining the essence of Herbert’s vision. While the screenplay by Villeneuve, Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts doesn’t present the exposition of the film in the most digestible way, “Dune” is a magnificent achievement in storytelling. Every single shot is more visually engrossing and jaw-dropping than the last, and you’ll struggle to comprehend the enormity of it all. I was lucky enough to witness this on the biggest IMAX screen in the country (six stories high), and each scene of the film felt like a trance that physically shrinks your existence. In an ensemble cast of supremely talented actors, Timothee Chalamet is the weakest link. He doesn’t exactly live up to the media generated hype and I can only hope he lives up to the enormity of Paul Atreides in Part Two! Fingers crossed.