'Tanu Weds Manu Returns' Isn't a Feminist Triumph (But Close Enough?)

Aanand L. Rai's last film Raanjhanaa was so horrifically misogynistic (guy threatens to kill girl if she doesn't go out with him, she reluctantly does--yay, they're in love!) that I was severely disappointed that this movie I was kind of into was also directed by him. Tanu Weds Manu Returns had an appealing trailer, some catchy songs and the promise of a showcase performance for Filmfare award winner Kangana Ranaut. Truth be told, Tanu Weds Manu Returns came at the right time--I had just seen Ranaut in the totally marvelous Queen on Netflix.

Tanu Weds Manu Returns is the sequel to the 2011 hit Tanu Weds Manu. Ranaut stars with R. Madhavan, Jimmy Shergill, Swara Bhaskar and Deepak Dobriyal. Krsna Solo returns as music composer. The film was directed by Aanand L. Rai from a screenplay by Himanshu Sharma.

Scarlett Johansson, Misfit Movie Star (part 5)

In Part 4 of this series, I explored 3 films where Scarlett Johansson became a supporting player when the narrative pushed her to the side. In Ghost World, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Don Jon, this is where her misfit status took her and the films were more interesting as a result. Please read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of this Scarlett Johansson series.

As I was going through her IMDb page trying to figure out where to take part 5, I ended up choosing three films that are totally different from one another. We are now seeing Scarlett Johansson the Misfit Muse. As an actress with attention to paid to her looks, she did have to play characters who become inspiration for white men (like most actresses have to do at some point). These films do more than show Johansson in some passive role, however, as she continues to find ways to break the male gaze directed at her.

Dwayne Johnson and Carla Gugino Resist Getting Toppled in 'San Andreas' (Review)

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson seems like the coolest guy, like if he crashes at your place after an awesome night out, he'd sneak out to get coffee for you before you get up. While curating a charming, non-jerky offscreen persona, he's been excelling at being a major added value to existing franchises like the Fast and Furious series and even the Journey to the Center of the Earth films. San Andreas is Johnson's first major blockbuster effort as a "by himself" star, as the marketing focused solely on him.

San Andreas also stars one of my faves Carla Gugino (Watchmen), Alexandra Daddario (True Detective), Paul Giamatti, Hugo Johnstone-Burt (Teen Wolf), Art Parkinson (Game of Thrones), Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife) and Ioan Gruffudd (Forever).  San Andreas is directed by Brad Peyton who previously directed Johnson in Journey to the Center of the Earth: The Mysterious Island. The film is written by Carlton Cuse, known for his work on the TV show Lost.

Scarlett Johansson, Misfit Movie Star (part 4)

In Part 3 of Scarlett Johansson, Misfit Movie Star I discussed how Johansson played characters who didn't fit in but were watchful and observant. In Lost in Translation, The Nanny Diaries and Under the Skin, we got to see her see other people and make her own conclusions about life. Here are links to Part 1 and Part 2 of my Lady Scarlett series.

Here's the thing: even if Scarlett Johansson played the outlier, she was still the main focus of the film or at least her plot. But one thing I noticed about some of her films is how she sometimes gets pushed to the side. Her characters are misfits and so she gets relegated to the side for the real protagonists. It's interesting how a movie star can be so comfortable in what turn out to be supporting roles. I like that she uses her A-list status (or A-list potential in some cases) to play these supporting roles.

Summer Indie Round-Up #1

The summer is known for major blockbusters, franchises and tentpole features. While those movies get a lot of press, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the smaller movies that are coming out either in theaters or on demand.

Far from the Madding Crowd
Academy Award nominee Carey Mulligan stars in the latest adaptation of Thomas Hardy's novel. The film is directed by Thomas Vinterberg (the Oscar nominated The Hunt). Mulligan plays Bathsheba Everdene, a woman who inherits a farm and discovers that running it satisfies her independent spirit. Though she is pursued by three different men, Bathsheba tries her hardest to maintain her liberated self. Far from the Madding Crowd is a romance but one that is understated and keeps its feminist themes intact throughout the entire movie. Bathsheba makes mistakes, learns from them and moves on. The film looks really gorgeous--many of the scenes are outdoors and shot beautifully by Charlotte Bruus Christiansen. Matthias Schoenaerts is excellent as Bathsheba's equally prideful true love. I can easily recommend this film to those who don't like stuffy and overcookedperiod dramas. The movie is alive and vibrant.

Scarlett Johansson, Misfit Movie Star (part 3)

Previously on Scarlett Johansson, Misfit Movie Star:

I wrote about Johansson's tenure as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow. Her roles in these films got better as they went along. After a shaky start in Iron Man 2, Romanoff came into her own in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Most likely, that film is the closest we're going to get to a Black Widow solo movie. In case you missed it, here's a link to Part 1 of my Scarlett J series. 

I discussed in my previous blogs about Scarlett Johansson: The Misfit. One aspect that I didn't mention was how Scarlett Johansson often plays observant characters. While Johansson may often she the subject of a male gaze, she returns the gaze right back. In many of her films, she watches and learns. There's also an element of passivity to her characters, which often gets mistaken for her passivity as an actress. But the inertia is usually a conscious choice made by the actress.

From Chaplin to Madonna: Why You Must Listen to "You Must Remember This"

I have been really getting into movie podcasts lately. And each new podcast sort of leads me to the next one. Two weeks ago I became obsessed with You Must Remember This, a podcast "dedicated to exploring the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood's first century" as told by the host Karina Longwoth. I have devoured 30+ episodes in that time. I discovered this podcast when Longworth was a guest on another show I listen to called The Canon where she passionately defended The Godfather Part III's place in the canon of important films.

You Must Remember This chronicles the history of Hollywood. Longworth dedicates an episode (or series of episodes) to one subject and details their life and Hollywood legacy. These episodes will often interact with each other, contradict each other and complement each other in interesting ways. The show is amazingly researched. Longworth uses biographies, news stories, gossip, interviews and film clips to tell each story. Because these stories are so old and often clouded by legend, Longworth finds herself telling multiple versions of one story. Sometimes we'll never know what really happened.