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phaedragorgon
Reviews
Paangshu (2018)
Harrowing and moving, tackles a dark period in Sri Lankan history
This movie was definitely difficult to watch and is set during a very dark period in Sri Lanka's past. The story revolves around a mother whose son was abducted and taken away by paramilitary forces due to his involvement with the JVP. It follows her journey as she attempts to find out the fate of her son, whom she never sees again and bring the perpetrators to justice. The subject matter is controversial and disturbing. However, it is presented in a no-nonsense, honest style that is both moving and harrowing. It's a tale of grief, loss and finally redemption.
The cinematography was amazing and the cast did a great job as well.
I also commend the director for being brave enough to tackle such a difficult topic and bringing the horror of that period to life so successfully. It really had me thinking even days after watching it. I highly recommend this film to cinema lovers and anyone interested in Sri Lankan history.
Ashita no watashi no tsukurikata (2007)
Couldn't connect with the characters
This started off as a cute movie about a teen girl who admires one of her classmates and wants to fit in with the popular crowd in her school. Eventually, the popular girl loses her status due to unknown reasons which had me a bit confused.
The main character starts sending her mails, giving her advice on how to act when she goes to a new school. When they grow tired of being fake, the two girls realise that they need to drop the facade and be true to themselves.
This is not a particularly original theme to begin with, and I felt that it could have been explored better. It all felt very surface level and the characters were not particularly interesting or sympathetic. Maybe it's because I find it difficult to relate to the distinctly Japanese need to blend in and conform. I also got the feeling that it was aimed at a much younger audience. Overall, it felt bland and didn't leave a lasting impression.
Vijayaba Kollaya (2019)
The Portuguese came, saw, and did a belly dance in Colombo
Being quite fond of historical epics, I decided to go and watch the latest release, Vijayaba Kollaya, directed by Sunil Ariyaratne and written by the late Tissa Abeysekera. The period seemed fascinating and I don't think I've come across many films set in that particular era. Also, since I grew up in Kotte, I was eager to see how the Portuguese period (16th century) and subsequent events would be depicted on film.
After having watched and enjoyed Aloka Udapadi, I thought this would reach the standards set by that film. Alas, not even close! Vijayaba Kollaya was guilty of every cliché in the book, along with melodramatic acting bordering on the farcical. Added to this was a rather silly, overwrought love triangle that was central to the plot. Unfortunately, we get to see very little of the historical events that unfolded, with the story of the King and his sons barely touched upon and tacked on to the final scenes in the movie. The one battle scene was poorly handled, and over before it even started. If only the writers focused on the historical aspect rather than on the Bollywood-style dance numbers, this would have been a much better movie!
Of the main cast, no one stood out. The heroine played by Senali Fonseka, was a flighty airhead who falls in love with the beefy hero at first sight. Both she and her lover Nayananda, played by Hemal Ranasinghe, came off as vain, selfish characters with no redeeming qualities. Only her fiancé (whom she cheats on) played by Ashan Dias, had some depth. Unfortunately, he was not the star here. Nayananda was a superhuman fighting machine who could singlehandedly take out a bunch of armed Portuguese soldiers. He also seemed to have graduated from the "come at me bro" school of acting since practically every scene he's in shows him swaggering and posing, complete with over the top facial expressions and gestures.
The Portuguese characters were archetypal villains. Hans Billimoria, who played the Portuguese commander, tended to overact and seemed to have forgotten that he was in a movie, not a play. He spent most of his time harassing his Muslim concubine and getting drunk. If we are to take it that's how they all behaved (as this movie implies), how on earth did they manage to rule the country for 150 years?
Some of the anachronisms were female characters with perfectly applied modern make up (including bright pink lipstick) and hairdos.
All in all, the experience was akin to sitting through a comedy filled with caricatures instead of a serious historical movie.