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303(2018)- Review
303 is a German road-trip movie entailing a budding friendship that evolves between Jule (Mala Emde) and Jan (Anton Spieker) during a trip they eventually come to share traveling from Berlin to a few cities in Europe. Jule is a biology student and is stricken by the fact of her failing her exam and to add to the turmoil finds out she is pregnant. In order to meet her boyfriend, Alex, she sets out in her Mercedes Hymer 303 motorhome to Portugal, where he is writing his doctoral thesis. En Route she finds Jan, a political student who wants a lift to Cologne. Jan too having issues of his own is traveling to Spain to see his biological father, whose existence Jan wasn't aware of for a long time. Initially, reluctant Jule agrees to share her motorhome with Jan and on their journey, they go on to discuss & argue about everything that comes to their mind. With these insightful conversations, they get to know each other well delving deep into these discussions showcasing their emotions. Ultimately, they come to confide in each other and like each other's company.
By The Couch Review5 years ago in Geeks
The Guilty(2018)- Review
The Guilty is a Danish crime thriller featuring Asger Holm (Jakob Cedergren), a Copenhagen police officer awaiting a hearing for shooting a man while on duty. Currently, he is assigned to answer emergency calls. The day prior to his hearing Asger receives a call from a woman who identifies herself as Iben Østergård (Jessica Dinnage). Not getting any cries for help or claiming an emergency, he doesn't make too much of the call and is about to hang up. But as he continued with the conversation with Iben he realizes that she is under some kind of distress and discreetly reveals to him she has been abducted and is in a white van. The movie throughout continuous with build-ups in this storyline; Asger using his skills and doing all he can for rescuing the woman who is counting on him.
By The Couch Review5 years ago in Criminal
The Trial of the Chicago 7(2020)- Review
The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a courtroom drama entailing the events leading to and the aftermath of anti-Vietnam war protests which ended up in riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The movie captures the court case that ensued on the Chicago 7 for inciting a riot. The movie starts with introducing each of the main characters with their backgrounds, their motives, etc. After the initial set of scenes, the movie kicks-off with the key protesters being accused of a Federal Crime. The movie then goes on to showcase the accurate story about the high-profile & historic case it ended up being with an outlandish judge Julius Hoffman (Frank Langella) presiding the trial and a young prosecutor Richard Schultz (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) making the case for the government.
By The Couch Review5 years ago in Criminal
Instructions Not Included(2013)- Review
Instructions Not Included is a Mexican comedy-drama film about Valentín Bravo (Eugenio Derbez). He carries a persona of a playboy and has no interest in having a normal lifestyle. He has always been fearful and afraid of everything that would require courage. His father Juan ‘Johnny’ Bravo is quite the opposite of him, extremely courageous and full of vigor. Juan in order to make his son brave like him tries all means available and exposes Valentín to every possible fear he has. But to no avail, Valentín continuous to be frightened and runs away resenting his father. Years later after Valentín is the local playboy and sleeps with pretty much every tourist that comes into town. But on one dreary morning, he finds at his doorstep the nightmare that is to turn his life upside down. The movie continuous with Valentín and his daughter Maggie (Loreto Peralta) building an envious bond when he raises her letting go of his lifestyle giving Maggie a beloved home.
By The Couch Review5 years ago in Geeks
Late Night(2019)- Review
Late Night is a comedy-drama about a late-night talk show hosted by Katherine Newbury (Emma Thompson), who is a celebrated comedian and has had an extensive career over the years. While she is considered a pioneer in comedy, she is seen as only that a veteran who paved way for the next generation, whose glory years are well past her. Lately, her show has seen a steady decline and a reduction in viewers, which is not appreciated by the network which telecasts her show. Once she was a generous artist working and bonding with people around her, but now people working for her neither like her nor come in too much contact with her. In order to revamp the show, there is an opening among the writing staff for a woman. Molly Patel (Mindy Kaling) is a secluded Indian-American woman who has an interest in comedy but has never had the opportunity to showcase her talent. After she gets to know that show is looking for a writer she tries to get that job. To her awe & surprise, she is hired. The continuous to showcase the two women trying to achieve their goals in a male-dominated industry, with more than a few hurdles and ultimately try to confide in each other.
By The Couch Review5 years ago in Geeks
Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi(2021)- Review
Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi is a drama-comedy directed by Seema Pahwa. It starts with Ramprasad’s (Naseeruddin Shah) demise and his family having to come and live under the same roof to perform all the Hindu rituals within the 13-day mandatory period that they need to stay for. Ramprasad & his wife (Supriya Pathak) have a big family with 6 children their spouses, their children, and a lot many close relatives. While the task of staying and showing their respect sounds simple enough the enormity of the family and the friction among some of the members, the task is going to be nowhere near easy. The movie tries to showcase the familial bonding that one share’s, even after having some dicey moments with their loved ones, and aims to do so with few comic scenes here and there.
By The Couch Review5 years ago in Geeks
The White Tiger(2021)- Review
The White Tiger is a drama film based on the book by Aravind Adiga of the same name. It is a story about Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav). Balram is born in a humble family with very few means or as stated in the movie in a ‘Lower-Caste’ family. Despite studying in a village he has quickly grasped the English language and envisions to study further and be a well-educated man unlike his family and this dream is further propelled when he is told he shall be given a scholarship to study in Delhi. But his fate had a different plan altogether. After his father’s untimely demise he is forced to leave school and start working to pay off his family’s debt. As time passes his dream of being educated stays a dream nowhere near his reality. Tired and fed up of his life in the village he wishes to step up the ladder by working in the city. The perfect opportunity comes along the way when he learns. Ashok (Rajkummar Rao the son of the village’s landlord is on the lookout for a new driver. Ashok has just returned to India from The United States with his wife Pinky (Priyanka Chopra Jones), he has modern ideologies and evolved thinking unlike his father & brother, whom he constantly questions and asks to look beyond the caste system in India. With his wit and smart thinking he gets his wish and is hired as the driver for Ashok and his wife. Initially disappointed he finds his joy after the couple relocate to Delhi. Balram is happy and feels satisfied and creates a bond with his ‘masters’ who treat him with respect unlike others. While he believes he has achieved it all, earning fancily & doing a job none of his villagers could do, Pinky encourages him to be ambitious and reckons he can go much further in his life. Stubborn Balram continues to believe this is his destiny and serves his employers. But after that with a few unfortunate turn of events Balram realises he will no longer be a puppet in the hands of destiny and takes control of his fate. All this is showcased in the backdrop, narrated by Balram a successful entrepreneur, via his letters to the Chinese premier.
By The Couch Review5 years ago in Geeks
Newton(2017)- Review
Newton is a black comedy film featuring Nutan "Newton" Kumar (Rajkummar Rao) who is a novice government official, currently serving as a reserve for election duty. Newton is a hardliner for rules and believes doing his duty truthfully & diligently. After a main officer assigned to a polling station bows out, Newton being the next reserve is called upon. He unquestioningly accepts his task and sets out for fulfilling his duty. The task however is not so straightforward, the area assigned to him is a naxal-controlled territory that too with very few registered voters. To safeguard him and his team a security force, led by Assistant Commandant Aatma Singh (Pankaj Tripathi), is assigned to be with him. Neither the security forces nor his colleagues take their task seriously but Newton being the honest man he is tries his very best to conduct free and fair polling despite there being a looming threat of possible attacks. The film simply depicts Newton’s attempts to do his job on Election Day in this remote area.
By The Couch Review5 years ago in Geeks
The Big Sick(2017)- Review
The Big Sick is a romantic comedy written by Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani. It is based on the real life love story of the two. Kumail is an Uber driver by day and a struggling stand-up comedian by night. While he has embraced the American lifestyle to the full, his family still live within the ideals & culture of their native Pakistan. Kumail not wanting to hurt his family’s feelings tries to keep up the ruse of being as devoted as they are. One fine day after a stand-up gig he meets Emily Gordon (Zoe Kazan), an American psychology student, they happen to like each other from the get go. Both acknowledge that their little rendezvous is nothing serious, but still keep on being around each other from time to time. Kumail’s parents, assuming he is single, start to set him up with Pakistani women for an arranged marriage. As time passes Kumail keeps on meeting women while Emily, safe to say now his girlfriend, isn’t aware of the dates he goes to. While everything is going stupendously things turn awry when Emily gets to know about his parent’s wish to see him married to a Pakistani women. Immediately they decide to break things up. Soon after Kumail gets notified that Emily is in the hospital and has him listed as his emergency contact. What follows next is a comic few weeks that come when he finds himself in the awkward set of situations being around Emily’s parents while she is induced in a coma, all while still trying to keep it all a secret from his parents.
By The Couch Review5 years ago in Geeks
Two and a Half Men(2003–2015)- Review
Two and a Half Man is an American sitcom mainly about a Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) his brother Alan Harper (Jon Cryer) and his nephew Jake Harper (August T. Jones). Charlie a jingle writer with a playboy lifestyle and a care free attitude had never been one to be close to his family or the type of person to make one. The sitcom begins with Alan looking for a place to stay with his son, when his wife Judith (Marin Hinkle) decides to divorce him. With this he turns to his elder brother for a temporary place to crash. Charlie lets Alan and Jake stay at his Malibu beach house, after Alan pleads that it is going to be temporary. This simple story produces hilarious scenes with Charlie hoping to continue his lifestyle but being hindered by Alan who seems to have made his stay permeant and his 8 years old nephew always around.
By The Couch Review5 years ago in Geeks
Tandav(2021, Season 1)- Review
Tandav is a political drama centring on the controlling party of India lead by Devki Nandan (Tigmanshu Dhulia) the three time prime minister of India, en-route to win the latest election and retain his seat for the fourth time. His son Samar Pratap Singh (Saif Ali Khan) full of ambition and vigour aspires to one day take his fathers place. Devki has a lot of experience and is entrusted by his party and has very close relationship to its members, Gopal Das Munshi (Kumud Mishra) & Anuradha Kishore (Dimple Kapadia) in particular. The series takes the viewers through the wild ride that is to come after the party wins the election as expected. Along with showing the highest pedestal of politics it also delves into student politics with showcasing the student presidential election of a university in Delhi, which houses among it Shiva Shekhar (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub) a student with no desire to get his hands dirty with politics, but still finds himself at the center of it. It is a tale portraying the brutal & gruelling reality of politics, its participants and the abhorring acts they choose to employ in order to fulfil their desire to be in power.
By The Couch Review5 years ago in Geeks
12 Angry Men(1957)- Review
12 Angry Men is a courtroom drama displaying deliberations, as its name suggests, by 12 men who are part of a jury and have to make a consensual decision about an 18 year old boy who has allegedly stabbed his father to death and faces a death penalty. The boy does not come from a glorious background and with his violent past everyone quickly forms a judgment of him. Initially seeming an open & shut case with all evidence pointing fingers to the boy, all jurors unhesitatingly vote guilty in a preliminary vote apart from one, Juror 8 (Henry Fonda). While he too doesn't have very high regards for the boy, but believes the evidence collected can be questioned when thoroughly studied. With this he feels there is a reasonable doubt to the boy's involvement to the horrendous act. Other jurors already having made a conclusion in their mind initially get agitated by Juror 8 who is taking an opposite position to the general public & all the jurors. Without all jurors agreeing a verdict cannot be declared so they need to continue their deliberation, this fact adds to all the other jurors' frustration. The movie till the end displays the whole deliberation among the 12 men and Juror 8 trying to make the others realise that there is a faintest doubt if not a strong one.
By The Couch Review5 years ago in Geeks
