Showing posts with label Asteroid City. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Asteroid City. Show all posts
Wes Anderson, Sharmila Tagore to present Satyajit Ray’s restored classic Aranyer Din Ratri at Cannes
8:45 AM
Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; May 10, 2025)
In a cinematic crossover that no one could have anticipated, Sharmila Tagore will be joining acclaimed filmmaker Wes Anderson in presenting the restored version of her 1970 film Aranyer Din Ratri ( Days and Nights in the Forest ) at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. The idea to restore the Satyajit Ray classic, which has been selected for a premiere in the Cannes Classics Section, came from Anderson. He has always acknowledged the late filmmaker’s influence on his cinematic oeuvre.
In fact, Anderson’s last film, Asteroid City, starring Tom Hanks, features an entire segment on stargazing that was inspired by Ray’s film. In an interview, Anderson was quoted saying, “We stole that (segment) absolutely wholesale from Satyajit Ray’s Days And Nights In The Forest. It’s a great movie. If that movie had a genre, it would be whatever genre The Darjeeling Limited is in. These guys (characters) get in a car and go off somewhere together, and they discover things.”
The restoration
When Anderson, who is also a board member of Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation (TFF), suggested restoring the film in 2019, Shivendra Singh Dungarpur and his Film Heritage Foundation stepped in to access the original camera and sound negatives, and initiate the restoration process. After four years of pandemic-induced delays between Mumbai, Calcutta, and Italy, the film was finally restored in 4K at the L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory. The primary elements used for the restoration were the original camera and sound negatives. Producer Purnima Dutta said, “The film will certainly spark conversations at the festival.”
Anything signed by Ray must be preserved: Anderson
Speaking about the film, Anderson said, “Anything signed by Ray must be cherished and preserved; but the nearly-forgotten Days And Nights In The Forest is a special/ particular gem... made in 1970. Modern and novelistic. Ray worked in terrain perhaps more familiar to Cassavetes. A clash/negotiation between castes, sexes. Urbans and rurals. Selfish men and their hopes and cruelties and spectacular lack of wisdom. Women who see through them. The great Soumitra Chatterjee: lost but searching. The great Sharmila Tagore: mysterious, cerebral, mesmerizing. From the master, another masterpiece.”
‘Aranyer Din Ratri will resonate with new audiences across the world’
Aranyer Din Ratri is a film about four young men from Calcutta, driving together for a few days in the country, and the women they meet.
Talking about the film, Tagore says, “I remember I was shooting for Aradhana when Manik da approached me to shoot for this film for a month at a stretch. It was incredibly hot during the shoot and we could only shoot in the mornings and late afternoons. I have wonderful memories of the time spent with my co-actors and Manik da’s precision, especially in the way he shot the memory game sequence, was incredible. I can’t wait to watch the restored film. Aranyer Din Ratri is a contemporary film that I know will resonate with new audiences across the world even today.”
(Crisp) Movie Review: ASTEROID CITY by FENIL SETA
11:37 PM
Asteroid City is set in a fictional desert town where a bunch of strange characters assemble and all hell breaks loose. The film is directed by visionary filmmaker Wes Anderson. His films have been hatke and have always been entertaining and simplistic. Asteroid City belongs to the absurdist genre and could have made for a unique experience. Sadly, the film gets too bizarre and many characters don't leave an impact. It's a film that will compel you to search for 'Asteroid City explained' articles. On the positive side, the sets and the camerawork are imaginative and bear the trademark Wes Anderson stamp. Jason Schwartzman (Augie) plays the deadpan character with ease. Scarlett Johansson (Midge Campbell) is too good. Tom Hanks (Stanley) is just okay due to the characterization. Jake Ryan (Woodrow) and Grace Edwards (Dinah) are likeable. Jeffrey Wright (General Grif Gibson), Tilda Swinton (Dr Hickenlooper) and Steve Carell (Motel Manager) are decent. Maya Hawke (June Douglas) and Rupert Friend (Montana) are forgettable. Edward Norton (Conrad Earp) and Bryan Cranston (TV host) are okay and their track is not easy to understand. All in all, Asteroid City fails to impress.
My rating - ** out of 5!
My rating - ** out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 792
9:15 AM
WILL DREAM GIRL 2 SUCCEED DESPITE THE GADAR 2 WAVE?
Dream Girl 2 is all set to release tomorrow and though there's a lot of hype for it, the comic caper might get affected due to the blockbuster performance of Gadar 2 and OMG 2.
Dream Girl 2 is the sequel to the 2019 comedy Dream Girl. It collected Rs. 139.37 crores and is the highest grosser of Ayushmann Khurrana. The talented actor returns in the sequel and he's joined by Ananya Panday, Paresh Rawal, Manjot Singh, Rajpal Yadav, Vijay Raaz, Abhishek Banerjee and Manoj Joshi. Raaj Shaandilyaa has directed and also written the film. His one-liners are too good and he's a rare filmmaker today who can make 90s-style comedies, a genre which has a lot of takers.
Dream Girl 2 features Ayushmann Khurrana in drag. The promotion was unique as initially his face wasn't shown in the promotional videos. A few days before release, the poster was unveiled featuring Ayushmann dressed as a woman. His look was amusing and it grabbed eyeballs. The trailer was also decent and the on-ground promotions have added to the buzz.
Dream Girl 2, however, faces challenges. Gadar 2 crossed the Rs. 400 crore mark yesterday and continues to find an audience. It is doing historic business in most of the single-screen cinemas in the Hindi-speaking markets. Dream Girl 2 has a chance to do well in single screens but it won't get shows in these theatres. Hence, a section of the trade and industry fears that it might not perform to its full potential. On the other hand, many feel that since it has two weeks until Jawan, it'll manage to score.
Dream Girl opened at Rs. 9.43 crores. Dream Girl 2 is also expected to open in the same range. The advance ticket sales are decent and it might have an opening of Rs. 10-11 crores. If reports are positive, it can grow well on Saturday and Sunday. There are also chances that some theatres can accommodate Dream Girl 2, if Gadar 2 drops. If the word of mouth is negative, Dream Girl 2 will face a tough time.
Besides Dream Girl 2, several films are up for release. Nushrratt Bharuccha-starrer Akelli, the Gujarati film 3 Ekka and the Marathi film Subhedar were scheduled to release on August 18 but were postponed by a week as they didn't get screens due to the Gadar 2 wave. Akelli will sink without a trace. 3 Ekka, featuring 3 popular Gujarati actors, is expected to have a decent opening. Subhedar, on the other hand, is part of the fifth instalment of the franchise on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, directed by Digpal Lanjekar. The previous four films were hits and Subhedar is expected to follow suit. Its ticket sales have been huge and it is expected to open with a bang.
That’s not all. The Punjabi film Mastaney, too, has managed to have a huge advance booking. Lastly, there are three English films up for release – Gran Turismo, Retribution and Asteroid City. All three of them target a niche audience. Gran Turismo might score due to the racing and gaming elements. Asteroid City has an exciting ensemble but comes too late in India. Retribution stars Liam Neeson and seems like a commercial action entertainer. The awareness, however, is low and there’s too much competition.
Dream Girl 2 is all set to release tomorrow and though there's a lot of hype for it, the comic caper might get affected due to the blockbuster performance of Gadar 2 and OMG 2.
Dream Girl 2 is the sequel to the 2019 comedy Dream Girl. It collected Rs. 139.37 crores and is the highest grosser of Ayushmann Khurrana. The talented actor returns in the sequel and he's joined by Ananya Panday, Paresh Rawal, Manjot Singh, Rajpal Yadav, Vijay Raaz, Abhishek Banerjee and Manoj Joshi. Raaj Shaandilyaa has directed and also written the film. His one-liners are too good and he's a rare filmmaker today who can make 90s-style comedies, a genre which has a lot of takers.
Dream Girl 2 features Ayushmann Khurrana in drag. The promotion was unique as initially his face wasn't shown in the promotional videos. A few days before release, the poster was unveiled featuring Ayushmann dressed as a woman. His look was amusing and it grabbed eyeballs. The trailer was also decent and the on-ground promotions have added to the buzz.
Dream Girl 2, however, faces challenges. Gadar 2 crossed the Rs. 400 crore mark yesterday and continues to find an audience. It is doing historic business in most of the single-screen cinemas in the Hindi-speaking markets. Dream Girl 2 has a chance to do well in single screens but it won't get shows in these theatres. Hence, a section of the trade and industry fears that it might not perform to its full potential. On the other hand, many feel that since it has two weeks until Jawan, it'll manage to score.
Dream Girl opened at Rs. 9.43 crores. Dream Girl 2 is also expected to open in the same range. The advance ticket sales are decent and it might have an opening of Rs. 10-11 crores. If reports are positive, it can grow well on Saturday and Sunday. There are also chances that some theatres can accommodate Dream Girl 2, if Gadar 2 drops. If the word of mouth is negative, Dream Girl 2 will face a tough time.
Besides Dream Girl 2, several films are up for release. Nushrratt Bharuccha-starrer Akelli, the Gujarati film 3 Ekka and the Marathi film Subhedar were scheduled to release on August 18 but were postponed by a week as they didn't get screens due to the Gadar 2 wave. Akelli will sink without a trace. 3 Ekka, featuring 3 popular Gujarati actors, is expected to have a decent opening. Subhedar, on the other hand, is part of the fifth instalment of the franchise on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, directed by Digpal Lanjekar. The previous four films were hits and Subhedar is expected to follow suit. Its ticket sales have been huge and it is expected to open with a bang.
That’s not all. The Punjabi film Mastaney, too, has managed to have a huge advance booking. Lastly, there are three English films up for release – Gran Turismo, Retribution and Asteroid City. All three of them target a niche audience. Gran Turismo might score due to the racing and gaming elements. Asteroid City has an exciting ensemble but comes too late in India. Retribution stars Liam Neeson and seems like a commercial action entertainer. The awareness, however, is low and there’s too much competition.
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