dpolwatte Reviews

Mushrooms (2011)

Chatrak (Mushrooms) (2011) - Directed by Vimukthi Jayasundara (VJ) : Another film with a confusing narrative by VJ

[6/10 · 6 March 2021]

Chatrak (Mushrooms) (2011) is another film with a confusing narrative by Vimukthi Jayasundara. (VJ)

His films are most suitable for adults containing graphic violence, nudity, and sexuality.

The Forsaken Land (2005), Chatrak (Mushrooms) (2011), and Dark in the White Light (2015) are his list of films that I was exposed to.

They are well cinematographed but have a very confusing narrative that may distract the viewers.

The common theme of VJ is the unstructured development of the South Asian region and he has emphasized it in many perspectives through his films.

"The forsaken land (2005)" focuses on the war crimes of the Sri Lankan Army, "Chatrak (Mushrooms) (2011)" analyses the rapid development of Culcutta without a proper plan leading to confusion of people around them and people who are involved in it and finally "Dark in the white light (2015)" focuses on spiritual development and technological advancements of Sri Lanka infusing magical realism to the film making style.

Overall Chatrak (Mushrooms) (2011) takes the audience to a new paradigm exposing the viewers to Culcutta and its beauty as well as horrors.

Hidden philosophical themes and symbols are felt and are evident when watching the film exposing the director's creative vision and talent.

I watched Chatrak (Mushrooms) (2011) on SLT PeoTv streaming services. According to many reviews, it was an edited version but it does not disturb the viewers to enjoy a good film with philosophical undertones.

The film is run in the Bengali language and the streaming service provides Sinhalese subtitles.

Overall rating - 3/5

Metamophorsis (2014)

Swaroopa (2014) : A surrealist and a an artistic film by the great Dharmasena Pathiraja

[10/10 · 18 October 2020]

Swaroopa (2014), one of Dharmasena Pathiraja's final films is loosely based on Franz Kafka's novella 'Metamorphosis'.

The film is well written to screen by Eric Ilayapparachchi and Dharmasena Pathiraja himself.

The film through tiny attention to detail by the filmmaker manages to grasp the social transformations that took place in late colonial and early post-colonial Sri Lanka.

This film reminds the viewers, surrealism from old Hollywood films like 'Eraserhead' (1977).

The film only focuses mainly on the contours of a rented apartment of a middle-class family.

In this apartment lives, Gregory Samson and his family of father, mother, sister assisted by a maid, the household solely depends on the income of Gregory who is a traveling salesman for a pharmaceutical company.

Gregory bears the bulk of the financial responsibilities for the rent of the apartment, the violin lessons for his sister, and the general upkeep of the family.

As a young medical representative who has to travel a lot, he forms relationships in his travels which do not seem to be lasting. One fine morning Gregory wakes up to find himself transformed into a giant insect.

The story continues from this moment onwards with great dialogue and beautiful visuals.

A film that is well made will live with you forever.



Overall ratings - 5/5

The Newspaper (2020)

The Newspaper (2020) : A confusing narrative of the Sri Lankan society

[6/10 · 17 October 2020]

"The Newspaper (2020)" is a well-cinematographed film. But the narrative of the film is very confusing.

The film sometimes is not realistic but the intentions of the film are positive and it disregards the unrealistic nature of the film.

The film successfully depicts the very complex and confusing nature of the Sri Lankan society.

This is a good film with good intentions.



Overall rating - 3/5

Soosthi (2020)

Soosthi (2020) : A visually stunning but a bit misguided film

[5/10 · 17 October 2020]

Soosthi (2020) is the debut film directed by Kushan Weerarathna.

The plot of the film revolves around a girl and a boy traveling around Sri Lanka postponing their suicide for one week.

The film tries to depict the minds of modern youth and their problems fusing creativity and dialogue.

The cinematography in the film is very commendable.

But the complexity of the film is misguiding the viewers and this is a big drawback to the film.

Overall the film has both positives and negatives.



Overall rating - 2.5/5

Leopard Do Not Bite (2015)

Dadayakkaraya / Sansare Dadayakkaraya (Leopard Do Not Bite) (2015) - A combination of greatness and confusion

[6/10 · 16 October 2020]

"Leopard Do Not Bite" (2015) is a film I watched in 2019 in the cinema hall.

The film is loosely based on a novel by Simon Nawagaththegama, a renowned literary figure in Sri Lanka.

Though not exposed to the novel I enjoyed the film due to its combination of greatness and confusion.

The film had magnificent visuals through grand cinematographic excellence and also had a very confusing narrative style.

Overall Rating - 3/5

Earth (2018)

A walk down the memory lane of the hidden past of Sri Lanka

[8/10 · 13 October 2020]

I was able to watch 'Paangshu' (Earth) (2020) in the cinema on the 29th of August, 2020.

The film is a reminder to the viewers on how to make a good film.

With great dialogue, cinematography, and acting this film becomes a milestone in Sri Lankan filmmaking.

Loku Duwa (1994)

Loku Duwa (The eldest daughter) (1994) - A reflection of the Sri Lankan society

[7/10 · 18 May 2020]

Loku Duwa (The eldest daughter) (1994) is a film directed by Sumithra Pieris based on the novel of the same name by famous romance novelist Edward Mallawarachchi.

With a very talented and famous team of filmmakers, this film manages to produce great cinematography, highlight social weaknesses, and disparities through the film.

But this film does not manage to take the viewers to new paradigms.

Overall - 3.5/5

U Turn (2019)

U Turn (2019) - A missed cinematic opportunity

[5/10 · 18 May 2020]

U Turn (2019) is a mystery film that is the directorial debut of acclaimed cinematographer Channa Deshapriya.

Though the film succeeds in creating some suspense and mystery in the film overly dramatization creates a deviation in the plot.

But attempting to create new themes in films is commendable.

Overall rating - 2.5/5

Tsunami (I) (2020)

Tsunami (2020) : The victims of the tsunami waves

[6/10 · 18 May 2020]

Tsunami (2020) film reflects on the victims of the 2004 tsunami disaster that impacted Sri Lanka in an artistic and cinematic manner.

The filmmaker using this film as a tool to communicate the message, that in front of nature everyone is equal and racism has no place, is successful.

Somarathna Dissanayake's newest film has also been able to capture his previous style of children's films and is also a successful one at that.

Overall rating - 3/5

Ekamath eka Rataka (2009)

Ekamath Eka Rataka (Once upon a time) (2009) : Once upon a time there was a love story.......

[7/10 · 12 May 2020]

This film is written and directed by famous Sri Lankan actor Sanath Gunathilaka and music is composed by famous musician Premasiri Kemadasa.

This film cinematographed in Nuwara Eliya is a feast for the eyes. The storyline and plot are fresh. A film that is made with a fusion between reality and fantasy, this mysterious and weird love story has deep undertones of a good film.

Roshan Ravindra, Nirosha Perera, and Sanath Gunathilaka give natural acting performances to create a good film.

A film that has love and sexuality as the theme, has been able to explore the dark and the bright sides of how the human mind works through cinematic techniques.3

Overall - 3.5/5

Avilenasului (2020)

Avilenasului (Inflammable) (2020) : A Sri Lankan surrealist thriller film

[7/10 · 11 May 2020]

I watched Avilenasului (Inflammable) on 13th March 2020 just before the Corona / Covid-19 pandemic outbreak hit Sri Lanka and lead to a whole countrywide curfew.

The film though unveils a new genre for Sri Lankan cinema is not a well-driven film.

The film was really good but it was overly dramatized creating a drawback to the viewers to enjoy the film.

The film openly criticizes religion and the belief system of the Sri Lankans through this film.

The filmmaker has used a mixture of surrealism and thriller genre very productively which is a good sign for the Sri Lankan cinema.

Films like Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), Styles of David Lynch, and Quentin Tarantino are evident in "Avilenasului" which marks a milestone in Sri Lankan cinema.

With this milestone, "Avilenasului" marks a great achievement in Sri Lankan cinema genre-wise.

Overall rating - 3.5/5

Sam's Story (2011)

Samige Kathawa / Sam's Story (2011) - The social and personal effects of the Sri Lanka's 30 year old war

[8/10 · 3 May 2020]

Samige Kathawa / Sam's Story (2011) was based on Captain Elmo Jayawardane's novel of the same name, Sam's Story (2001).

Sirirathna or Sam is a child and a man who struggles with poverty, disabilities he bought from birth, and threats from the external environment. Life gets worse with the civil war in Sri Lanka. All these struggles and pressures are depicted artistically by the filmmaker to the viewers.

How the Sri Lankan civil war impacted the high and lower social tiers of Sri Lanka, how racism functions in Sri Lanka, the differences in ideologies of rich and poor are depicted in the film in a beautiful manner.

This film is an accurate and realistic reflection of the Sri Lankan society by using very tactical cinematography and beautiful musical compositions.

The main role of Sam played by Jagath Chamila and a sub role is played by Sanath Gunathilaka is an unforgettable acting performance.

Though I have not read the novel published in 2001, the film was filled with humanity and brings tears to the viewer's eyes.

Black Mirror: White Christmas (2014) Season 2, Episode 4

BM : White Christmas (Special Edition)

[8/10 · 29 April 2020]

BM Special WC (White Christmas) is back on track on par to S1. It is dark to the core with aspects of marketing, consumerism, AI and human relationships. This more of a long episode has links to the prior S1 and S2.

This makes this the first episode to expand on the universe of BM.

More like a twisted christmas special this episode questions the human mind itself and scares the hell out of the viewers when we see a replication of the human mind.

The technologies from prior season's has also have passed on to BM : WC with more modifications.

This one is pretty good. So I'm keeping it to the viewers.

Overall - 4/5

Independence Day: Resurgence (2016)

Independence Day : Resurgence (2016) - If you loved the first... This one quite tries to come out okay.

[7/10 · 28 April 2020]

Well okay....The sequel is not like the first.... which was groundbreaking and innovative.

Which as a kid I watched like a 100 times in the VHS.

And this sequel hated globally for ruining a childhood favourites of many...

But this still comes out for me okay.

Would have loved to see Will Smith reprising his role.... well.....

Not this newbies, who kinda screws the whole story and plot with there shallow character arcs but still.... It's Independence Day sequel for me and I kinda waited for it for a long time.

I know they had two decades for this but still loved it though.

Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman and Judd Hirsch playing their roles was an amazing experience.

The stunning action sequences are typical Roland Emmerich and his love of destructing global landmarks is amazing. (White House Down (2013), 2012 (2009), The day after tomorrow(2004) and Godzilla (1998))

A personal favourite.

Overall - 3.5/5

Daredevil (2015–2018)

Daredevil : Season 01 - Depth and violence

[8/10 · 28 April 2020]

Now I'm not exposed to comic books in a massive way. I may have read a couple of DC, Marvel and other standalone comic book franchises, but never a big fan or a follower.

I read books, but not comics.

But in case of movies it's different. I love movies. The whole concept of movies keeps me alive. There are no genre specification for me. So It opens your scope in movies. It's more like my second job.

So watching comic book adaptations is a kind of a sub-genre in movies I follow.

Now I'm no authority in comic Vs. Film/Tv series analysis coz like I said.

I never was into comics.

But when you watch so many comic book adaptations you get know them.

For a Sri Lankan, Comic adaptations are purely entertainment.

And Daredevil : Season 01 - Tv series is pure entertainment.

Netflix originals are amazing.

House of Cards, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Narcos.

This is the same.

Now though I personally love Daredevil (2003), many global fans hate it.

But this is loved globally and among Sri Lankan fans due to its both substance and style.

Beauty of it is how it builds on the character arcs with depth and it's connection to the plot.

The action sequences are epic and gets better every episode.

So the season 01 was an amazing inception for the television series.

Overall - 4/5

A Hologram for the King (2016)

A hologram for the king : DeJaVu

[6/10 · 28 April 2020]

This is a "Tom Hanks" film.

So seeing him itself is enough sometimes for film goers like me. (His charm and quirky acting with emotions are outstanding.)

But this is just like DeJa Vu for me reminding me of "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011)".

Same cultural clash with a more positive vibes from both countries.

Tom Hanks pulled off a good job. The depiction of substance of the story was the issue.

We see a man in a mid-life crisis and trying to sell a holographic communication device to a Saudi king. We see his internal family problems, his past career failures and also his inner struggle that goes with same existential issues that is discussed in many films.

But this is a hollywood film and it's not always the style what I as a viewer expect. Tom Tykwer as a director is innovative, We see some innovative visual takes in this film, but we get the feeling of repetition in this film.

Anyway though it felt repetitive it was a majestic in cinematographic achievement.

Well you can't expect everything right.

Overall - 3/5

The Accountant (2016)

The Accountant

[7/10 · 28 April 2020]

The Accountant is a rare film which have some accounting and also character study.

The film overall reprises the unique Gavin O'connor Directorial style and builds on a criminal accountant's life and how it closes.

A spiral and a confusing child hood with an amazing highly trained skill set, but lack of social skills Christian Wolff is an amazing character study.

But the film gets loaded up with too much depth of unnecessary aspects making it carried away.

Anyway this is like a super hero film for accountants.

Because Ben Affleck reprises his Role of batman in this film as well. Because he kicks ass in this film.

A great take on a very niche character.

Personally loved the film due to it's take on accountancy and the character.

And I'm an accountant in training so this is basically motivation.

Overall - 3.5/5

Inferno (I) (2016)

Inferno

[6/10 · 28 April 2020]

Highly anticipated though delivered very poorly due to personally in my opinion is due to lack of innovation as the predecessors. (The Da Vinci Code (2006) and Angels and Demons (2009))

The story is itself shallow having an antagonist of the plot to destroy the world but still would have pulled of a stunning visual feast if the film gave depth to Dante and his literature which was highly quoted throughout the film.

And also Robert Langdon's visions are more like hallucinations where in predecessor films he actually had some awesome thoughts to figure out the puzzles he was given.

Anyway there's Robert Langdon and it's Ron Howard. So the film manages to survive through the directors visual style.

Overall - 3/5

Digital Amnesia (2014)

Digital Amnesia (2014)

[8/10 · 28 April 2020]

This 50 minute VPRO back light documentary radically discusses an unknown issue to the public related to global data and information slippage due to the technological obsolescence and will cover many sustainable solutions from many experts in the field of digital data recovery.

The issues of risk of loosing digital data due to the vulnerability, the drastic changes occurred in the digital world and also with destruction of physical library due to over reliance in online data can be analyzed in the relevant documentary.

It is Jason Scott, a digital historian and a tech savant who also takes part in this documentary to discuss on the "mass information losses" in the web and in the digital media due to it's risk and his solution is as an independent party is to provide an online tool of "Archive Team Warrior", a data protector tool which will compress and and will put in a global database to protect data and any individual can join in as a social service. His image is given above.

Likewise many individuals and teams have joined hands to fight against the "Digital Amnesia" and are appearing in the documentary.

• Mr. Brewster Kahle : Founder of Internet Archive and Physical Archive

This entity will protect all the books and other physical media and archive in the Internet to protect and stop digital amnesia to establish data and information protection.

• Mr. Dennis Wing - McMoon project

This team is trying to protect videos from the earliest moon landing videos from NASA to maintain a digital video library to establish data and information protection without data obsoleting.

• Mr. Ismail Serageldin - Director : Library of Alexandria

He initiated a book purchase from a 250 year old library shredding of a dutch institute to be stopped and maintained in Egypt as a safety measure to implement a Anti-Digital amnesia project.

• The Long now foundation

They have build "The Rosetta Disk" which contains microscopic information inbuilt to the relevant metal to maintain sustainable information for the future historians. And also as a symbol of sustainability "Millennium Clock" is built.

Any way an amazing documentary covering an unknown part of the human aspect of memory and future of information.

Overall - 4/5

Finding Dory (2016)

Finding Dory (2016)

[7/10 · 28 April 2020]

As a sequel to the Pixar and Disney's "Finding Nemo"(2003) the adventure continues when Dory sequentially starts to cure her short term memory loss and starts looking for her parents. This unravels an unforgettable adventure eventually leading to an emotional ending like the predecessor.

The start of the film was dull and boring but eventually when the mystery unravels the story gets more interesting and fun.

Animations and sound are colourful and unforgettable.

Sigourney Weaver's cameo is fun and groundbreaking in entertainment wise.

Characters like Bailey, Hank, Destiny and the sea lion Gerald lights the story amazingly.

A really emotional and good sequel for the animation film genre.

Overall - 3.5/5

Now You See Me 2 (2016)

Now You See Me 2 (2016)

[8/10 · 28 April 2020]

Now You See Me (2013) was unique. It stirred movie goers due to it's amazing perspective on magic.

The sequel keeps it going. It expands the whole universe and the magic too.

The story unfolds when the payback comes from the other side. The victims of the prequel are now going against the four horsemen.

The new expansive universe of the film franchise and magic is striking, mind bending and visually stunning.

An amazing personal film experience.

Highly recommended.

Overall - 4/5

The Nice Guys (2016)

The Nice Guys (2016)

[8/10 · 28 April 2020]

This is a trademark Shane Black film.

Dark humour, violence and atmosphere fused together with an amazing style and substance Shane Black might have just pulled off another classic to his filmography.

Ryan Gosling and Russel Crowe plays unique witty but smart character arcs with the Shane Black style.

A detective film with a unique taste, I personally believe is a great experience for modern filmgoers to have a different film experience.

Overall - 4 / 5

The Bourne Legacy (2012)

The Bourne Legacy (2012)

[7/10 · 28 April 2020]

This is not as good as the original trilogy but an amazing perspective from another point of view.

The universe of Jason Bourne is amazingly studied through this film from another operative's perspective.

For me Aaron Cross, hero of this film should not appear again but this film should stand alone as a spin-off which actually pulled of an okay stunt.

The action was amazing but the brains and style was the issue.

Anyway if you love "Bourne" movies this is a good perspective.

Overall - 3.5 / 5

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

The Conjuring 2 (2016)

[7/10 · 28 April 2020]

Unlike the predecessor which scared the hell out of many people, for me this has declined from the grandness and from terror as the predecessor.

The Conjuring 2 expands the horror franchise going deeper into the Warren's family with a more deeper analysis in to there cases but this eventually loses track in overloading the substance and matter to the film. Unlike the predecessor where the horror and terror was primary, this film has given weight for many other aspects as well.

Still James Wan has brought his signature moves to keep the film alive and powerful.

Not scary as the hype in my perspective. But a good horror film and an amazing stylish turn for the genre as usual by the director.

Overall - 3.5 / 5

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Captain America : Civil War (2016)

[8/10 · 28 April 2020]

Captain America : Civil war is an amazing addition to the "Captain America" triology. From the Russo brothers who jump started the film series with "Winter soldier" comes another action packed marvel film to the marvel movie universe with new characters and an expansion to the coming films in the same genre.

The best thing of this film is heroes collide like this year's Batman V. Superman : Dawn of Justice (2016) and as usual Tony Stark and Steve Rogers also known as Iron Man and Captain America gives a stunning performance going to the core of there character arcs giving the fans the feels for the next movie's to come.

The action, effects and story was unparalleled. But still when it comes to the definition of a film this is still a comic book adaptation.

Unlike Watchmen(2009) and Deadpool(2016) which I find extremely original this is still in the standard formula.

But two thumbs anyway. Ironman Vs. Captain America - may be the greatest battle in the marvel universe.

Overall - 4 / 5