Luca Guadagnino’s campus drama, After the Hunt, starts with a clue as to where its heart truly lies. The film’s opening credits uses Windsor typeface, aka the Woody Allen font—a sly homage to the disgraced auteur.

But the film itself seems a bit more ambivalent than those credits would suggest. On the one hand, it’s clear that Guadagnino, along with screenwriter Nora Garrett, believes that today’s college students are hopelessly coddled, ever searching for safe spaces, or a “warm bath” as Julia Robert’s Alma, a philosophy professor at Yale, derisively puts it. The general sentiment of Alma and many of her colleagues is, toughen up. Be more like we were when we were young—handling life’s indignities and cruelties with a stiff upper lip (and a stiff drink, if necessary).

But the film also seems to recognize that this younger generation might be onto something. Why should they put up with abusive adults? Why shouldn’t they demand accountability for bad behavior? And if you ignore or suppress a painful incident it just might haunt you for life.

The painful incident in question is this: After a graduate student, Maggie (Ayo Edebiri), attends a party at Alma’s apartment—the professors like to have a handful of grad students in attendance as a kind of worshipful audience—she gets a ride home with the garrulous Hank (Andrew Garfield), also a philosophy professor. They are both a bit drunk as they stumble from the party, giggling companionably.

The next day, Maggie tells Alma that Hank went up to her apartment and assaulted her.

This is complicated in a few ways: Alma has a very close relationship with Hank—one might suspect it was romantic were they not flaunting it in front of Alma’s husband, Frederik (Michael Stuhlbarg) at the party. They wouldn’t be that obvious if they were actually lovers, would they?

Also, Maggie, who is a lesbian, is hopelessly devoted to Alma—she even dresses like her. Frederik teases Alma for how much she loves to bask in Maggie’s adoration. And the relationship between them has become a bit parasocial, even obsessive, on Maggie’s part. (For the record, I love Edebiri in The Bear, but I do feel she’s a bit miscast here. Maggie is restrained, serious, so Edebiri’s wonderfully off-kilter charm is not put to use.)

Alma would prefer not to get involved in the incident, but she doesn’t really have that option. Maggie is her student, Hank is her friend, and the alleged incident took place after her party.

After the Hunt is the kind of film that reminds one how difficult is to pull off this kind of “he said, she said” mystery. We’re not supposed to know if Maggie is lying—she has a few reasons to dislike Hank—until the very end. And Alma’s behavior is also elliptical. She has the occasional crippling stomach pain that, for reasons unknown, she doesn’t get treated and she keeps a mysterious photo of a man and a news clipping in an envelope taped under her bathroom sink.

But all of this crypticness ultimately hurts the film. We feel like we are watching these characters through frosted glass—it’s hard to get to know or care about any of them when their motivations are so opaque. This is even true of Stuhlbarg’s Frederik, who has a habit of playing extremely loud music to get on Alma’s nerves (shades of Anatomy of a Fall, a far better film about a domestic mystery) but who also seems to be devoted to his wife.

Flaws and all, After the Hunt is sort of my jam. I love Guadagnino and his sensual, well-appointed films for grown-ups. I love films and books set on college campuses (indeed, I just finished reading Emily Adrian’s Seduction Theory, a novel that is uncannily similar to After the Hunt but in a much more satisfying way). And I love Julia Roberts. It’s great to see her in a role like this, playing the sort of uptight, brilliant, alluring character that Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett seem to have cornered the market on. (Yes, it’s also impossible not to see shades of Tár in After the Hunt. It doesn’t help the film that it draws comparisons to so many better works of art.) Roberts is more than up to the task—perfectly capturing Alma’s dueling self-loathing and self-regard.

I hate to use the word pseudointellectual—it’s a meaningless word, a la pretentious. But it does seem to apply here. The film is ostensibly about thorny moral and societal questions but it equivocates and doesn’t grapple with them in a penetrating way. And the film’s intellectuals don’t really talk like intellectuals—philosophy professors don’t actually sit around debating which famous philosophers were the biggest assholes; they talk about the plum tart recipe in the Times they made last weekend or the latest Netflix movie.

I’m never going to say no to seeing Julia Roberts—and the rest of this strong cast—in a Guadagnino film, I just wish it were a better Guadagnino film.

Director: Aditya Sarpotdar

Writers: Niren Bhatt, Suresh Mathew, Arun Falara

Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Rashmika Mandanna, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Paresh Rawal, Sathyaraj, Fasial Malik, Geeta Aggarwal, Rachit Singh

Duration: 149 minutes

Rating: 4/5

Every now on then, a crossover yet original franchise movie takes everything by surprise and storm, Thamma is one of those movies, the film not only elevate the standard of whole franchise but has enough easter eggs to future instalments as well. This epic saga has everything going for itself, it is fun, wild, original, unique, relatable and above all packed with stellar acting, outstanding VFX, smashing numbers, it is something we have never seen before in mainstream Indian cinema.

The film kick-offs in this lush, mythological forest where ancient legends live and breathe — literally. But there is one cardinal rule, no one ever harm a human, and their sole purpose is to protect human race against evil forces. And one fine day is cardinal rule is broken which leads to many chaos, some centuries old and some set in present and future. Thamma is the prefect mix of folklore, fantasy, sentiment, and action into one thoroughly engaging ride.

Ayushmann Khurrana as Alok, who stars as a small-town reporter who gets into something much, much bigger than he could ever have dreamed. His character is so likable at the beginning — goofy, chatter box, inquisitive, and  pure hearted. The arch of his character is something to watch out for, he goes undergoes many transformation and each one is deeper, darker, and incredibly emotional. You just feel what he’s experiencing.

Rashmika Mandanna as Tadaka, is a revelation. She’s hot when she needs to be, but the thing is, she comes off as so real and grounded. She doesn’t play the typical “horror heroine” cliche of screaming all the time or being eye candy. She has a genuine emotional center to her character, and her chemistry with Ayushmann is natural and organic.

Most of the first half goes away rather quickly establishing new characters, with back stories, and it is really smooth and engaging.

And then comes the second half, where the film goes into supersonic overdrive. Dramatic plot turns, action on a high level, major reveals, comic relief and love, but amidst of all the chaos, everything makes sense, everything has a meaning, even the dance routine has deep rooted back story, and then comes an epic showstopping fight between Ayushmann’s character Alok and Bhediya himself (yep, Varun Dhawan returns!).

Betaal Vs Bhediya, this is straight-up big-screen magic, outstanding choreography, amazing VFX, roaring music and towering performances, this is moment where you’re just glued to the screen, and do not want to miss a thing. It’s not just a faceoff, it is perfectly timed epic cinematic moment which will etched forever in fans memory.

And if this wasn’t enough, there is more coming. Thamma is loaded Diwali bonanza, You’re left with all awe and more questions — such as what is the precise relationship between Alok and Bhediya, There’s a big twist which gives you clues, but doesn’t give away everything. It’s maddeningly delicious — in a positive sense. You crave to know more.

And then there is one and only Sar Kata, making a sneaky comeback. A perfect goosebumps experience. It’s also a giveaway that all these movies are setting up to become part of one big, shared universe. Thamma is just a tasting, there is more coming, much more.

After from the leading duo, the epic saga is packed with outstanding performances by entire ensemble. Paresh Rawal is a comedy scene-stealer as he plays Ayushmann’s grumpy yet clever dad with just the right mix of wit and sarcasm. The film also marks debut of Nawazuddin Siddiqui in MHCU and he is such a seasoned performer that it feels like he has always been part of the world..  He is hilarious, witty, evil, intense, brooding, and unmistakably ambitious, qualities that makes him a formidable enemy.

Veteran actor Sathyaraj is also back as (Hand Of God) Mr Elvis, the quirky supernatural authority. And he is the pivotal point where tow mega franchise make an epic cross-over, he’s more than a comedic relief role. Die-hard fans of the universe may even glimpse one of his subtle disclosures that foreshadows a huge upcoming twist.

And then there is ever so gorgeous Nora Fatehi, her cameo is not just a mere glam flash. Her moment actually contributes to narrative substance and is directly connected to the original story which started it all, Stree. She brings emotional depth, and the makers smart adapted the item song as one more cross-over point. Nora will change entire universe. She a secret to world’s mysteries or not, or something much more complex, either way, we’re excited.

Also Read | Thamma Trailer: Ayushmann Khurrana And Rashmika Mandanna Star In Bloody Love Story This Diwali – WATCH

Apart from the poignant BGM, the album is a banger, it’s not loud numbers but serving a bigger purpose. There are no random dance-number-in-the-middle-of-the-woods nonsense, the songs are verry specific, even a dance routine is also a hint to the origin of Betaal and Rakhtbeej story.

And all of this doesn’t make you jump with joy, there is one epic faceoff between Thamma and Bhediya, a visual and action spectacle, which will leave you gasping for air.

Thamma is not just another addition to a superb franchise, it’s a genre-defying breakthrough for Indian genre films and shared universe storytelling, which is rare feist to accomplish. The film is smart, intelligent  emotional, humorous, and ridiculously entertaining. Packed with exceptional performances, clever writing, and some serious world building, this movie is able to juggle big laughs, emotional moments, and high-fantasy action without any loss of momentum.

If you’re already a Stree fan, or Bhediya, or of the wider Maddock horror-universe — hold onto your seats. Thamma’s not just a good time at the cinema. It’s the start of something very, very much bigger.

Bugonia, 2025.

Written and Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.
Starring Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, Alicia Silverstone, J. Carmen Galindez Barrera, Marc T. Lewis, Vanessa Eng, Cedric Dumornay, Charita Momma, Cherri Jones, Fredricka Whitfield, Rafael Lopez Bravo, Yaisa, Teneise Mitchell Ellis, and Roger Carvalho.

SYNOPSIS:

Two conspiracy obsessed young men kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth.

A film about kidnapping a CEO feels downright cathartic for these unfortunate times we live in. In the gonzo hands of writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos, Bugonia (supposedly a remake of South Korea’s Save the Green Planet, although to what extent I’m not qualified to comment on) is an acerbic comedy/thriller not content with meeting one moment, but several throughout its absurd concept.

The kidnapping duo here aren’t ordinary citizens or wholly righteous. Instead, one is a conspiracy theorist quack. The other is his extremely autistic longtime best friend (and before one starts clutching their pearls that his dopey and dimwitted interjections are played for confused hysterical humor, he’s the more intelligent one of the two and hasn’t completely abandoned reality), who is loyal to a fault and easy to manipulate into eyebrow-raising schemes and a brainwashed way of living (which includes cutting themselves off from anything fun in the world, as they are hypnotic distractions from what needs to be done to save the planet from dying).

That’s one way of saying Teddy (Jesse Plemons, committed to playing a wacko, tapping into some real life lunatic energy of people that sadly walk among us) is an idiot; he is the type of guy to willfully castrate himself (and force his friend Don also to do so) because attractive humanoid aliens might use their sexuality and lust to their advantage. Then there is the unhealthy and equally loony amount of research he has put into telling aliens apart from humans, with sketches of what their motherships look like.

Teddy is also convinced that big shot pharmaceuticals CEO Michelle (may Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos never stop working together) is a high-ranking alien with world domination plans, which can lead him and Don (newcomer Aidan Delbis, who has an outstanding knack for comedic timing) to her leader. They hatch the flimsiest plan possible to snatch her while pulling up into her driveway, and shave her head during the getaway process, as Teddy genuinely believes that her species can somehow track her and communicate through hair follicles. That’s the level of conspiracy theory shenanigans we are dealing with here. 

Of course, Michelle is no saint. She exhibits a lack of self-awareness when it comes to overworking her employees, stating that they can go home when their shift ends if they feel like it, while also heavily pressuring them to put in overtime. Michelle can recite a speech about diversity for brand imaging, but doesn’t seem to be invested in such progressive causes. In other words, for as scarily insane as Teddy is, Michelle doesn’t exactly come across as sympathetic either. However, she is held hostage by an increasingly unstable man who believes that influential figures like Michelle are responsible for some of his problems, such as his recent beekeeping issues (the film also uses that element as a commentary on society), so there is much concern over her well-being.

Bugonia also isn’t interested in reducing Teddy to nothing but stupidity. Yorgos Lanthimos weaves in brief explorations of his past (and without interrupting the narrative’s momentum) to find an empathetic side of this man, and what caused him to fall into a deranged online rabbit hole and snap away from reality. There is pain and grief inside him, and seemingly unprocessed trauma (a childhood police officer friend worms his way near Teddy not only to do his job investigating the kidnapping, but also to gradually find the words to apologize for something that we can only assume is reprehensible, considering he has to dance around whatever the incident is when talking about it).

With that said, Jesse Plemons’ performance is not only hilariously pathetic and outrageously dumb and gullible (all things he spends his time preaching to his friend that they aren’t, and that they are more enlightened than the rest of society), but it’s also sad. There is a point where Michelle realizes how she can manipulate him right back, which comes with a twisted punchline that is simultaneously depressing, horrifying, heartbreaking, and funny. Moments of insecurity and fragility occasionally give way to strikingly shot bursts of violence (courtesy of cinematographer Robbie Ryan), such as a leap and a crawl across the dinner table when he feels his intelligence has been insulted.

The only thing stopping Yorgos Lanthimos from reaching masterful territory once again here is himself: it’s not the lack of restraint to go where Bugonia goes in its final 10 minutes, but the mixed messaging. Even then, he hits you with a bleak, dark montage that almost makes jumping the shark worth it. Everything else here is wickedly sharp.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

Robert Kojder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/playlist