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Review: Wondrous ‘Wood and Water’ searches for strands of home in unexpected places

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Review: Wondrous ‘Wood and Water’ searches for strands of home in unexpected places

In Jonas Bak’s exquisitely crafted first characteristic, “Wooden and Water,” a widowed German mother’s retirement from her church job and emotions of loneliness spur a visit to go to a faraway son in Hong Kong, which additionally turns into a method for her new self to reckon recollections and loss with an unsure future.

The delineated settings, captured with the intimate grain of 16 mm, couldn’t be extra unalike in power: the verdant serenity of a Black Forest village and the neon-and-steel bustle of a city-state within the grip of historic protests. Bak visually connects these two atmospheres in a patiently virtuosic lengthy take pointed upward from a shifting automobile as fleeting treetops on the sting of the body segue into the darkness and pulsating fluorescence of a tunnel, after which we emerge into what seems like a flower mattress of high-rises. The collapsed distance is disorienting but in addition surprisingly wondrous.

Bak solid his personal mom, Anke, as his touring protagonist, and she or he’s a singularly genuine presence, whether or not alone together with her ideas looking a window or participating with strangers in an unfamiliar metropolis: a younger roaming Australian, a useful doorman, a fortune teller’s translating pal. The son isn’t round, save the one behind the digital camera, a curious and affecting mix of narratively externalized guilt and filmmaking devotion that solely deepens as the fact of her state of affairs sinks in.

Juxtaposing nature’s comforting placidity and an city mélange through which freedom is at all times in flux, “Wooden and Water” breathes with unforced majesty about what’s unhappy and delightful in moments of nice change — story, temper and near-documentary-like remark are in an exquisite concord right here. Within the abiding stillness of its photographs and pacing is a way of life because it’s lived and, hopefully, appreciated. It makes for a exceptional debut characteristic in that respect, since this might simply be a extra veteran artist’s summing up about time spent trying to find strands of residence in locations previous and new.

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‘Wooden and Water’

In German, English and Cantonese with English subtitles

Not rated

Working time: 1 hour, 19 minutes

Enjoying: Begins April 15, Lumiere Music Corridor, Beverly Hills

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Movie Reviews

‘Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal’ movie review: A character-driven drama marked by its remarkable restraint

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‘Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal’ movie review: A character-driven drama marked by its remarkable restraint

A still from ‘Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal’

Everything inNarayaneente Moonnaanmakkalis marked by the not-so-common quality of restraint. It is something that punctuates the conversations, as well as Appu Prabhakar’s camera movements and director Sharan Venugopal’s approach to the material. That restraint, which is maintained throughout, is remarkable for what is being said in the film, weighty, emotional issues that could easily slip into the ever-familiar loud treatment.

It is thus a film which also stays clear of the big event. Rather it leans on its well-etched characters to pull off memorable moments which reveal their innermost feelings. This also means that the film does not hit any high moments, but director Sharan Venugopal, who also wrote the film, appears to be just content to remain in this space to tease out its myriad hues.

The setting has much in common with Aalkkoottathil Thaniye(1984), written by M.T.Vasudevan Nair and directed by I.V.Sasi, with the three sons of Narayani coming together with their families after a long time at the ancestral house as she is on her deathbed. Early on, we get a sense that there is some bad blood between the eldest brother Vishwanathan (Alencier Lay Lopez) and Bhaskar (Suraj Venjaramood), the youngest, who is coming back to their home after decades. Sethu (Joju George), the middle one, considered a loser by the other two, appears to be the most sensible of the three.

Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal (Malayalam)

Director: Sharan Venugopal

Cast: Joju George, Suraj Venjaramood, Alencier Lay Lopez, Garggi Ananthan, Shelly Kishore

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Runtime: 117 minutes

Storyline: As their mother lies on the deathbed, three brothers, who have been estranged for a long while, come together at the ancestral house, bringing back past memories and conflicts

But the film mostly views the family through the eyes of the younger generation — Athira (Garggi Ananthan) and her cousin Nikhil (Thomas Mathew) — who tries to make sense of simmering tensions within the family, while also struggling with their own boundary-less feelings and past traumas. The film also depends on them to build its mild conflict, which can elicit conflicting reactions from the audience depending on the way they look at it. But the screenwriter handles the situation somewhat adeptly by turning it into a gentle call for better understanding between humans, a call that especially goes out to the grown-ups in the film.

As more young filmmakers are doing these days, Sharan, even while critiquing, takes a non-judgmental view of the flawed characters, with an understanding of the social context in which they grew up. Vishwanathan, who still holds the pain of the casteist insults that a neighbour directed at his father, in another context reveals his regressive, communal face. But, in yet another scene, we get a more rounded sense of the man through his daughter’s words and from his act of passing a dish at the dinner table to a character he apparently despises. We then see someone who is attempting to break free from his ingrained bigotry but is not fully successful at it, especially when anger gets the better of him.

Garggi Ananthan along with Joju George succeeds in bringing a sense of depth to the characters through their performances, which holds the key in a not-so-dialogue-heavy film. Most of the other actors do bring to the table what was required of them.

In Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal, Sharan Venugopal hits the sweet spot between saying all that has to be said and keeping quite a bit unsaid. And, that makes all the difference. 

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Narayaneente Moonnaanmakkal is currently running in theatres

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Willy Chavarria on some of his finest celebrity fashion looks

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Willy Chavarria on some of his finest celebrity fashion looks

Last month, award-winning Latino fashion designer Willy Chavarria brought his renegade sensibilities to the runway in France, finally making his long-awaited debut at Men’s Fashion Week in Paris with his fall collection, “Tarántula.” Chavarria tells the story of American fashion through a Chicano lens, creating now-distinctive oversize, sculptural silhouettes that pull from various eras of Mexican American style, from sharply angular zoot suits to blue-collar workwear.

Since launching his eponymous brand in 2015, the Fresno-born designer’s ability to weave together culture, politics and identity into the fabric of his clothes has made him one of the buzziest designers working in fashion today. At one point during “Tarántula,” models walked down the runway to the sound of Bishop Mariann Edger Budde, whose sermon at the Inaugural Prayer Service included a direct plea to President Trump that he “have mercy” upon immigrants and LGBTQ+ people.

By drawing from his Mexican and Irish American roots, as well as his life as a proud gay man, Chavarria flaunts his progressive principles while creating new and novel experiences on the runway. It’s one reason why, despite his rising profile, Chavarria still relies heavily on street-casting for his shows, finding everyday faces to model his collection. “I like for us to see the magnificent beauty within ourselves, especially those of us who are used to seeing a stereotypically negative portrayal,” he tells De Los over email.

There were more than a few familiar faces to be found on the runway in Paris, including Becky G, J Balvin and Tokischa — just a few of the high-profile stars the designer has worked with. Chavarria understands the power of visibility, and he’s selective in who he chooses to work with, knowing that their celebrity will help amplify his message.

“The WILLY CHAVARRIA brand is a belief in human dignity and a right to identity,” he says. “When a celebrity chooses to wear the brand, it’s not just to look and feel sickening, but to share alignment with a belief in social justice. I’ve tended to attract the people I am attracted to, and we often become friends. I like to dress people who have worked hard to get where they are, and who are bold in their personal identity.”

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Here are some of the celebs who have boldly represented Chavarria’s brand on runways, red carpets or just out on the town.

Becky G

The singer, a longtime supporter of Chavarria, was almost unrecognizable in her vampy, chola-inspired makeup look, sporting a “Sad Mami” tank top as part of the “Tarántula” show. In an Instagram post after the show, she wrote, “[Willy Chavarria] was one of the first designers to move me to tears…few years ago I sat in a New York City church behind Madonna as the sounds of my childhood played while the models, who looked like my family, walked down the aisle. Willy’s fashion made me believe that I belonged. That there was actually someone who cared enough about us to create & dedicate art to our culture. Chicano culture.”

Kendrick Lamar

With their shared West Coast pride, it was almost inevitable that these two would link up. Chavarria first worked with the rapper on his Big Steppers Tour in 2023, and later dressed him for the viral sensation “Not Like Us” music video. Most recently, the duo announced a Super Bowl-themed capsule collection ahead of K.Dot’s upcoming halftime performance. “Kendrick performing is so monumental given his voice on the empowerment of brown and Black people and I love his pure L.A. heart,” Chavarria said in an interview with WWD. “Working with Kendrick is an important cultural moment for the two of us. We both have an unwavering voice when it comes to our people.”

Madonna

The buzz around Chavarria skyrocketed when Madonna sat front row at his spring menswear show during New York Fashion Week in 2022. Since then, he’s worked with the legendary singer on numerous occasions.

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Indya Moore

Indya Moore

The “Pose” actor and activist sported an expertly tailored funeral coat on the “Tarántula” runway — a fitting, dramatic choice for the show’s setting at the American Cathedral. “It’s difficult to integrate meaningfulness in fashion culture, it can be unkind, at times hostile, and unintentional,” they wrote on Instagram. “[I’m] grateful for Willy’s creative capacity to create garments that hold us in ways that engage our dignity, as opposed to just our egos.”

Billie Eilish

By now, Eilish has become known for her oversize looks, but the “What Was I Made For?” singer still managed to stun when she hit the 2024 Golden Globe Awards wearing a full Willy Chavarria fit that included a black blazer, wide-leg khakis and a black necktie. She doubled up with another of Chavarria’s busines- casual-inspired looks at the Grammys a month later.

Tracee Ellis Ross

The actress has become a familiar fixture in the front row of Chavarria’s shows, and has been seen on the red carpet and out on the town wearing his designs. “There’s an element of flamboyance, glamour and street that really matches my soul,” she said of his work in an interview with Elle.

J Balvin

Latin singer J Balvin walks the runway at Willy Chavarria's debut Paris Fashion Week show.

The Colombian singer has been a friend (and official muse) of Chavarria’s for years — so it was only natural that Balvin would pull double duty at the designer’s latest show. Not only did Balvin model one of Chavarria’s iconic suits, but he also gave an intermission performance.

Bad Bunny

Back in 2022, the Puerto Rican superstar modeled a satin set from Chavarria in a story for Vogue, and later wore a floor-length black coat from the designer’s Fall 2023 collection when he graced the cover of Time the following year.

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Venus Williams

The tennis superstar turned heads when she arrived at the 2023 U.S. Open wearing an Alaïa dress and a Chavarria blazer.

Ozuna

After making a surprise appearance as a guest at Chavarria’s 2024 New York Fashion Week Show, the singer upped his game this year and walked the runway wearing an oversize plaid button-down and a white cowboy hat.

Tokischa

When Chavarria was being honored as the CFDA’s Menswear Designer of the Year in 2023, he arrived with Tokischa and Rauw Alejandro, all wearing complementary outfits that featured oversize silk gardenias. This year, the Dominican rapper supported her friend by walking the runway in a retro bouffant and black funeral dress. “Your first Paris show was a powerful celebration of our culture, our roots, and the beauty of BLACK & LATINx Queer community,” she wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for sharing such a loud and clear message with the world.”

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‘Loveyapa’ movie review: Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor toil in this shallow rom-com

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‘Loveyapa’ movie review: Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor toil in this shallow rom-com

A still from ‘Loveyapa’ 
| Photo Credit: @zeecafe/YouTube

Smartphone is the new villain in love stories. Screenwriters looking for new obstacles for love birds have discovered social evils on the web. After Muddassar Aziz used phone swapping to generate humour in Khel Khel Main, director Advait Chandan recycles the Tamil hit Love Today to create a romantic comedy about the ill effects of social media and artificial intelligence on relationships in Loveyapa.

Baani (Khushi Kapoor) and Gaurav (Junaid Khan) feel their romance is transparent till Baani’s father Atul (Ashutosh Rana) asks them to swap their phones before they exchange vows. As the phones get unlocked, it opens Pandora’s chat box with the video libraries and vaults of phones revealing secrets that both are not ready to overlook.

Written by Sneha Desai, the film makes interesting observations on how the young generation is losing touch with reality and how there is a distinct difference in their online and offline character. In this game of choices, there is no gender divide. It also touches upon the issues of online fat shaming and the emerging scourge of deepfakes.

Loveyapa (Hindi)

Director: Advait Chandan

Cast: Junaid Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Ashutosh Rana, Grusha Kapoor, Kiku Sharda

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Runtime: 137 minutes

Synopsis: Pushed by the girl’s father, when a couple exchange their phones, their relationship spirals into a crisis.

However, after setting the stage, Loveyapa comes across a skit bloated into a feature film with gaseous matter. It is like a video game with no second level and gradually reads like a visual essay on the ills of the internet. Ironically, the commentary on the emerging necessary evil in society uses the film to promote the latest model of a smartphone in the market.

Made for an audience that expresses its deepest emotions through ready-made emojis, the screenplay suffers from generation loss and a sense of ennui fills you after the popcorn break. One waits for the next box to be ticked followed by a few guffaws.

A still from ‘Loveyapa’ 

A still from ‘Loveyapa’ 
| Photo Credit:
@zeecafe/YouTube

Both Junaid and Khushi are earnest in their performance but if screen presence is something casting directors look for, both have a long way to go. They lack the charm that could tide over the blanks in storytelling. Learning on the sets, Khushi carries a consistent smile and sounds like her sister Janhvi. Junaid is a work in progress and is perhaps better suited for intense roles. His eyes twinkle like his father Aamir Khan’s gaze in the second half but there is not much heft in the story to employ them.

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As always, star kids bank on a strong support cast. Ashutosh Rana once again channelises his chaste Hindi to evoke awe. Grusha Kapoor and Kiku Sharda do the heavy lifting to accentuate the melodrama for those who love to drink new wine from the old bottle.

Loveyapa is currently running in theatres

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