“Nation is a phantom. An anarchist society exists always.” Alpha Violet has debuted an early promo trailer for the Swiss indie film Unrest, which just premiered at the 2022 Berlin Film Festival earlier this month. It played in the “Encounters” section and is a much more experimental, very dry, slow moving drama. It’s set in Switzerland around 1877, “when the disparity between the authorities, manufacturers and models gives rise to parallel temporal dimensions.” New technologies are transforming a 19th-century watchmaking town in Switzerland. Josephine, a young factory worker, produces the unrest wheel, swinging in the heart of the mechanical watch. Exposed to new ways of organizing money, time and labour, she gets involved with the local movement of the anarchist watchmakers, where she meets a Russian traveller. The director “continues to refine his style, which combines meticulous composition – both in his characteristic wide shots as well as in the extreme close-ups celebrating manual labour – with a distinct political stance.” The film stars Clara Gostynski, Alexei Evstratov, Monika Stalder, Hélio Thiémard, and Li Tavor. This is worth a look.
Here’s the festival promo trailer (+ first poster) for Cyril Schäublin’s Unrest, direct from Vimeo:
Synopsis from Berlinale: “Another time is possible! At least that is the case in the early days of industrial watchmaking in Switzerland in around 1877, when the disparity between the authorities, manufacturers and models gives rise to parallel temporal dimensions, each with their own timetable, values and ideology. In this proto-Taylorist society, where dignitaries and their gendarmes control the exact time and dictate the rhythms of production and community, a group of workers form an anarchist union in association with the First International federation of workers’ groups. This is where Josephine, who is in charge of assembling the unrest wheel, the heart of the mechanical watch, meets the Russian cartographer Pyotr Kropotkin, who is currently in the Jura valleys. Inspired by anarchist ideas, they demand the liberation of time and counter the values of the marketplace and nationalism with solidarity and pacifism.” Unrest, also titled Unrueh, is both written and directed by the young Swiss filmmaker Cyril Schäublin, his second feature after making Those Who Are Fine previously. This recently premiered at the 2022 Berlin Film Festival early this year. No other release dates are set in any country – stay tuned for more updates. First impression? Look interesting?
Bollywood movie Kashmir Files has inspired former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) sanghchalak and Hindu Raksha Maha Aghadi convenor Subhash Velingkar to launch a new project titled Goa Files, which, he says, is a campaign to “reclaim Goa’s patron saint” and highlight the atrocities by the Portuguese during the Inquisition.
Velingkar has sparked a debate with his move, claiming that Goa’s patron saint — or as they say in Konkani ‘Goencho Saib’ — should be the mythical sage Parshuram and not the 16th-century Spanish priest St Francis Xavier.
The real protector of Goa
Speaking to News18, Velingkar said the objective behind Goa Files was to enlighten people that sage Parshuram and not St Francis Xavier was the man protecting Goa. “He is the real Goencho Saib,” he said.
According to Velingkar, Xavier had been sent to Goa for the sole purpose of proselytization (religious conversion) and was responsible for propagating brutality (Inquisition) in new colonies taken over by European forces like the Spanish and Portuguese. Francis Xavier, says Velingkar, is responsible for the Goan Inquisition, which saw atrocities and suppression of the people under the Portuguese regime.
“We want to highlight this before the people of Goa,” he said.
Velingkar’s Goa Files campaign has not gone down well with BJP leaders of Catholic orientation, the Catholic clergy and opposition parties like Congress, AAP and TMC who claim this is just another tactic by the Pramod Sawant government to deflect people’s attention from real issues.
Incidentally, Velingkar’s move comes around the time the Goa chief minister has proposed to rebuild temples destroyed during the Portuguese colonial era.
The Parshuram Connection
The RSS leader claims that the sixth incarnation of Vishnu, Parshuram, has been the true protector of Goa. Legend has it that the sage shot an arrow into the sea, forcing sea god Varuna to retreat the waters till the point of the arrow, thus leading to the creation of Goa.
This version also finds itself in the history pages of Goan school textbooks. Many Goa government official websites also mention the Parshuram connection — how the sage brought the Saraswat Brahmins from modern-day Bengal to Goa round 1000 BC to settle along the Arabian Sea coast.
Renowned Goan historian and educationist Professor Prajal Sakhardande said legend has it that Lord Parshuram created the land of Goa by shooting an arrow from the summit of the Sahyadris, commanding the sea to retreat.
“The sea, which was at the feet of the Sahyadri Mountains, listened to the command of Parshuram and retreated, thereby creating the land of Gomantak (Goa) to settle his 96 Saraswat families.”
He added that the myth can be explained geologically as retreating of the sea was a natural process due to tectonic movements and the continental drift theory. “History has it that 96 (Shannav that is Shenvi) Saraswat families do exist in Goa.”
The Portugese Inquisition
During the Inquisition, Hindus and Muslims were targeted and forced to convert to Christianity. Hindus, who were forcibly converted, were called New Christians and if they were found secretly following their previous religion, they were sentenced to death. Most of the records regarding Goa’s Inquisition were burnt and destroyed by the Portuguese government when the Inquisition was abolished in 1812.
The Marathas and a miracle
St Francis Xavier, whose remains are preserved in a casket at the famous Bom Jesus Cathedral in Old Goa, has been for centuries traditionally called the patron saint. Francis Xavier was one of the earliest Catholic missionaries to arrive in Goa, then a Portuguese colony, and instrumental in the establishment of Christianity in countries like India, Japan and the Malay Archipelago.
Historically, it is believed that on the night of November 24, 1683, Maratha king Sambhaji entered Goa via modern-day Ponda with an army of 20,000 soldiers. After capturing St Estevam fort, he marched towards the Portuguese capital city of Old Goa. In fear, then Portuguese Viceroy, Count of Alvor, Dom Francisco de Tavora, is said to have sought divine help from St Francis Xavier. He opened the saint’s casket, placed his scepter in his hands and prayed to save Goa from the hands of the Marathas.
The Mughals simultaneously invaded Sambhaji’s kingdom, forcing the Marathas to retreat and thus Goa was saved. This was considered a miracle of St Francis Xavier, giving him the title “Goencho Saib”.
I still remember the elation, the buzz I felt after I left the theatre having watchedAvengers: Endgame. It wasn’t just the conclusion. Nor the cheers from the crowd at moments that becamememes on TikTok. But also marvelling (sorry) at how the film referenced the decade of movies that preceded it, managing to weave all those tangents into a satisfying whole.
I’ve been chasing that high ever since.
And so, it would seem, are the wizards of content creation at Marvel Studios.
While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is packed with moments of cosmic calamity, what’s most apparent is the effort to pull all the threads together and set in motion events that could define the next decade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
So while I will endeavour to avoid spoilers, let me say this: This is not a film for neophytes. It references the events of Infinity War, WandaVison and some lesser-known Marvel shows. So if you haven’t done your homework, see the movie with someone who has.
We begin briskly in the midst of a battle, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange — with hisGrandpa Munster hairstyle — fighting some nameless beast. As Strange cast spells of protection and defence, the mystical combat just didn’t seem that spectacular. I wondered, is it me? Has the pandemic robbed me of my ability to enjoy some otherworldly action?
But I didn’t have any of these qualms a few months ago when I thrilled to the charms of Spider-Man: No Way Home, another adventure filled with alternate universes and surprising characters.
While it’s clear director Jon Watts had a plan for Peter Parker all along, the problem here is Doctor Strange himself — a powerful character inhabited by a wonderful actor trying mightily to make a meal out of an underdeveloped arc.
It’s not an easy task to play a witch with the power to warp reality convincingly, but Elizabeth Olsen gives a grounded performance vibrating with real pain and rage. (Jay Maidment)
While the first Doctor Strange film wasn’t perfect, the bones were there. Stephen Strange was an egotistical ass of a surgeon who needed to learn some humility before he could become the Master of the Mystic Arts. Cumberbatch and his clam chowder accent were amusing, as was the mentor/student relationship between him and Tilda Swinton as the Ancient One.
But now that Thanos is ashes, the good Doctor is fighting a case of the blues. It’s not the state of the multiverse that has him glum, but rather the wedding of his former love, Christine (played by returning Canadian Rachel McAdams).
But before Strange can fall too far into dejection, a young woman named America Chavez arrives — with her power to open star-shaped portals to parallel worlds. Soon Strange is hopscotching across realms to stop a malevolent presence from stealing Chavez’s power and scrambling the universe.
Xochitl Gomez, right, is a new entry to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing as America Chavez, a girl who has the ability to travel between worlds. (Jay Maidment)
While the spectre of the very fabric of reality cracking wide open has become commonplace to Marvel fans, the addition of director Sam Raimi adds a fresh flavour to the concept. Known for his string of Spider-Man films in the mid-2000s, Raimi firmly established himself as a director with a signature style in titles like Evil Dead and Army of Darkness. Packed with viscera, violence and visual gags, a Raimi movie meant a gory good time
Much has been made of the Doctor Strange sequel as the first horror film of the MCU, but it’s merely the veneer of horror. Filled with dark shadows, splatters of blood and the undead, this is Disney’s Haunted Mansion of horror — a fun ride without any real moments of terror.
Benedict Wong, as the character Wong, spends much of the film playing second fiddle to Doctor Strange, although thanks to the events of “The Blip” he is now the Sorcerer Supreme. (Marvel Studios)
While a few of the kills might shock a 10-year-old, the gleeful excesses that mark many of Raimi’s movies is handcuffed by the family-friendly PG rating. Still, there are some fun moments, such as the obligatory Bruce Campbell cameo and a bizarre but amusing battle of music notes that seems like something lifted from Disney’sFantasia.
The actor who makes the most of the horror-lite approach isn’t Cumberbatch but Elizabeth Olsen. Whether dripping with blood or simmering with rage, Olsen grounds her performance as the Scarlet Witch with a mother’s anguish. Her eyes glow red, but they radiate the trauma of what she’s lost. The challenge with a film filled with these mind-bending concepts is that the character’s story needs to be anchored in something that’s real. For the Scarlet Witch, it’s what she’s lost — the life she feels she was robbed of.
All Strange has is an old flame that got away.
America Chavez, Wong and Doctor Strange have to save the multiverse from (yet another) potential collapse. (Marvel Studios)
And the rest of the cast has even less to work with. Wong, now the actual Sorcerer Supreme, still plays second fiddle to Strange and exists mainly as an exposition-delivery device. Then there’s the widely anticipated arrival ofAmerica Chavez, the teen in a jean jacket who becomes the literal MacGuffin much of the story revolves around. In the comics, America is a kick-ass lesbian superhero with attitude; here she’s reduced to a damsel in distress being shuffled from location to location. While queer fans cheered at the inclusion of the LGBTQ character, again Marvel does the bare minimum, retconning Chavez as a young teenager with two moms but still in the process of finding herself.
Fortunately for us, by about the midpoint Strange shakes off his magical ennui and finds his mojo. Spells are cast, foes are battled and, yes, some new additions hinted at in the trailers will lead to cheers of recognition. By the end, there are pieces in place that could spell radical new directions for the MCU.
As for Strange himself? He remains a tertiary character, great for adding mystical oomph but still a side player in his own story.
“It’s not your mother up there… If we don’t do something, we’ll never get her back.” Magnolia Pictures has revealed a new official US trailer for the Irish indie horror film titled You Are Not My Mother, marking the feature debut of filmmaker Kate Dolan. This premiered at the 2021 Toronto Film Festival last year, and recently played at the Gothenburg Film Festival. In a North Dublin housing estate Char’s mum mysteriously goes missing. When she returns without any explanation, Char is determined to uncover the truth of her disappearance and unearth the dark secrets of her family. Obviously something is very wrong with her. The film stars Aoife Spratt, Ingrid Craigie, Jade Jordan, Paul Reid, and Hazel Doupe as Char. The film earned some great reviews at TIFF: “With fantastically committed performances and a deft management of tone, it’s one of the better genre films of 2021.” The dance scene in here this looks nuts! Check it out below.
Here’s the official trailer (+ poster) for Kate Dolan’s You Are Not My Mother, direct from YouTube:
It’s the week before Halloween. Char’s bedridden mother, Angela, has mysteriously gone missing. All that remains is her abandoned car in the middle of a field. When Angela returns home to their North Dublin estate without explanation, it becomes clear to Char and her grandmother, Rita, that something is amiss. She might look sound the same, but Angela’s behavior has become increasingly erratic frightening, as if she has been replaced by a malevolent force. As Halloween approaches, a night steeped in ancient Irish myth and legend, Char must unearth the dark secrets of her family in order to uncover the truth behind her mother’s disappearance and save her, even if it means potentially losing her forever.You Are Not My Mother is both written directed by Irish filmmaker Kate Dolan, making her feature debut after a number of short films previously. This premiered at the 2021 Toronto Film Festival last year. Magnolia will debut You Are Not My Mother in select US theaters + on VOD starting March 25th, 2022. Visit the official site.
“Who are you?” “Who do you think I am?” Well Go USA has revealed a new official US trailer for a Korean action film titled Spiritwalker, made by filmmaker Yoon Jae-keun. This one already opened in theaters in Korea last year and originally premiered at the 2020 Sitges Film Festival. After waking up from a car crash unable to remember anything about his life, a man begins regaining consciousness in a new body every 12 hours. Now, he must piece together his identity, all while evading attacks from pursuing agents and deadly criminals alike. But with no memory—and no allies—his time is running out. That sounds like a fun concept for a film! Spiritwalker stars former K-pop singer Yoon Kye-Sang, Park Yong-Woo, Lim Ji-Yeon, and Park Ji-Hwan. Don’t write this off! It has some kick ass hand-to-hand action along with a clever concept. It might turn out to be another cheesy action movie, but looks like it will be seriously entertaining to watch.
Here’s the new official US trailer (+ posters) for Yoon Jae-keun’s Spiritwalker, direct from YouTube:
Every twelve hours, a man wakes up in the body of a different person, not knowing where he is and unable to remember who he was originally. This wandering spirit then begins a desperate search for his own identity, where everything feels strange to him, including the mysterious woman who claims to recognize him, and the secret organization that has started to follow him.Spiritwalker, also under the same title in Korea, is both written and directed by Korean filmmaker Yoon Jae-keun, making his second feature after directing Heartbeat previously. Produced by Jang Won-seok. This already opened in cinemas in Korea last fall. Well Go USA will debut Spiritwalker direct-to-VOD / dvd starting April 12th, 2022 this spring. It’s also available to watch streaming from the Hi-YAH! digital service right now. Who’s interested in watching?
“There’s symbols above all the doors!” Shudder has debuted the official trailer for an indie horror thriller titled The Cellar, made by Irish filmmaker Brendan Muldowney. This one recently premiered at the 2022 FrightFest Glasgow, and is also showing at SXSW this month before opening in April. In The Cellar, Keira’s daughter mysteriously vanishes in the cellar of their new house. After a number of terrifying supernatural experiences she comes to the conclusion that the house took Ellie. She discovers that a physicist occultist, who was obsessed with finding the 11th dimension, built the house and engraved sinister equations on the 10 steps leading into the cellar. Finally, Keira must battle with the universe’s most ancient evil, or lose her family’s souls forever. Starring Elisha Cuthbert, Eoin Macken, Abby Fitz, and Dylan Fitzmaurice-Brady. This looks like it has the potential to be quite scary, with some epic horror creeping in this house.
Here’s the first official trailer (+ poster) for Brendan Muldowney’s The Cellar, direct from YouTube:
Keira Woods’ (Elisha Cuthbert) daughter mysteriously vanishes in the cellar of their new house. She soon discovers there is an ancient and powerful entity controlling their home, built by an occultist, that she will have to face or risk losing her family’s souls forever.The Cellar is both written and directed by the Irish filmmaker Brendan Muldowney, director of the indie films Retribution in the Year 2050, Savage, Love Eternal, and Pilgrimage previously. It’s produced by Conor Barry, Richard Bolger, and Benoit Roland. This initially premiered at 2022 FrightFest Glasgow, and it’s showing at SXSW as well. RLJE Films will release Muldowney’s The Cellar in select US theaters + streaming on Shudder starting April 15th, 2022. Scary?
He said Mr Kejriwal will become a “good human being” if he follows RSS ideology.
New Delhi:
A day after the Aam Aadmi Party announced the formation of 10,000 ‘tiranga shakhas‘ in Uttar Pradesh, BJP MP Parvesh Verma on Sunday said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should visit the RSS headquarters in Nagpur and attend its three-year course to learn about nationalism.
One does not become a nationalist by simply holding the national flag, the BJP leader said.
On Saturday, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) in-charge of Uttar Pradesh affairs Sanjay Singh said the party will open 10,000 ‘tiranga shakhas‘ in the state in the next six months to educate people about the BJP’s “divide and rule” policy.
The party will begin appointing ‘pramukhs‘ to the ‘tiranga shakhas‘ from July 1, Singh said.
“I invite Kejriwal ji to visit the RSS office in Jhandewalan (in Delhi) and Nagpur and attend the three-year course of the RSS to learn about nationalism,” Mr Verma told reporters at the Delhi BJP office.
The West Delhi MP said Mr Kejriwal will become a “good human being” if he follows the spirit of the RSS ideology.
Mr Verma asked how Mr Kejriwal can become a nationalist after questioning India’s surgical strikes and ‘The Kashmir Files’ movie.
“Nationalism lies in the heart and mind of a person. This is fake nationalism of the AAP and Kejriwal after the drubbing in the recent Assembly polls in UP, Goa and Uttarakhand,” he said.
The BJP leader also said he will soon write a letter to Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal for the removal of “illegal” loudspeakers from mosques.
Mr Verma said he is not against any religion and people can follow their rituals but they should not disturb others.
A drive to remove loudspeakers from religious places including temples is underway in the BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh.
Under this exercise, 53,942 loudspeakers had been removed from religious places till Sunday morning, according to the Uttar Pradesh Police.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
