Aarcflick

Badak, a deaf man, discovers his world is turned upside down when his daughter aspires to become a pop star. Badak is also a film I consider highly underrated, and rightly so. The plot revolves around Badak (played by Shaheizy Sam), a deaf man who has spent most of his life raising his daughter, Mirah (played by Aida Amron). Their home is filled with love and laughter, even as they both live a life steeped in silence. However, life isn't as easy as one might think. Mirah works with her father at a small burger stand and dreams of becoming a hip-hop artist.  Director: Raihan Halim Writer: Raihan Halim Stars: Shaheizy Sam, Aida Amron, Wan Hanafi Su As she finds her way toward that goal, we see the harmony between father and daughter begin to unravel. For Mirah, life is slowly becoming filled with music. However, her father cannot hear the life she is about to experience. And that's a beautiful juxtaposition that emerges along the way. We have a daughter who relies on music and a ...

The Spanish Netflix film, Firebreak, is the perfect blend of disaster and mystery. Disaster dramas have become rather conventional, but thankfully, Firebreak breaks the mold and delivers a gripping experience. The wildfire is, of course, central to the story, but what's also interesting is how its spread becomes a symbol of the growing anguish of a mother searching for her missing daughter. Mara had recently lost her husband to a terminal illness and had decided to sell their cabin in the woods. Mara, her daughter Lide, her brother-in-law Luis, his wife Elena, and their son Dani went to the cabin for the day. They were busy clearing the cabin, and it was clear that Mara was struggling to cope with her husband's death. Mara and her family noticed ash falling from the sky like snowflakes. They immediately turned on the radio and discovered there was a wildfire nearby. They decided to gather their belongings and leave as quickly as possible before the situation worsened. Mara was ...

In “Pavane for a Dead Princess,” you’ll quickly discover that there’s a novel of the same name set in the 1980s. Something I didn’t know before seeing the film, because I’m happy to know nothing about what I’m about to see. But in this case, I think it would have been helpful to read a bit about the book, if not the book itself, to truly grasp the nuances of this film and what it’s trying to tell us. “Pavane” tells the story of Gyeong-Rok, the young son of a superstar who left his mother behind for a life of fame.  At 27, Gyeong-Rok has nothing to his name, but he wants to be a dancer and finds a job in a department store parking lot. There he meets Yo-Han, a man fascinated by Gyeong-Rok. They become friends, but more importantly, Yo-Han helps Gyeong-Rok express his love for Mi-Jeong, a woman who works in the basement of the same store but is disliked by everyone because she's considered, for lack of a better word, "ugly." Director: Lee Jong-pil Writer: Lee Jong-pil Stars...

 For a long time, I theorized that newly published books that became bestsellers and were later adapted into films and television became famous thanks to people who don't actually read books. They probably saw the cover, read the synopsis, and thought it was outrageous enough to recommend it to people on social media. This was repeated often enough to propel a book to the top of the charts. Then, other authors wrote similar books to recreate the phenomenon.  And when that kind of superficial writing was validated by the "readers" and viewers of its adaptations, the BookTokification of literature and the audiovisual medium was complete—at least, that's what I had theorized. But then my assumptions about the state of media were somewhat confirmed by three things: Joshua Rothman's article in The New Yorker on the use of AI. To summarize entire books and call it "reading," Sabah Gurmat's Frontline article on the book adaptation process, from influencer t...

I went to a sold-out screening at TIFF. The fact that this screening, along with others, sold out is a testament to the continued popularity of Elvis Presley, who passed away 48 years ago, a tremendous loss for the music industry. The film is less a concert and more a semi-documentary, with Presley providing his own narration throughout. Director: Baz Luhrmann Stars: Elvis Presley The concert footage is fantastic, especially in the large-screen format shown at the local IMAX theater. The colors were vibrant, the resolution sharp, and the audio excellent; a 10/10 for the image and audio restoration. The footage included in the film is edited from 1970's "Elvis: That's the Way It Is" and 1972's "Elvis on Tour." Both are excellent concert films if you haven't seen them. The main problem, for me, with EPiC is that there isn't enough concert footage in this film, and the songs weren't played in their entirety, as they're interspersed with Pres...

 While reviewing Mo Gilligan's *In the Moment*, I realized that all male stand-up comedians, more or less, see life the same way, especially when it comes to the topic of women. They may come from different countries. They may come from entirely different social backgrounds. Their life experiences may be radically different. But so much of our society is still governed by patriarchy, which makes them seem to share the same opinions.  Now, I know that most men love having their opinions—the ones formed by being molded by that same patriarchy that has affected their idols—validated by these comedians. These comedians validate those opinions to foster loyalty; it's a vicious cycle. I don't share that mindset; if I keep seeing the same wine in different bottles, I'll get bored and complain. But complaining isn't enough; it's important to seek out voices that deviate from the norm and offer new perspectives. And the nature of my work is such that it answers my prayer...

 When Sanjay Leela Bhansali backs a project, it's almost guaranteed to be well-made. Bhansali Productions' next film is titled Do Deewane Seher Mein, and it stars Siddhant Chaturvedi and Mrunal Thakur! As expected, the film's trailer promises that this love story will melt your heart and carve out a niche for itself during the post-Valentine's Day season. If you're in the mood for a gritty, urban romance, this trailer will win you over! In fact, this is exactly the dose of love our romantic souls, with all their shortcomings, need! We've seen enough perfect romances where hair flips and beautiful down-knee marriage proposals create memorable moments. But Siddhant Chaturvedi and Mrunal Thakur are here to tell you that Ishq may be a mess, but it's still very khoobsoorat! Director: Ravi Udyawar Writers: Abhiruchi Chand, Abhiruchi Chand Stars: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Mrunal Thakur, Ila Arun From the very first frame, the trailer establishes the film's atmospher...

The Morgue Assistant, adapted from the video game of the same name, seemed like a lost cause. I haven't played the game, but the movie is a complete bore! There are plenty of ghosts and demonic figures wandering around, but nothing is compelling enough to draw you in. Since hardly any information is shared about the protagonist, the audience fails to connect with her. As the film progresses, details of her life are revealed, but honestly, if you're not interested in the character, you won't care about her past. The ending had potential, but unfortunately, it feels quite superficial. Overall, The Morgue Assistant was quite disappointing. Rebecca Owens had recently finished her internship at the River Fields Morgue and was eager to help Raymond Delver, the owner. One night, she received an unexpected call from Raymond, asking her to cover the night shift. She immediately accepted, unaware of the dark forces that were lurking around her. From the moment Rebecca returned to the...

"Love Me Love Me" is a four-part saga, and the eponymous Prime Video movie, recently released on the platform, only adapted the first book in the series, titled "Magnetic Heats." Personally, I didn't enjoy the film very much, and judging by the IMDb ratings, I think I'm not alone. But it seems the Italian romantic comedy production company plans to adapt all four books for the big screen, meaning three more will be released. According to the report, the second film will be based on the second book, "Polar Opposites," which, as the title suggests, will explore the budding romance between two polar opposites, James Hunter and June White. Honestly, I haven't read the books, and after watching the first movie, I don't plan to. But I think that, given how the first one ended, it will be easy to predict the plot of the next one. Obviously, those who have read the books can help me in the comments, but since the filmmakers are making so many chang...

Dusty Mancinelli and Madeleine Sims-Fewer's gothic horror often loses sight of its central romance in favor of its numerous references. Like "The Shining," Dusty Mancinelli and Madeleine Sims-Fewer's "Honey Bunch" opens with its characters venturing into a rural area that immediately suggests isolation from the rest of the world. The central couple, Homer (Ben Petrie) and Diana (Grace Glowicki), are headed to an experimental therapy institute where they hope to cure the memory and motor control problems Diana suffered after a serious car accident. Directors: Dusty Mancinelli, Madeleine Sims-Fewer Writers: Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Dusty Mancinelli Stars: Grace Glowicki, Ben Petrie, Jason Isaacs As soon as the couple arrives at this remote facility, the film adopts the aesthetic of 1970s asylum thrillers, such as Gore Verbinski's "A Cure for Wellness" and Peter Strickland's neo-gialli. Homer and Diana exit their car and are confronted by a disem...

 A Father's Miracle is a new Mexican drama from Netflix, directed by Ana Lorena Pérez Ríos, scheduled to premiere on the streaming platform on February 13, 2026. The film promises a moving and emotional story centered on a father and his daughter, told through the performances of a strong cast. Popular Mexican actor Omar Chaparro leads the cast. He is joined by Natalia Reyes, Jorge A. Jiménez, Arturo Ríos, Sofía Álvarez, Gustavo Sánchez Parra, and Mariana Calderón, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Stars: Mariana Calderón, Omar Chaparro, Natalia Reyes While the film has already generated interest among viewers, details about the specific characters played by each actor have not yet been released. A Father's Miracle is based on the Turkish film Miracle in Cell No. 7, which was itself an adaptation of the 2013 South Korean comedy-drama of the same name. The Mexican remake reinvents the story with a more subtle and human approach, focusing on pure emotion, according to Paloma and Nach...

From 2011 to 2014, Suburgatory was unlike anything else on television. Creator Emily Kapnek drew on her experience of spending her formative years with her mother in Larchmont, New York, and applied dizzying absurdity to the story of George and Tessa Altman (Jeremy Sisto and Jane Levy), who move from New York City to the suburban community of Chatswin and quickly discover that the cruel streets of Manhattan are nothing like the surrealism of the suburbs.  They soon become attached to their increasingly eccentric group of neighbors: mother and daughter Dallas and Dalia Royce (Cheryl Hines and Carly Chaikin), wealthy and completely out of touch with reality; husband and wife Noah and Jill Werner (Alan Tudyk and Gillian Vigman), who try to raise their son while trying to avoid real parenthood; And the larger-than-life personalities Sheila and Fred Shay (Ana Gasteyer and Chris Parnell), their son Ryan (Parker Young), a naive jock, and their daughter Lisa (Allie Grant), a neurotic who h...

Joe goes on a road trip to his grandson's college. What follows is a generational gap, a crisis, and a lot of learning about Black culture. This movie was good and funny. If you like movies like "The Hangover" and other road trip movies, keep reading. The plot revolves around Joe, a foul-mouthed and loud man whose main goal is to teach his protected grandson, BJ, "real lessons about the world." BJ, on the other hand, is a quiet, reserved, vegan guy who is unaware of his own cultural heritage.  Director: Tyler Perry Writer: Tyler Perry Stars: Tyler Perry, Jermaine Harris, Amber Reign In such a situation, it's obvious that they both experience culture and generational clashes. What was supposed to be a simple college visit ends up becoming an adventure filled with bad jokes, car breakdowns, and, of course, some Black history lessons. As the movie progresses, it also becomes a matter of survival for grandfather and grandson. But even in the most serious situati...

The Turkish Netflix drama series, Museum of Innocence, based on the novel of the same name by Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk and set in 1970s Istanbul, revolves around a young man's despair and devotion. Kemal Basmaci, the youngest son of a family of textile exporters, was in love with Sibel, who belonged to the wealthy bourgeoisie to which Kemal belonged. The 1970s witnessed a clash between Western and conservative lifestyles, and people like Kemal and Sibel prided themselves on having a Western perspective.  They had slept together before their marriage; Sibel believed she would marry him, so "going all the way" was a way of demonstrating her complete trust in him. Kemal was happy with her, but that was before he met her distant cousin, Fusun. They were not related by blood, and Fusun and her family were not as wealthy as Kemal's. Because of their social standing, they weren't invited to elegant gatherings, but that soon changed when Kemal became obsesse...

Aside from its big-name hits like Stranger Things, Emily in Paris, Squid Game, Wednesday, Bridgerton, and Monster, the crime genre is clearly Netflix's bread and butter. I can't pinpoint the exact moment this obsession began, but yes, the streaming platform has cultivated such a loyal audience that it can release even the most low-budget series or films; as long as they're set in some subgenre of crime, they'll be a success. And the most obvious consequence of this phenomenon, as with all phenomena in the entertainment world, is the emergence of a formula, since it allows a factory to mass-produce a product without really investing in quality.  You have a kind of tormented detective in the protagonist's role, the most unsuspecting person in the cast is the true antagonist, there are a bunch of red herrings that prevent you from figuring out the twist too soon, and then everyone goes home happily ever after. Sure, some creators are allowed to experiment with this for...