Teresa reviews Ms. Ma: Nemesis I (2018) and was drawn into the story of an accused child murderer escaping an asylum to clear her name. (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Agatha adjacent: 4 guns If you’re paying attention, you’ll recognize many classic tropes from Agatha’s writing. Quality of episodes: 4 guns We were sucked in at […]
Teresa Reviews Five Dolls for an August Moon (1970) (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel (5 bambole per la luna d’agosto) Fidelity to text: 1 knife Assemble ten people on an island. Let the murders begin. There was one other parallel to the novel. One. Quality of movie: 1½ knives It would help immensely if you spoke […]
Teresa reviews Alone (2007), a Thai movie based on “Elephants Can Remember” that was turned into a psychological horror with conjoined twins. (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 2 stranglers One twin assumes the identity of the other, recovered memories, and a dog. Two dogs. But more on them later. Quality of movie: 4 […]
Teresa reviews Grandmaster (2012) and found it fast-moving but incoherent Indian version of “The ABC Murders” (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 3 stranglers The taunting letters, the loony patsy, and the faked serial killer remain in this Malayalam police procedural. Quality of movie: 3 stranglers Fast-paced and often incoherent with an entire, unclear […]
Teresa reviews Charlie Chopra and the Mystery of Solang Valley (2023) and it found a way of confounding Indian audiences used to elaborate fight and dance scenes: a woman addressing the camera. (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 4 decanters Remarkably close, despite much added complexity to the characters’ relationships and an additional murderer. […]
Teresa reviews Now or Never (1997), (a.k.a. Aar Ya Paar), (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 4½ blunt objects But only for The Sucker Punch, the novel the movie was really based on. There’s very little Agatha present, despite what other sources tell you. Quality of film: 3½ blunt objects Despite bad editing, a […]
Teresa reviews Portrait (2018), a 29-minute student adaptation of Five Little Pigs and marveled at how it succeeded in condensing the novel. (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 4 beer bottles Considering the plot was boiled down to six people, including the detective, it’s amazing how closely it follows the text. Quality of film: […]
Teresa reviews Ragala 24 Gantallo (2019) and called this adaptation of Agatha Christie’s “The Unexpected Guest” a roller-coaster movie you’d want to see twice. (Translation: In the Next 24 Hours) Source: We bought ours on ebay, but as of 6/29/2024 I see a version with English subtitles on YouTube. (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to […]
Teresa reviews Quicksand (2016) and found it an excellent adaptation of “Cards on the Table.” (Chorabali) Based on Cards on the Table (1936) (c)2024 by Teresa Peschel Fidelity to text: 4 broken necks It’s a Bengali police procedural, Inspector Battle takes the lead, there’s an unexpected twist, but you’ll recognize every beat. Quality of film: […]
Teresa reviews Shubho Mahurat (2003) and while it was an adequate adaptation, it’s murky lighting and thin subtitling made us wish for more. English Translation: The First Shoot Based upon “The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side” (1962) My source: I found my copy on eBay. Fidelity to text: 2 poisoned glasses of soda You’ll […]