armangharavi Reviews

Ezel (2009–2011)

The most complete show ever

[10/10 · 10 April 2023]

The director of this show has sampled the finest pieces of story telling, cinema, philosophy, poetry & novels and created a very original work.

At a first glance it looks like Conte Monte Cristo, it has taken a huge inspiration but it goes beyond that. Camera angles like John Ford, a nod to Shakespear in many parts of the story, dialogues that include words from Dastoyevski & Oscar Wilde. There are scenes that remind you of some of the finest classics in cinema history.

The series is so rich that you can write a book to get into every single detail. To summarize, it is like a book and every episode is like a chapter.

The style of storytelling is slow but its not the usual commercial slow where everything is dragged. The director has left clues of the final episode all over the show, its slow but it feels like an epic story that makes you feel the time.

Requires multiple watching to truly understand the details but for me the most amazing thing about this show is that it has discussed many complex subjects in a very simplified and smooth way.

The music is amazing and so are the actors & directors.

One of the finest and most complete pieces of story telling ever.

The Lehman Trilogy (2019)

History of Capitalism

[10/10 · 10 April 2023]

Sam Mendes has told the history of corporate capitalism and its evolution in 150 years with 3 actors narrating the story for 3 hours accompanied by one of the best scores i have ever heard.

The Lehman Brothers is full of symbols, for example boxes that represent corporate bureaucracy, nightmares representing historical events such as the hell in the sky representing the faith of indian americans when the railways were being built.

There is a lot of technicalities especially in the third act that takes you to the depths of how the system works. Sam Mendes has understood Marx's criticism of capitalism very well and has told this story in a fashion that anyone can understand.

Beyond the symbols, technicalities and historical events is a simple narration of how capitalism constantly changes, re-invents itself and grows more powerful.

The Godfather explains this theory between the lines of a gangster story, Sam Mendes has told his version between the lines of The Lehman Brothers.

Technically, the stage design is the best i have ever seen, the direction & the music is amazing...The acting is beyond words, the dialogues are tight and there is not a single extra word or second in this story. There is no action yet everything is so tense.

The Lehman Brothers by Sam Mendes is one of the finest pieces of story telling to ever go on the screen or stage...