“To look life in the face and to know it”

Lately I have been having doubts about the decisions that I have taken in my life. Most of them are career oriented. I keep asking myself, have I been doing this right? Am I lost? Do I not know what I want to do next? I have been so confused at my own confusion and – I understand when that is related to love problems – but work? Wow. I never thought I would be confused about work. I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do. And then something happened that is pretty much inevitable in general term called “life”. Change.

Now, I am a kind of person who loves change! I hate monotonous life. I just hate it. Its not like everyday needs to be unique or something but I have known myself to not handle routine life in a row. It gets me all worked up about how useless my life is, while people in Instagram have so much more exciting things to do.

That blabber aside – its been tough. And my workplace is not really a kind of place where you have the liberty to share your concerns such as these. You see – when you are in the film industry – you are here because of your passion. That’s it. Doubting the work you do (not the project) is almost like doubting your passion and that is looked down upon! I understand that. I have been judgmental in the past too. But since, that’s the past – I am not going to JUDGE myself about it anymore.

So after a lot of pent up emotions inside, I finally decided to share it with someone who I felt was trust-able and probably not judgmental. And I did. In the process of explaining it to this very kind woman (and an amazing writer!), I found myself asking her – if all this is worth it? She spent a lot of time listening to my woes and after some discussion I was finally able to understand my dilemma. So, I decided to not beat my head over it and wait for the right time and then do the right thing – as per the passion commands. But the question that I asked her, really bothered me! I mean – I did not know if being in one of the best places of the industry and getting to learn from the best people in the industry – was worth it or not? That’s scary. What do I want? I asked myself. And there was no answer. For a person, who is always so sure of herself and the decisions that she takes – this is sort of a panic attack.

And then I woke up this morning, did my one routine that I don’t get sick of doing – I made tea. (When I do get sick of it – I order it from the dairy downstairs. But its still the most routine of all the things I do. Don’t even get me started on my bowel movements!) Anyway – so I made tea and started reading a book. I had an hour to go to office and I always need some time for myself before I go to work – that’s the only way I can function in a normal manner for the rest of the day. So, I was reading this book and I had a sudden urge to write something. I immediately took my diary from my bedside drawer, my pen from the pen stand on the bedside drawer and settled myself on the huge cushion for my back, on the bed. And I looked outside – it was raining.

My windows are big. When I had taken up this house – that was all that I was sold with – the ample amount of windows in my house that led to a magnificent view of the greenery outside. That’s a tough gain in Mumbai and I can’t stop bragging about it. I looked at those trees outside and in the rain, the light green looked lighter and the dark green looked even more darker. What contrast! Their barks, so deep brown – were flaunting their beautiful scars. And it came to me, in the most poetic way possible. The answer to my question – this is why its all worth it. 

I might not have a lot of time for myself, but when I do – its all mine. I am not worried about the next project because I am safe at this point. So, at this point – I can keep looking out of the window and remember how satisfying life is. Unless of course I lose my job and then I will have to worry – but until I don’t – I have this moment. I can pay my rent. I can pay for my groceries. I have a bedside drawer (Its important. I paid for it!). I have a space for myself that is my own and I might not have all the time in the world to think – but I have everything I need to sustain for myself – so that whenever I get the time, I have all the means to THINK. And I wouldn’t trade this for ANYTHING else in this entire world!

Yes. I am here because of my passion for films. But that does not mean that that part of me will always be satiated. And the last thing I want to do is pretend that it does. It won’t. Its very important to do what we love and its even more important to not make it a habit. We don’t want to end up eating snacks and be full by the time dinner’s ready. How will we enjoy our dinner otherwise? (imagine a high pitched squeaky voice saying that)

I realized that we tend to create a projection of our enlarged selves and then pose it to be real. We actually believe that people don’t see it. And we keep doing it because it tends to make us stronger, so we get quite convinced that that image is true. I don’t want to be captured in that image of myself. I don’t want to be captured in the philosophies and the wisdom of the philosophers. I want their wisdom to help me grow, not stunt it. I want it to make me powerful, not weak.

Like in the book, “The Hours” by Michael Cunningham,Virginia Woolf writes to her husband:

  “Dear Leonard. To look life in the face. Always to look life in the face and to know it for what it is. At last to know it. To love it for what it is, and then, to put it away.”

A part of my life felt simpler today. And hence, the urge to share.

❤ 🙂

My MAMI experience : Films at Mumbai Fest Festival

MAMI 2013

Every year since 1997, Mumbai Academy of Moving Images conducts an International film festival that encompasses films from all over the world in the city of dreams, Mumbai. It is “THE” hub for all the film enthusiasts and cinema lovers across the country and an opportunity none would miss if given a chance. It was the first full fledged film festival I have ever attended and loved every, single part of it. Four months gone and this has been my best week in Mumbai, yet. Out of 200 films that were screened parallely in 6 screens in 7 days, I could see 23 of them. Here is the table of the all the films I have watched and CLICK on them to check out their respective trailers.

18th Oct. 2013	The Act of Killing	The Keeper of lost causes	Jadoo	Liar’s dice
19th Oct. 2013		Autumn Blood	Tonnerre	Blue is the warmest colour
20th Oct. 2013	Matterhorn	Giraffada	Oonga	Dimensions Mumbai*
21st Oct. 2013		Michael Kolhlhaas	Powerless	The Past
22nd Oct. 2013	Baishe Srabon	Lovers on the bridge	Virgin Talkies	The great beauty
23rd Oct. 2013		Siddharth	Medeas	Holy Motors
23rd Oct. 2013		Z	Short term 12	Lovers of the Arctic circle

*Dimensions Mumbai is a section of 20 short films made by 25 years and above filmmakers from the country.

MY TOP 5 FILMS AT MAMI

1. The Act of Killing (2012):
   
   

   MAMI 2013 – The Act of killing – An Indonesian film by Joshua Oppenheimer.

   The Act of Killing is a documentary wherein the title speaks of itself . It has been made in such a way that from the very beginning the filmmaker catches you by your ear. You have to listen to him and go with him on his journey into understanding the 1965-66 killings that took lives of more than 1 million communists. He has chosen an extraordinary subject to talk about this issue – One of the members of the death squads, Anwar Congo (right one in the picture) and his fellow-mate Adi Zulkadry (left).
   The filmmaker challenged them to make a film of any genre to recreate the realities of the killings that they speak of so proudly and made a documentary on it called The act of killing. As you watch them relive their days as murderers, you’ll cringe and grasp your seat with disgust but you won’t take your eyes off the reality captured on screen – honest, seamless and justice made to the exceptional idea. Must watch for all documentary lovers.

2. Blue is the warmest colour (2013):
   

   MAMI 2013- Blue is the warmest colour – A french film by Abdellatif Kechiche

   Where do I start from? Ok, let me try. So, Blue is the warmest colour is the story of a 15 year old girl (seriously!?) who is curious about her sexuality when she falls in love in the very first sight with a blue haired tomboy, Emma. It is the story of their love, passion, separation and denouement like no other.

   Adèle is one of those girls who makes people curious of who she is. Its not deliberate. While she may appear to you as a girl who does not much to say, here is Adèle with opinions about everything and very strong ones there. She is headstrong and a character that the director has explored in every possible sense through this film. What do I say about Emma? I fell in love with her. She is an artist, romantic and a wonderful lover. The film explores their relationship, emotionally and sexually, from Emma’s deep ideals and greater causes to Adèle’s need to have simplicity and happiness called Emma in life.

   Its a pleasure, an experience like no other. Must watch. Only if you are completely uncensored. (You will know why)

   PS – The movie is based on a french graphic novel called Blue Angel by Julie Maroh

3. The Past (2013):
   

   MAMI 2013 – The Past (Le Passé), a french film by Asghar Farhadi

   You’ll be amazed at what the master manages to do this time. After films like A separation, About Elly, he has again managed to blow our minds with this absolutely enthralling feature called The past. The story starts with Marie waiting in the airport to pick up her soon to be ex husband Samir. As she calls him through the glass window, he could not hear and when they eventually meet, the story unfolds. In the entire film, nothing is obvious – everything is told but again not in an obvious way. Asghar Farhadi again manages to get the attention of his viewers unblinkingly in this tale of broken relationships, unsaid and hidden feelings of love, hatred. The inevitable decadence of marriage befalls on you as the film walks with you through suppressed emotions, teenage complications and innocent ignorance.

   The use of glasses is clear, both visually and metaphorically throughout the film and as the director spoke about it in the festival (The Iranian filmmaker, Asghar Farhadi was the chief guest if MAMI), the significance is very relevant to the very nature of the film – where people talk and talk and nobody understands the other. It is worth every second and a film you must watch, an experience you won’t forget.

4. Powerless (2013):
   

   MAMI 2013 – Powerless or Katiyabaaz, an Indian film by Deepti Kakkar & Fahad Mustafa

   
   Now, this came as a surprise. One, I did not expect I would love it so much. Two, it was not even a feature film! I know that sounds a little stupid. But you have to watch it to believe me. Powerless is not really a docudrama but gives you a feel of it and strikes the right chords with its effective story telling.

   The film is an objective take on the issue of habitual power cuts in Kanpur that goes up to 15 hours a day. While Loha, one of the many (but one the best too) katiyabaaz (an electrician who steals electricity), plays Robin-hood figure by charging the rich to provide free power connections in poor neighbourhoods. On the other hand is the first female chief of KESCO (Kanpur electricity supply company), Ritu who has vowed to clean up all illegal electricity connections, a first step forward to eliminate powerlessness.

   The story of both sides comes as a sensible, informative, hilarious and gripping tale of the city’s predicament, from the people deprived of it to the officials responsible for it and of course, the politics that makes it all the more interesting.

5. Short term 12 (2013):
   

   MAMI 2013 – Short term 12, an American film by Destin Cretton

   The final film of the list and my favourite one at that. It had been some time since I had walked out of a theatre and felt so elated, excited, satisfied and out of words. I absolutely loved the film and so did many people who walked out screen 1, Metro cinemas, Mumbai. After watching a film like that? Pure happiness.Short term 12 is the story of a young girl who works as a supervisor at a foster care facility for at-risk teenagers and lives with her long term boyfriend and co-worker, Marcus. Her own troubled past helps her to understand and fully empathise with the characters. The film explores her and Marcus’s relationship, who absolutely dotes on her and with the arrival of another troubled kid Jayden, they both find a friend in each other and it gets better when you watch it.

   There is nothing extraordinary about the film. The fact that it manages to touch you with its sensitive approach to a topic like that and every visual so emotively expressed and without not being melodramatic – that makes Short term 12 a complete and an outstanding film. Loved every minute of it.

FILMS I LIKED A LOT AT MAMI

1. Tonnerre (2013): 
   

   MAMI 2013- Tonnerre (2013), a french film by Guillaume Brac

   Tonnerre is Brac’s debut feature film about a forgotten musician, Maxime who works alone and lives with his father, Claude in Tonnerre. One winter, he meets a young journalist, Melodie who interviews him for a local paper and falls for her. He seeks her out and they fall in love. Its a simple story of the tragedy that lies underneath the beauty of innocent love – the tragedy of not being loved enough.
   
   What I absolutely loved about the film was the fragility of the characters especially Maxime, the understanding of Claude, the absolutely clapped-so-hard performance of the dog and the genuine, inescapable warmth, apathy and confusion in Melodie’s head. It had good comedy and the dialogues added to my already satisfied experience of watching ‘love’ fall apart.

2. The great Beauty (2013):
   
   

   MAMI 2013 – The great beauty/ La grande bellezza, an Italian film by Paolo Sorrentino

   La grande bellezza. Italy’s entry to Oscars this year. For me the film opened up my eyes to what Rome is really like and makes me wonder how much Italians would have loved the film. The film is about a rich, senile man who has been going through a writer’s block for a long time now.

   The film starts with a crazy party sequence and continues to unravel the different ideologies, sleaze and mockery on spirituality, which at times awed me and at other times, just went over my head. Brilliant performances wherein Toni Servillo is our hero and more.

3. Holy Motors (2012):
   
   

   MAMI 2013 – Holy Motors (2012), a french film by Leos Carax

   It was the last show of the day and I was feeling bloodless after six consecutive days of catching up show after show. I had never expected the film to fall so heavily on me. It is a work of genius, an art never made or thought of before. Why? Because its strange, strange film that says nothing directly like montages of ideologies, laments and beliefs in a filmmaker’s mind.The film starts with people watching a film while Leos Carax himself stumbles across a room to find a secret passage to this packed hall. The film begins here and continues to introduce Oscar, who has a lot of appointments where he disguises himself as a character (sometimes an old beggar woman, other times a dying old man or a lunatic in a green suit) and goes on to play them. At first I thought that the film was based in future  until I realised that it wasn’t supposed to come from any era at all. He talks about a lover’s anguish, a dying man’s tragedy, a glamour queen’s indifference and more and more. It might seem boring to many people but once you start to sit down and think about it, it fucking gets you by your balls, even if you don’t have any.

4. The lovers on the bridge (1991):
   
   

   MAMI 2013 – The lovers on the bridge, a french film by Leos Carax

   That film which introduced me to Leos Carax. One of the most uncanny, perplexing, pure and contentious romance I have ever seen. Its a simple but complicatedly interweaved story of a young, homeless couple who fall in love while living in Paris’s oldest bridge, Pont Neuf.  Michele is an artist with a rare eye disease and Alex is a circus performer addicted to alcohol and sedatives.While in the first half of the film, I was in the process of understanding this filmmaker’s perspective, with on and off feelings about it, the second half of the film completely caught me in its web. Alex falls madly in love with Michele and while she is trying to get over her failed relationship, Julian – she also finds a dependable companion, soon-to-be-lover in Alex. But he is scared that she will leave him if her eye is cured and thus, tries to keep her away from it but eventually ‘hope’ finds its way to the bridge and when the film culminates, you can’t help but wonder how purely magical cinema could be.

   This feature starring  Juliette Binoche and Denis Lavant, has sucked up the best of them – you’ll be amazed by its intensity. You don’t have to see fire to feel the heat. My favourite scene is the last one – the one before they fall from the jeep – the one with her joke and both of them laughing.

5. Lovers of the Arctic circle (1998):
   

   MAMI 2013 – Lovers of the Arctic circle (1998), a spanish film by Julio Medem

   One of those typically beautiful storytelling. Its like reading your favourite book, a classic at that. The likes of Amelie or the long engagement or love if you dare and an absolutely heart warming and heart wrenching at the same time, film to watch. Otto and Ana meet and fall in love when they were kids but with Otto’s mothers death, he leaves. The film is their search for each other and the denouncement comes with a silent bang.Coincidences are a character in themselves in films like these but again they are not meant for the sake of ‘conveniences’. They are fairy tales and not all of them have a happy ending.

6. Z (1969):
   

   MAMI 2013 – Z (1969), a french film by Costa Gavras

   It is not possible to cover in this space of how much I loved the film. Shanghai will always be one of the best Indian films I have ever watched in all times and Z was a pure orgasmic experience – yes, THAT level of satisfaction. The quirkiness of the dialogues and the raw manifestation of the characters. And for people who has every reason to dislike USA, this film is a bible you don’t wanna let go of. Its hilarious, right on your face, brave and full of fucking guts.There was one scene, where the protagonist (that are many) is clicking pictures of members of CROC (a communist organisation) and the man pointing them out aims at this man with one eye and says ‘he sold an eye to an American, now he is rich’. Dialogues like that. How can that not be grandfather of all fucking sarcasms! And plus the film begins with the statement, ‘All characters are deliberate’. Fuck. I need a separate page to talk about this awesome shit.

   PS – You must and must watch it.

7. Virgin/Kanyaka Talkies (2013):
   

   MAMI 2013 – Kanyaka Talkies, a Malayalam film by K.R. Manoj who made national award winning documentary – A pestering Journey

   After watching all the Indian films in the festival I was quite convinced that nothing good is gonna come up. But since I don’t get to watch Malayalam films, thanks to the uploaders on torrent for not putting up subtitles, I had to watch this one. And I have realised that – whatever we, in this indie ‘neo-realism’ Indian cinema are trying to do, our Mallu counterparts have already done it. In the beginning it is about a man who used to own a theatre and has now donated it to the church, his past and present effectively interweaved in the narrative. And then it becomes about a girl who is inevitably pushed into Malayalam B grade cinemas. And finally it culminates on a young priest who wants to do good but is deeply troubled by the haunting sounds (sex noises and stuff) of the films that used to play in the theatre. As he tries to figure his way out of the torture, you realise how effectively the filmmaker has been able to make his point – for the love of cinema.

FILMS I WANTED TO WATCH AT MAMI

If I had Hermione’s time-turner I wouldn’t have missed the following films

1. Ilo Ilo (2013):
   Under the backdrop of Asian Recession, a simple story of a family and their maid, set in 1990’s Singapore. Trailer 
2. The Golden Cage/ La juala De oro (2013):
   A spanish film based on two Guatemalan teenagers on their journey to the US. Trailer 
3. Gloria (2013):
   A spanish film on Gloria, a vivacious 58 year old woman, her romantic rendezvous with an ex naval officer and more. Trailer.
4. Brahmin Bulls (2013):
   After many years, father and son of Indian origin but based in Boston meet but their relationship is endangered by the arrival of a woman from the past.
5. The missing Picture (2013):
   A Cambodian documentary and animation film that talks about Khmer Rouge (Communism in Cambodia). I love this type of documentaries, e.g. Waltz with Bashir. Trailer 
6. Good to go (2013):
   Comedy about a grumpy old man. Sole reason why I wanted to watch it that bad is for its awesome trailer.
7. Fandry (2013):
   A Marathi love story set up in rural India between class-mates within the backdrop of a very old monster called caste system. Trailer
8. Faith Connections (2013):
   A sadhu and a child who are shunned from the society. Again, the trailer had got me all worked up about it. But they cancelled the screening in the last moment. Trailer
9. The Rocket (2013):
   Australian film about a boy who is said to bring bad luck and sets out to change people’s perception by enrolling the most dangerous competition of the year – to build a giant rocket. Trailer 
10. Satyanweshi (2013):
    The last feature made by the infamous and late Rituparno Ghosh on another infamous Indian sleuths of Bengali literature – Byomkesh Bakshi. Trailer

Movie-ing crime thrillers

Its will be awfully hard to jot down the names of the best crime thrillers ever. It actually is not possible to make a list of them. So I decided to do it on the basis of – only one film by an actor. Yes, its hard to find women in the lead who made good stuff under this genre and when I say this statement, we must remember an exception called Uma Thurman. But, later about her.

The most tricky part when it comes to writing few-liners about thrillers is to not give away any part of the mystery. Spoilers is too big a word, if I give them away – that will make me an asshol-ica. So, I would rather not. Therefore! – Here are my five favourite crime thrillers out of the dozens of dozens that I love – thriller films based on crime, each with a unique story, plot and cast. More might come up later. For now, enjoy movie-ing! And if you already have, then enjoy reminiscing, just like I love to do.

1. Mystic River – Sean Penn – Murder Mystery – Three people, Jimmy (Sean Penn), Sean (Kevin Bacon) and Dave (Tim Robbins) come across each other after years when Jimmy’s daughter gets murdered. The film starts from that segment of their childhood when they were baseball buddies and Dave got abducted by two imposter cops who tortured and sexually abused him for four days until he escaped. It, definitely is a masterpiece thriller – hats off to one of my favourite directors Clint Eastwood again.

2. Argo – Ben Affleck – Rescue story -The most recent one in the list here. Ben affleck‘s crazy work – Argo, fuck yourself! (That’s a film pun, totally intended) A nail biting treat for you, this film is one of the most amazing reminders of a political event that literally shook America.  During the Iranian revolution when the Shah was thrown out by the Ayatollah, the Iranians of the Islamic Republic demanded the US to return Shah Pahlavi to them and to meet their demands they captured the U.S. Embassy at Tehran which lead to the popular 1979 Iran hostage crisis. 6 US citizens from the embassy escaped and took refuge in a Canadian ambassador’s house. The film is the story of a CIA agent, Tony Mendez who made a fake full-fledged movie as a plan to get them out of Iran.

(To know more about the revolution you can watch the Oscar nominated animation film Persepolis, another one of my favourite movies. For now, if you haven’t watched this recent work of genius – then you missed a lot!)

3. American Gangster – Denzel Washington – Police and drugs and biography – Ah. Now there we come to some real and the high-scorer of crime cinema based on drug dealing. What sets the story apart from the other amazing thrillers is its plot – a plot that gets its unique nature from the true story of Frank Lucas. The African-American who started out as a gangster’s driver and grew on to be one of the most influential gangsters ever. He smuggled heroin into United States directly from its producers in Thailand and that too through the American service planes returning from the Vietnam war! My man!

On the other hand is Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), an honest cop who swore to wipe the dirty business off the streets of Harlem, the drug dealer’s hub in the New York city – the city that now belongs to Frank Lucas.

4.  The departed – Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon – Police, crooks and police-crooks. I am sure you have watched and if you haven’t then someone or the other must have asked you to. Yes. The Departed is a genius father of police and crook relationship. While American Gangster is an open book at the end, The departed is even unexpected till the end! Damon is a ‘dedicated’ cop, a mole in the police department for Jack Nicholson‘s plan of organized crime and DiCaprio who because of his family ties to organized crime has been made an appointed as an undercover cop to track Jack Nicholson’s trail of crime and bring him down. A thriller is meant to be unexpected but this time, Martin Scorsese just manages to blow that mind of yours, off your head. Every scene in the beginning will make your eyebrows crease, in the middle they will give you some relief and in the end, they will make you gasp – for a while there.

5. Se7en – Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman – Two detectives, an amateur and a veteran after a serial killer. –  The film will have its bloody grip on you throughout! It perhaps is the best thriller I have EVER watched. Perfect story. Perfect background score. Too-perfect-to-find-any-flaw actors. A great film. A must watch of course. Even imdb says so. Sorry, every fucking film website, magazine and buff says so!

There  is one particular scene where Freeman and Pitt are standing outside the murderer’s doorstep which is locked and then they see a guy stop at the end of the hall carrying grocery I guess. You know something would happen, but you still don’t expect and that is when Fincher catches your attention in an offgaurd moment and following that scene you experience the best chase sequence of your cinematic life ever! And trust me – I am talking about a really serious film here but there are scenes that will make you go nuts on your stomach! Two of my favourites are: The next sequence to this chase sequence and the ‘Shardy’ one, if you know what I mean 😉 And if you don’t, then go watch the damn film!

Movie-ing Naomi Watts

She is beautiful – and talented.  I was going to make a random list of few amazing movies – a mix of old and new ones – until I realized I had something common in all of them. And – you guessed it right – Naomi Watts. I like her. Do you, too? If yes, then seriously don’t waste your time watching all the films she’s ever made. I have a friend who does that. Its good for her actually. She knows the difference between good and bad films. I, on the other hand would never torture myself with bad films, not even for the sake of it. Anyway, here is the list and enjoy movie-ing cos there is much more to explore about our King-Kong girl! (A proper list after a long time!)

1. Eastern Promises (2007) – Crime thriller. If you are a girl then its time you meet your dream man. That reminds me of my fantasy of dating a criminal (and not getting raped or murdered eventually). By the way do you have one too? Too bad they are not having a sequel for eastern promises, cos its amazing! Viggo Mortensen in his best and Naomi Watts as gracefully charming and suitable for her earthly character of sophistication. An amazing film, I tell you! Specially the fist and knife fight sequence in one of the public baths – shit! What – a – scene! (Censored for the Television though! Why? You’ll know *wink*)
2. The painted Veil (2006) – Romantic Drama. There are lot of things to take from the movie – especially if you’re young. Kitty (Naomi Watts) marries a successful man named Walter (Edward Norton) just to get away from her family but soon she realizes her life was very monotonous with no excitement whatsoever because – he was a silent crude doctor and most importantly, she did not love him. Sometimes it takes years to love someone, sometimes its just one look. Kitty meets a charming man, Charlie (Liev Schreiber) and deludes herself to believe that he loved her too. The film is about Walter taking Kitty to a small Chinese village suffering the epidemic of cholera despite knowing that she cheated on him. The film is about Kitty realizing her own foolishness and falling in the love with the man who pretends to punish her with his jibes. The film is about Kitty and Walter falling in love all over again. And the film is lovely!
   
   
   
3. Mulholland Drive (2001)- Psychological thriller. It is nothing like any of the films I have ever watched. Personally, I felt like a detective in the film. Some parts of it still confound me. But then that’s what David Lynch wanted to do I guess. He wanted a confused audience for his uber confusing film. Did I like it? Of course I did! A film is not about the conclusion or the plot alone. There is a lot more to it. While the painted veil is all sunny, Mulholand Drive is a gloomy film. No, not boring, deliberately gloomy. I did myself a favour at the end, you can do that too if you aren’t too smart or a psychotic – don’t try to interpret it.
   
4. 21 grams (2003)- Drama and Romance – I love Sean Penn and his movies. Perhaps my next post will be about him. The story of the film interweaves around three families who come across each other in the most critical situations of their lives. The editing is absolutely unique! Naomi Watts is an absolute stunner and perhaps one of the most bold actresses I know with that distinction of having an innocent outline about her character. Benicio Del Toro, an ardent follower of Jesus who is in deep conflict after killing Naomi’s family in an accident, surrenders himself but cannot trust his God he worshipped beyond everything. The film has managed to portray raw emotions in the most enticing way! From the anguish of losing your loved ones to the unprompted love that engulfs a dying man – it is hard to believe that all of it could make one, single film. Loved it. You will too.
   
   
   
5. The impossible (2012)-I don’t really know what genre this is, but they call it drama and thriller. IMDB describes the film like this – An account of a family caught, with tens of thousands of strangers, in the mayhem of one of the worst natural catastrophes of our time. I haven’t watched it yet and that is because I can’t find the torrent file. Can you? Please help, if you can! I really want to watch it. I have sixth sense with the plots and this one totally excites the hell out of me. Am I over expecting? Hope not.

Film	Imdb rating	The amazing co-star?
Eastern Promises (2007)	7.7	Viggo Mortensen
The painted Veil (2006)	7.5	Edward Norton
Mulholland Drive (2001)	8.0	Laura Harring
21 grams (2003)	7.8	Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro
The impossible (2012)	7.6	Ewan McGregor

Chittagong – A saga of the ordinary

We sat still as the lights turned up and a man wearing a white cotton shirt stepped into the hall with a mike. He was the maker of the film. I glanced at my friend who was too stunned to speak. Out of 450 seats in the 9 rows of Screen 3 at Prasadz, there were hardly 50 people who had turned up to watch the film. I am not talking about some great intellectual piece of work, neither am I talking about a penniless appreciable work of an artist. I am talking about a full feature length of 105 minutes with a story, actors and music that will completely blow you off your mind. Yes. Believe me – it will.

Lets go back to the unheard part of the history which makes the story of the film – Chittagong.

Chittagong is a place in Bangladesh which was a part of Bengal during the Pre-Partition days of British Raj in India. Around the 1930’s a group of young students, all between 14 -23 years of age became revolutionaries under the inspiration and pedagogy of Masterda, Surya Sen – an important figure or in mass media language, the most prominent ‘opinion leader’ of the village. Even as a freedom fighter, the British representatives at Chittagong did not consider him as a potential threat because of the lack of a proper army or trained personnels.

Surya Sen, played by Manoj Bajpai is a strong, sensitive and inspiring character that will make you a patriot all over again. When you watching him being the Masterda with such ease you wonder how much more versatile an actor can be. He creates a magic, a sense of unimaginable realism and belief for his audience and that definitely has a lot to do with his choice of films. You will find most of the notable men-crew of Gangs of Wasseypur playing major roles in the film (Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Jaideep Ahlawat etc.)

A crude translation of my one of my favourite dialogues in the film –
“The body of a elephant in chains is much stronger than the iron strongholds in his feet. But still he can’t break it? Do you know why? Because he is used to being chained.“

The film is no hyperbole but an honest attempt to capture “the essence of Chittagong” during the period of freedom struggle when innocents where getting killed. Swadeshi activists were tortured to death or worse with life imprisonment. Farmers did not have control over their own yield and the blood of the youngsters stirred violently to revenge the perpetrators of dictatorship in their nation. More than revenge it was about freedom. And that essence has been captured on the screen in the most amazing way possible.

One of my favourite and spine chilling scenes – in the first half of the film, Masterji Surya Sen is taken in by the British officer, an egotistical prick in my words for divulging information out of him. When he doesn’t give him any, the Prick uses a sort of pliers to pluck his nails out. The expression on Manoj Bajpai‘s face reflected that of intense pain and I swear the scene will make you shudder and make you hate that Gora for those few seconds.

Another one of my favourite scenes is when Pritilata (a woman in Surya Sen’s Armed Resistance movt.) assassinates the Prick. What I loved about the scene was that fear on her face. The fear was not because she was afraid to be killed. This emotion that has been captured so raw blew off my senses! The Prick’s name was DIG Johnson by the way. And even better and symbolic was the scene after that – where they run out of the building, she and her ‘soldiers’ and the camera pans to the board outside the club which said: Dogs and Indians not allowed.

Pritilata Waddedar played by Vega Tamotia

One day out of fun few kids play a prank on this Prick and one of them gets murdered in open daylight. And suddenly many youngsters who were previously hesitant to join the movement come up to take fight the whites with Surya Sen’s guidance. One of his students, Jhunku who was reluctant in the beginning but later is not only convinced but committed to the cause – is the narrator of this film. Yes, you will watch the entire film from his point of view.

When the director Bedabrata Pain met Subodh Roy (alias Jhunku), he was breathing his last and was in his late 90’s. At the end of the film, he says a few words and they are perhaps the most priceless achievements of the film.

Honestly think about the best Hollywood historical movies you have liked. Trust me, Chittagong is easily a tough competition to all of them. Yes, it is. I am not even bothered to compare the eccentric nature of the film with the commercial Bollywood trying to depict history. No Lagaan and no Ashoka and definitely no Jodhaa Akbar can be as authentic and heart warming as Chittagong.

If I keep talking about how much I loved the film then the blog post will become a thesis. I wouldn’t mind, but for now I just want to tell each and everyone of you to WATCH the film. Its Indie (which means it has not been produced by a big banner – the director has also produced the film) and that is why the first week (in Hyderabad, it was released in 12th October) is very critical. We have to make the film work by watching it, by promoting it, so that country could see what good cinema can be!

P.S – The forte passages of the songs are so touching and under the loop of my playlist (composed by Shankar Ehsaan Loy) since yesterday, specially Bolo na and Ishan. Ishan is a song sung by Bedabrata himself and was the name of his deceased son who he has dedicated this film to. May his soul rest in peace..

In Bengal, Ishan is the direction from where the first storm of the new year arises, blowing away all that is decayed, dead and rotten. It replaces it with everything that’s fresh, verdant, and pure. It infuses hope, courage and passion for giving birth to something new and beautiful,” says Bedabrata.

Ishan Lyrics

Khul gaya naya dwaar hai
Ishaan ki Jhankaar hai
De Salaami aasman
Hauslon me dhaar hai
Ishaaaaaaan –
Hai wo disha
Jahan roshni, Jahan zindagi geet hai
Ishaaaaaaan –
Hai wo subah
Jahan khwaab hai, umeed hai, jeet hai

[Amazing music]

naritya naya kadam kadam pe
bade jor si dhadkan thi
sans sans me shank samaya
yahi nayi ek sargum thi
waqt tarana bajta hai
sajda hai gunje har dum
hum milte hai ek lahar
jate hai uske dware

khul gaya naya dwar hai
naritya naya kadam kadam pe
bade jor se dhadkan thi
sans sans me shank samaya
yahi nayi ek sargum thi
waqt tarana bajta hai
sajda hai gunje har dum
hum milte hai ek lahar
jate hai uske dware

Khul gaya naya dwaar hai
Ishaan ki Jhankaar hai
De Salaami aasman
Hauslon me dhaar hai
Ishaaaaaaan –
Hai wo disha
Jahan zindagi, Jahan roshni geet hai
Ishaaaaaaan –
Hai wo subah
Jahan khwaab hai, umeed hai, jeet hai

[Again that amazing thing called Shankar’s music and the chorus]

Gone baby Gone

The boy is out of the well now | The missing child was found this morning. | The man was shot but he is alive and safe.

Sometimes I wonder if life is more about truths or lies. Sometimes we wonder if we all live in a lie, everyone dies with the truth and all that is left are the lies, lies that make us “happy”.

Don’t you think that all these concepts of happy endings are made up? Am not saying they aren’t true. Am just saying they are made up. With the reporter’s voice consoling us and giving us that illusion of a liveable world out there, of course its a blatant lie – a lie we believe in or rather, a lie we ‘want’ to believe in.

We are not living.

We are adjusting and by explaining ourselves like ‘Hey what are you upset about? You are better off than others!’

All of it is an illusion of a perfect world made by “God”.

There are films which end happily and then there are films which end not-so-happily and then there are other films we wait for to end. Gone baby gone doesn’t come under any of those. Here is a film that ends with an illusion of “Happy-ending”. It actually is a slap on our faces. It sounds so harsh, but it definitely was a slap on the system I live in, on the system that I believe in. If I start talking about the film too much I might end up giving away spoilers and for your information, I hate to edit my stuff. 😛

Gone baby Gone is a crime-thriller based on the story of a little girl, Amanda who has been abducted from her home when her mother was out of sight. From the private detectives to the police officers all come together to find her with just one though in their minds – She is just a little girl. But – that is just a tiny part of the plot there. The girl’s mother is an arsenic. She is a single mother, a drug addict and a thief.

Half way through the film and the case is closed and solved. Unusual because things look funnily spooky and plus, its just half the runtime. It seems the girl drowned in a deep lake while trying to save herself from the chaos after the ransom was about to be paid. Everyone makes you believe she dies but because more than half of the film is left you know that she can’t die. But what is happening? Why are police officers lying? Why does Patrick (The private detective played by Casey Affleck) thinks something is terribly wrong?

Bressant (Ed Harris) talking (chinding) Helene, Amanda’s mother.

When he finds a raped and murdered seven year old boy in a child molester’s house, Patrick immediately shoots the offender on his head. He is grieved by the thought that he broke the Bible’s word. Murder is a sin, it says and he killed someone without a thought. No matter how big a felony that is – nothing convinced him. Inspector and Detective Remy Bressant in a very emotional state of mind near the crime scene wants to prove Patrick that whatever he was right. In the flow of it he mentions “Skinny Ray’s” name who helped him in one of his investigations 15 years ago. But then he had earlier stated that he did not know Ray. Why is it all so important? Well, Amanda was kidnapped in the first place because of this Ray guy. Definitely Patrick found the loop-hole here. We all did actually. And that is when the film reopens the case and the excitement begins, all over again.

It is easy to guess that the director (Ben Affleck) will make sure the girl is safe and sound for the audience. But why? And for what? That is something you must know by watching the film. Without giving away spoilers (if you haven’t watched it yet) I would like to talk about the climax.

So at the end he finds her. Now he has two choices – to do what the rule says or to do what he probably should do. He is tore between the two options. If he chooses to stick by the rule then Amanda goes back to her old life where the neglect of her doped mother might never give her a good life. If he takes the latter option, that might work out well for her future but that would be plain treachery. The end will still surprise you.

A wonderful thriller and perhaps as good as American Gangster. You will like it. I? Loved it.

P.S – Most of my film posts are old, stored up in my drafts somewhere. There are so many more but I am so lazy to edit. Will soon. Goodmorning!

Sometimes its a Blue Valentine

I watched Blue Valentine. I stared at the screen after it was over. I watched it fade out, the beats of the music going along with it. I took a bath, I had not had any that day. And I stood under the shower for God knows how many minutes. Still. Thinking.. 

What do I say. Films have the unusual power of affecting our minds. They understand us more than our friends. They talk to us, sometimes they hurt, sometimes they console, but most times – they just talk. Even their incessant blabber makes sense. Blue Valentine is one of the best contemporary realism of any relationship; the best one will be – The revolutionary road for me.

Sometimes we don’t know what we want. We see someone is “good” for us and we think ‘Yea. This is what we want.’ Sometimes we know we might not be enough for them and we still don’t stop because we fall in love. Sometimes we tell them, ‘Hey you know what, I don’t think I am good enough for you.’ And they stop you mid-way, kiss you lightly and with an innocent expression on their faces ask you not say such things again..’Its hurting me’. That’s what they say and you, like a moron believe that shit. That’s how they lie. And yes, they know that. But still they say it. I have and I know that you have too.

Dean and Cindy’s love story was immature from the very beginning. Some people might think they were madly in love with each other. But were they? Dean was crazy about her and so he knew she was “The one”. But when Cindy met Dean she had just broken out of another relationship with a guy named Bobby. No, I don’t think Dean was a rebound. But he was sweet, charming, extremely loving – everything a girl dreams of. Since he isn’t boring there is no chance of not having excitement in life, maybe that’s what she thought. Moreover, when she gets pregnant with her ex and repels from abortion, he still accepts her – with love – the kind of love that knew no bounds. She had seen enough in life – men, jerks, men, jerks – Dean was too perfect. So, she married him.

But did she love him? Yes. She did. Did she love him enough?

…

At the end she says she can do it no more. He wants her back, he wants to change, do anything for her and if that means leaving, he is even ready to do that. Cindy is sorry. She is very sorry. She knows she should go back to him, she should love him – but she can’t. How can she, when there is no love left.

What kind of love is that? When there is nothing left. Did Cindy do the right thing? Was she selfish when she asked him to leave? What about their daughter? Why was she not ready to give him another chance?

Because.. She can’t. She had to make it all stop and did you notice that it was right after she met Bobby? No. I don’t think that means she is love with her ex. I think this is more like when she met Bobby, he did make her ‘feel’ something. She might have even wanted to meet him again or not, she doesn’t know. But there was no indifference in that meeting. She was fully aware of his presence and he had an effect on her. One the other hand she felt she had lost everything that she had with Dean, she could not even bear to look at him, talk to him – she tried, but it was impossible.

God. I am being so biased. I am not talking about poor Dean at all. He loves her so much but he thinks that is all we need to be happy. Maybe he needed to be a little more mature there. She wanted him to work, to do something better in life. And when she tries to make him understand, it hurts his ego. He probably lives in a fantasy world where he is doing something he wants to – have a normal job, come back home, love his kids and wife and be loved. But life doesn’t work like that. There always has to be something more to everything.

I loved the film. I know I say that a lot and I will continue to because I only watch the best rated films and that too after recommending IMDB, Wikipedia and few more blogs. I am a sucker for good films. Blue Valentine is a food for thought for any person who has messed ideas about love. I am the perfect audience for cinema like these.

This is not a review. But to read a good one, you can click here.

Bollywood’s Children of the year VS Bollywood’s comeback of the year!

Today I watched two movies. Two Bollywood hits of the year. If Point of view was a station, then the respective directors of these two most popular-2012-hyped-dramas must be standing in two extreme platforms – Karan Johar and Gauri Shinde. This is perhaps the first and the last site where you’ll find their names next to each other. Exaggerating? No.

 On one side there is Karan Johar whose cinema reflects his world of fantasy. The realism he tries to portray can never exist. For many people it is plain entertainment, something light, something nice to watch “for a change” and maybe they are right. Yes, I might want to argue with myself like “Hey. The film made me smile – then what am I cribbing about?” – but then even the cheapest comedy makes me laugh, even the person I hate the most is not all bad, but that doesn’t mean I have to like him/her. Right? No I will not be diplomatic and so I will say what I feel – yes, Student of the year will make you smile, will take you into a fantasy world where boys look like men who pose in underwear ads, girls look like bimbos (no offence) and Deans of the so-called ‘best college of the country’ act like unhappy despos (desperate souls). And so, the film is a creative-less fantasy and so, I did not like it.

On the other side is a woman, a woman who wrote about another woman and made it into a film. English Vinglish, a vision through Gauri Shinde‘s eyes is based on a character who is grounded to her culture, who has a conservative background, but in her true self – is a free thinker with a heart that has no cages, that does not limit to the prejudices made by the world. She is happy in her little life – she, her husband, two children and a supportive mother -in – law. She owns a small business where she makes and sells laddus in and around her community and THIS is something that is more than an extra income for her. It is this work that makes her ‘someone’ in that little world of hers.

She is a typical, simple housewife that any Indian man wants to have – for a comfortable future. She is a typical Indian mother whose kids take her for granted and in their early teens even get ashamed of her inability to understand and talk in English. She is so typical with such a non -typical true self. While her husband is proud of her cooking abilities, he has never given a thought that she could be better or good or at least worth anything else. So typ—

Yea. I know.

Both the films have a predictable end. Where English Vinglish is about a woman who goes to New York for her niece’s wedding and eventually learns English and earns respect for who she is, KJ’s Student of the year about a love trilogy based on an extravagant setting and lots of young enthusiasm to keep you awed – no, not with the story – but with the clothes, the girls, the body and few funny dialogues.

Somewhere in one of my previous posts I mentioned how much acting matters to me. English Vinglish had a decent group of actors, everyone good enough with the plus point called a really strong screenplay! But Student of the year consists of good dialogues in parts and with actors that can’t tell them properly. David Dhawan‘s son, Varun Dhawan came out to be a fine performer though. Personally, I liked him most of the three hyped Bollywood’s children of the year. Even though the last scene’s dubbing was a disaster – I can still give positive feedback on Varun as I found him give a very neat delivery of his dialogues. Sridevi made it to the most amazing come-back ever. She did what amazing actors like Kajol could not do with My Name is Khan and Madhuri with Aaja Nachle. Hopefully, Manisha Koirala would do it right with Indira Gandhi’s role! She kept her temperament very close to how an Indian middle class housewife is expected to have and that is much more than appreciable.

At last, I would like to tell Shanaya that – no, your beautiful clothes don’t make me any jealous of you, they don’t even make me want to be like you if that’s what you wanted to do – sorry, you tried but not your best. Get yourself a better role next time. And come on, what are you? Just 19?

P.S – The French guy – Laurent? For your information – I think I am in love with him. Period.

Mehdi Nebbou in English Vinglish

JFK – That unforgotten story of the ages

I was in shock. It was like an invisible storm that suddenly blows you off your mind. If you didn’t feel the same after watching JFK then maybe you  should watch it again, more raptly this time. When the film reached its credits, I was dazed – and for the first time not by the makers of the film Oliver Stone or the actors like Kevin Costner or Gary Oldman. All of them were doubtlessly extraordinary but what dazed me was the sheer lucidity of the story – the naked verities of US’s Late President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. And to imagine that our modus operandi can so easily befool us – even the thought is so intimidating.

John F.Kennedy
Pic courtesy – http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com

Mind you, this is no serious one-time watch cinema. JFK will give you much more than the mere understanding of characters playing real life roles. On the outside it looks like a true story with an unfolding mystery pertaining to  US President John F. Kennedy‘s murder that is investigated by Jim Garrison and his team. But as you engross yourself in the film (which has a runtime of over 3 hours) you will see an entire economy of a country, the fate of its people that has been altered time and again with the powerful big shots who keep shifting their seats pushing one another for the most comfortable space.

The film is a true story – perhaps the most convincing political & historical thriller of all times. What a combination of genres na? And it had to be because it is no fiction. It is not only a risk but against ethics to compromise on a narrative like this and thus one of the longest Hollywood films I have come across.

Because there was a lot of political reference throughout the movie , there are three historical facts that you need to know so as to understand JFK better :

1. US – An anti-communist country and Soviet – a Communist

Back during the cold war years, you know that there were two super-powers. One was a capitalist economy i.e. US and the other was a socialist, obviously the Soviet Union (USSR). All the wars, civil wars, cold wars and more – that you hear about were all results of America being an anti Communist and Soviet being communist. For example, North Vietnam was a communist state and South Vietnam an anti-Communist state. So, when they were at war, US began to interfere. Why? Well, according to US’s policy of containment, it uses strategies to stop the spread of communism abroad. Hence, the Vietnam war.

Similarly in Cuba, Fidel Castro came to power in 1959 and advocated communism after shaking hands with the Soviet union. Now obviously, USA was NOT ok with that, period.

Fidel_Castro – The cubal revolution Leader

2. Anti Castro wars

US tried different manoeuvres to get rid of the Castro government. One of the them was The Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 where the Cuban exiles were gathered and trained by the CIA personnels. But back in Cuba, the military forces were well equipped and straightened up by the pro communist nations and thus drove the Cuban-exiled-US-trained combatants out in three days. This was a great shame for Kennedy’s government and he had been appointed the Presidentship only 3 months before the invasion took place. In September 1961, because of this “fiasco” Allen Dulles, the then director of CIA was forced to resign along with his team. In fact President Kennedy reportedly said he wanted to “splinter the CIA into a thousand pieces and scatter it into the winds.” US – the greatest superpower in the world losing to Cuba? What are the odds huh!? There are no odds actually. Fidel Castro’s army knew about the “secret” invasion, because of this:

The Times article that gave away the Bay of Pigs invasion plan
Pic courtesy – mediamythalert

This gave Cubans an amazing history to remember though. Anyway, then again in November 1961, the CIA under his administration commenced belligerent covert (secret) operations against the Pro-Communist Castro regime called the Operation Mongoose. This was operated from Miami which had the largest domestic CIA station. 300 agents, 7000 select Cubans (exiled people), 50 fake business fronts to launder money. There was a round the clock war waging against Castro government from industrial sabotage to crop burning and more.

Operation Mongoose was pure Black ops
A still from the film JFK

3. The Cuban Missile Crisis

Now our communist groups were extremely furious. After these numerous attempts of the US invasion in Cuba till August 1962, the Soviet union and Cuba together decided to strike the continental US by assembling the most deadly weapons like the MRBMs and the IRBMs at the Soviet missile bases in Cuba. To resolve the crisis which could have lead to another World war III President Kennedy, the UN Secretary General U Thant and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union’s Secretary Nikita Khrushchev made an agreement where the offensive weapons were to be moved from the Cuban bases back to Soviet Union and in return, the US President promised to never invade Cuba again. Some deal I say. If this “genius” idea had befallen upon them much earlier millions of lives could have been saved.

Castro and Khrushchev

Kennedy and Khrushchev

The Additional Vietnam scene

By 1963, Kennedy had started planning to move the US troops out of Vietnam. That November, President of South Vietnam Ngo Dinh Diem was assassinated. No. Don’t pity him. He was a religious fanatic anyway. Three weeks later John F. Kennedy died too and after that the Vietnam war started for real. Why did I mention this? You will know.

Vietnam War during Cold War
Pic courtesy – blackrainbow-blackrainbow

X, an anonymous figure and the Chief of Special Ops in the US army during 1960s told Jim Garrison:

..Kennedy wanted to end the Cold War in his second term. He wanted to call off the moon race and cooperate with the Soviets. He signed a treaty to ban nuclear testing. He refused to invade Cuba in 1962. He set out to withdraw from Vietnam. But all that ended on the 22nd of November, 1963..

In 1963, November 22nd President Kennedy was assassinated by accused Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas, Texas in front of hundreds of people. No. Nobody saw Oswald fire the gun. Like every accused he denies of the crime and two days after the President’s murder and two days before his trial on 26th November 1963 our murderer was murdered. Why would a hater do what the government can? Instead of clearing the air of more obvious doubts, the Warren Commission report (The commission appointed to investigate the assassination of the Late President) concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone malefactor of President’s assassination. By now Lyndon B. Johnson was the appointed the President of US.

Pic courtesy – http://www.theflopbox.com

Now Read this:

Jim Garrison: I never realized Kennedy was so dangerous to the establishment. Is that why (he was murdered)? 
X: Well that’s the real question, isn’t it? Why? The how and the who is just scenery for the public. Oswald, Ruby, Cuba, the Mafia. Keeps ’em guessing like some kind of parlor game, prevents ’em from asking the most important question, why? Why was Kennedy killed? Who benefited? Who has the power to cover it up? Who?

There is a dialogue that X recalls to be the scene between President Johnson and the Generals of the US army- the day after Kennedy died. President Johnson said:

Gentlemen, I am not going to let Vietnam go like China did. I’m committed not to take our soldiers out of there till they know we mean business in Asia. (Lyndon Johnson signs National Security Memo 273 which reverses Kennedy’s withdrawal policy and approves covert action against North Vietnam provoking the Gulf of Tonkin incident) Just get me elected, I’ll give you the damn war.

The war meant money, hundreds of million dollars were at stake. Any kind of withdrawal of the army meant stopping the supplies of the thousands of ammunitions and thus the terrible loss in business.  President Eisenhower (before Kennedy) warns in his 1961 farewell address about ‘Military industrial complex’ was new to America and it will have its consequences. He said –

“We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes.”

John F. Kennedy always wanted peace. In one of his speeches shown in the first five minutes of the film he says:

“..What kind of a peace do I mean? And what kind of a peace do I seek? Not a pax Americana enforced on the world by American weapons of war. We must re-examine our own attitudes towards the Soviet Union. Our most basic, common link is that we all inhabit this small planet..”

JFK is an adapted screenplay of  Jim Garrison’s book “On the trail of the assassins” as well as a documentary with all the original clippings of President Kennedy’s videos. The truth which the film reveals is so disturbing, I can’t imagine the impact it must have had on the American citizens who had been lied so unashamedly about it and perhaps, still are. But that is for you to watch and comment, American or not, corruption and dirty politics is not a new story for any sustaining economy, let alone you my Bharat-vasis.

I would have broken down in the last scene  if it was about my country. The film is a powerful reminder to all the citizens in their respective democracies that everyone has the right to know the truth and those who – in power denounce it must be charged with perjury or more. But the question is, will we?

Frost/Nixon. A history to remember.

Pic courtesy – http://hannahpoturalski.wordpress.com

For a person who hardly knows much about politics in her own country, understanding the American politico certainly is not a piece of cake. The 1972 Watergate scandal is one of the most famous memories of corruptions of all times, not only in America but all over the world. I remember the first time I heard about it. I might be too embarrassed to admit, but I had NO IDEA what that was. I thought it had something to do with water related problems in India, because the discourse in the class was about corruption and the ‘incongruous’ political games. Don’t stop reading – am pretty well-informed now.

It took me few days to completely the understand the case. Here is a small brief for you. In 1972, Richard Nixon‘s government, a republican and the then-President of USA was alleged to be involved in the attempted burglary that took place in the Watergate complex. Now this complex was the headquarters for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) which you can understand is Nixon government’s opposing party. Two years later on August 9, 1974, Richard Nixon resigned from the US Presidentship. Basically the entire scandal is about the burglary, photographing of documents, wiretapping of phones at DNC and the Nixon government’s cover-up that eventually came out with the tapes. These tapes were the recorded versions of several conversations that the President had with other trusted bureaucrats of his party. When these tapes were retrieved, everything came out into the open which ultimately lead to their corrupt President’s resignation.

Richard Nixon’s victory sign after resigning his Presidentship.

Frank Langella as Richard Nixon in the film Frost/Nixon

What is missing in all this is the Ex-President’s testimony where he admitted his guilt. Doesn’t A.Raja’s guiltless smiling face frustrate the hell out of you? And that pride when he comes out of the jail – like he is some freedom fighter and the reporters, his ardent followers!! Similarly to bring out the guilty part on Ex-President Nixon’s visage, because that is what the American audience wanted to hear and see – a British media personality, David Frost (Played by Michael Sheen in the film Frost-Nixon)took up the challenge. He was famous for his various talk shows and charm that worked like magic for his audience and making a lot of money for his producers. Famous in Britain and Australia, his shows did not quite work out for the audience in US and that is why he wanted a comeback by striking that quarry which was the most valuable subject of that time – Richard Nixon.

John Brit, David Frost’s most trusted friend and producer said,

“His most lasting legacy is that today any political wrongdoing is immediately given the suffix ‘gate’.”

People wanted to hear the truth and moreover when Nixon earned the Presidential pardon from his successor Gerald Ford which exempted him of all his crimes, the unforgiving crowd was outraged even more. This anguished Nixon further – to see the downfall of his political image in America. He wanted to give something back to the people through his 1000 pages memoir and that is when his literary agent talked him into the proposal given by David Frost – a proposal that made money and might even be his one last opportunity to address the citizens of the country and make a positive impact on them.

Original Frost-Nixon Interview

Frost/Nixon is a movie that is all about that proposal that led David Frost to interview Richard Nixon. Despite the least number of investors and people who did not trust this project, David and John Brit hired two investigators to probe into the matters that could make the interview more precise eventually leading to Nixon’s defeat in front of the people of America. You might read hundreds of pages about the Watergate scandal through the books, surfing or encyclopaedias but the visual experience is invaluable. It is not just that popular one-sided show where we are given information about the Richard Nixon being the bad guy. No. It doesn’t portray anyone is the negative light, it just throws the limelight on one person at the end.

A film that will keep you on the vigil, the film that will excite you just by its words and most importantly a film that will entail your doubts throughout! Do watch it.

Ahem! Kamal Dhamal Malamal! But why?

Pic courtesy – ndtv

Kamal Dhamal Malamal. What kind of a name is that? The moment Mom told me it is being screened at RSI, my first reaction – You go and watch, ok? Then there was some network disturbance and she just heard Ok. A friend told me its a Priyadarshan’s film, so might not be that bad.

But the name? Seriously? I don’t think so.

Half an hour after I reach home and the folks are all ready and waiting for me. 3 hours later after watching it anyway I immediately start blogging about it. There are two possibilities, either its too good or too bad. Too bad you think?

It actually is unexpected. Because its good. Not great. Not bad. Not ok. Less than ok actually, but not “Not-watchable”.

Kamal Dhamal Malamal is one of those non-cheap, typically Bollywood and a watchable comedy that an easy-to-laugh Indian audience will thoroughly enjoy. I certainly don’t come under that category, but with family it is in fact a really light thing to watch for some convulsive laugh!

Few days back, I think yesterday, I was talking to my friends and one of our lecturers about the importance of elements in cinema. For me, it has always been acting. For many others it is usually a decent storyline, while for most of them it is both. Oh. I know people who can watch any movie which is not “dirty”. Whatever – perceptions differ. I can appreciate a less than decent storyline if the actors know what they are doing. Many people liked the hindi version of the telugu and tamil film, Ek Deewana Tha. I hated it – to the core. You can understand why. If not, then read Tushar A Amin’s review here. Similarly, many people found Aaja Nachle stupid but I liked it. Acting matters – sorry if that is a lot of favouritism. 😉

Kamal Dhamal Malamal is a simple story of a young man (Johnny urf bakri played by Shreyas Talpade) who wants to become a crorepati through lottery. Wait a minute – that is not how the real story starts. Infact I loved the way they set out the very first scene. I was having the Gangs of Wasseypur déjà vu. You remember how they begin with a map and talk about the history?

So, Om Puri (O)and Paresh Rawal (P)were best friends until P ditches O after getting the L called Lottery. So O gets angry, makes P’s girlfriend pregnant and marries her off. Makes sense na? 😛 She makes love to her guy’s best friend. How cool!

Pic coutesy – sulekha.com

So years  later you see Johnny as a lazy bum who lives on his father’s (O) hard work and loves a girl who is (like we did not expect) P’s daughter – played by the pretty – sweet Madhurima Banerjee. Now Johnny wants to marry her but is a pathetic coward. He is afraid of everything, hence popularly called Bakri (Goat). Don’t you think he is symbolic of almost every man’s scared side? Anyway, the girl has three big bulky brothers who hate this Bakri. Like we didn’t expect that either – the typical three brothers concept. “Bollywood!”  and I dramatically sigh.

Neeraj Vora Pic Courtesy – cinebasti.c

Asrani Pic Courtesy – movies.infoonlinepages.com

He gets beaten up by them all the time until the hero enters – yes, brothers, sisters and guys – our own scarecrow Nana Patekar (NP)! An accused murder and rapist who enters an unknown village and by some funny fate ends up in O’s house through Bakri who convinces his family that he is the brother who left them years back. There is a quid pro quo involved here. Bakri wants Kali (NP) to protect his back from the people who keep running after his ass and Kali wants food – Lots of food! Oh. Believe me. You will laugh. And by the way, I loved Asrani, Shreyas and Neeraj Vora’s expressions! God. What actors mahn!

Everything is as expected until the end which you might think is predictable but it is not! So, I will do you a favour and not disclose it. Most of you, actually all of you who haven’t watched it – I wouldn’t recommend you to spend your time for this. If you are jobless, I got better recommendations here. But if you ever come across this film in one of your cable channels or in a random nothing-to-do day, then you can trust me by not avoiding it. Yes, it might not make you feel any better about Bollywood but it will make you laugh.

Are you wondering what the title means? What did you say? No, your not wondering? NOW – are you? Anyway. I have no idea.

Chao! (That’s my friend’s way of saying bye and every time she does that, my reply is “Really!?”) 😛

Ok Seriously, I don’t feel like going. But Goodnight. Or Good morning. Or Good afternoon! Whatever suits you right now.

PS – I just feel like typing something. Argh. Ok. Going. ANDDDDDDDDDDD am Gone.

FIVE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MATCH POINT (THE FILM)

Scarlett Johansson

Call someone more sexy and sensuous who can still act like her and I will be all hands for a bet there. She is a package sent from heaven – beauty, talent and a third dimension called breathtaking! Her character in the film was one of the most rooted ones. Here we are looking at a girl who wants to do what she wants in life, who is impulsive and anything but decent. She is fun, she is frolic, she is a fantasy – but not the most difficult one to reach out to. She has made mistakes in life, she has believed the wrong people because she seeks out for happiness in those moments of promises that they give her. Yes, she lives in the moment. She might not say that she needs financial security in life, but she does and because she gives herself completely, the same happiness that lifts her from her ground, also breaks her heart to a million pieces over. Here Nola is one of the few characters apart from Sarah in Little Children and Clementine in Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind that I really relate to.

Scarlett Johansson as Nola Rice

Luck matters

There is no one good and no one bad in the film. The evil is inside everyone. The film is about the survival of the fittest – about luck being the controller of major part of our lives.

“Its scary to think so much is out of control. There are moments in the match when the ball hits the top of the net, for a split second it can either go forward or fall back. With a little luck, it goes forward and you win. Or maybe it doesn’t and you lose.”

That – are the opening lines of the film. You would never think what Woody Allen thought while making the film until the very last scene. Praise God. For making people who can make a films like this, with themes that force you to think, compare and admire.

Chris as Alec’s Tennis coach in the beginning of the film

What genre is this again?

Shall I call it a rom-com or a thriller? The film gives you a space in time while the action is on which enables you to speculate about the very nature of the story. Chris gets Nola pregnant. Will he leave his sweet – boring wife, Chloe for a more passionate but penniless relationship? Ofcourse the latter makes more sense. But with Chloe he gets to live a stable life  – a secured one. Is he ready to start all over again with the impatient, impulsive, tortuously seductive Nola? It is not about right and wrong, it is about Chris and his priority in life. Love, lust or money? Some say money is a powerful aphrodisiac. Is it?

Chloe’s character

It is a little hard to describe why I loved Chloe’s character so much. From the beginning they show her as this sweet girl who loves people for who they are and likes to help and be there for them in time of need. When she meets Chris, she is instantly interested and believe me Woody Allen almost let that go unnoticed. She himself very sweetly, even if not smartly takes up the topic of giving him tour in the new city. She later does everything she can to convince her dad into helping Chris in the corporate world. But here is a character who is sweet and rich – a perfect marriage material. Chris loved her, but never fell in love with her. But she is one of those girls who men can’t hurt, no matter how much they might want to leave.

Chloe and Chris in “their budding relationship” days

Chris and Chloe’s Apartment!

Your dream house. Believe me. Cosy. Not big, not small. Wooden floors. Glass walls. And a beautiful view. I remember pausing the film to have a good look at the apartment! A perfect house for a newly settled couple. It is comfortable and gives a feel of peace. I am sure if Chris did any good in his life, the house has a major contribution there.

Barfi! Why did you do this?

If I call it magical, it will be an understatement.

The first time I saw it, yeah, that’s what I thought it was – magical. Barfi! – Another word for #AllSmiles.

I loved it. Unrealistically realistic as it was, I still loved it. The yellow tinge, the typical rom-com music, the flashback and present day effects (the hoardings of the murfy radio that fades in to the present day cycle ad), the dialogues that said nothing, the expressions! Even in the most emotional scenes the film manages to make you smile. In one of the scenes when he comes to ask for Ileana’s hand for marriage and is deeply hurt to see her with the fiancé. The expressions that followed next can make you cry but right when the sequence ends, Barfi had to cuddle his dad on bed and sleep on the heaving belly of his!

The film gives a happy feeling, a reason to keep smiling throughout, shed a few tears and cover them up with even more smiles. I have no words to describe Ranbir Kapoor. He was acting less, performing even lesser. He was actually there, right there and his name was Barfi! Not for a second did he make me blink my eyes! Anurag Basu wouldn’t have opted for a better co-star. I want to kiss Priyanka Chopra and tell her that she is not only going to make it big, but if she gets the right movies, then she is going international! But then millions of people are showering all that on her. So like a hyderabadi, I will take it ‘light’.

When you give such comments and more, there is one thing that plagues your mind just like it did mine. We are talking about Bollywood here. No matter how positive a person I might be, if I don’t have faith in growth of anything, that would be Bollywood. I am not a cynic, but please go through the list of the films made in a decade, there is hardly anything to be proud of. And even if there is, “our” (Indian) audience doesn’t feel the same.

I did not doubt the Bollywood’s incapability in making popular cinema until Anurag basu made Barfi. And everyone, from the optimists to the cynics, from film buffs to seldom movie goers – everyone came together to watch, applaud and love the film. Cheers to the makers! We all said. Finally Bollywood is doing some good.

The first time I watched it, I could not make out if a scene was unintentional because the similarity was too stark to miss to what I saw in the film “The Notebook”. This is where Ileana’s mother takes her on a ride to the woods and talks about her lost love. Even the last scene where they die together. I was not ok with those two sequences but still I chose to ignore it. Because apart from that, the film looked so genuine, like another Forrest Gump.

And all that made me the happiest film buff ever until I saw this –

It was almost more depressing than any break up!

It was plagiarism. It was crime and it was “not – a – big -deal” for the audience of India. And ofcourse the makers of the film know that and that is why the film lost all respect in my eyes. “A collage of different films”, someone called it. Could not agree more, could not get any less irritated by the sound of it. How can such things be even accepted? And the stupid jury of the stupidest country ever (that passes FDI – out of the topic, but whatever) sends it to the oscars. !!.  Any shame? What are you proud of as Indians man! The film is not inspired for God sake. It is a total RIP OFF. And that is not only wrong – THAT is ethically WRONG.

No matter what I say and what anyone else says, people will still love Barfi!. Even, I wish I could but now its almost impossible. What can I say? The best film ever made in my country is a copy of ideas. What a disaster man..

Nevertheless, I don’t want to look at the bad side and be a cynic again. Forgive me, lately life has been a little cruel. So I will talk about the good things now – The characters were adorable! The performance made me cry at the end. The script, so beautifully written. I do appreciate the lamp post scenes and the beauty of the execution of the cycle – tram sequences. The originality of the story deserves awards. And still there goes the “but” – which says that it is a great film BUT still not commendable or anything even close to of what we should be proud of.

Anyways, Here goes my favourite song in the film  with the most amazing lyrics by Swanand Kirkire. Thanks to him and Shreya Ghoshal & Nikhil Paul George’s beautiful voice that we have this in our playlist now. Not in yours? Add it! Have a goodnight everyone. God bless YOU. God bless all of US.

Movie-ing Complicated Romance

Now this list something hard to justify. How can it not be? Love itself is sometimes a vague concept. But then love is everywhere, even serial killers love what they do. This post is about complicated romance. It should be a genre I think. There is romance which might be subtle or passionate but it is not always a love story. Nevertheless, they have come up to be one of my favourite films of all times. I hope you enjoy them too.

Best Films Based on Complicated Romance :

Little Children (2006) – 

Affair. Sex Offender. Ex-Police Officer.

A story revolving around four people in one locality. Two of them are married to different people and are in an obsessed sexual relationship. The third protagonist a child sex offender who has just been released from the jail, lives alone with his old mother and is shunned by the entire society because of his criminal record. The fourth story is of an ex-policeman who is put down by his department and people after an inadvertent situation that changes his life. The stories interweave like one in our daily lives. We meet everyday. We either get affected or we don’t. A very close introspection into reality. Do watch it.

A very long Engagement (2004)

Engaged. War. French

Now this is one of the most unusual war movies you will come across. The story is about a girl who is engaged to a man who is out into war and after it is all over, she is hopeful of his return, because there has been no concrete proof that he is dead. There is no beauty in bloodshed I know but here the film takes you through hope and desperation with Mathilde and at the end of it, it comes to the level of breathing the air with her. When you want to find something, you need to truly want it. That’s what I learned from A very long engagement. A heart warming as well as soul disturbing trio of romance, drama and war, this is perhaps the most distinguishing cinema of its kind. I loved it – to the core.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Break up. Erased Memories. Sci-fi

For many this can be easily listed as one of the best cinemas ever. For me too, actually. I have entirely different reason though (You can check for them here). Anyways, so the story is a complete off beat because it is definitely science fiction but on the grounds of realism where an confused and estranged couple try to remove each other from their memories. Beautifully made, the story will intrigue you while you hold on to your seat of what might happen next. Watch it if you like romance and off beat stuff. Actually, it is not possible to really not – like this film. You don’t get an 8.4 on imdb for nothing.

The lives of others (2006)

Political. Theatre. German

A film that deals very closely with the relationship between politics and art in Germany in 1984. An agent of Secret police is conducting a surveillance without their knowledge between a writer and his lover, who is a famous actress. From the dirtiness of politics to the purity of art, everything so typical, yet mesmerizing to watch. Beautiful cinema! It is a dream to be able to be able to watch films made like them, let alone make one. As the agent HGW XX/7 becomes more and more absorbed into their lives, there are unexpected things that tend to happen and the only person who can make a difference to it all is him. Watch the movie for falling in love with Foreign cinema if not for anything else!

Lost in Translation (2003)

Strangers. Americans. Tokyo

The story of a once of upon a time star and a young married lady who meet in another part of the world in Tokya, walking among the people, but lost amidst them. The characters dwell so deep onscreen that it feels almost anyone watching it can relate. The young wife is afraid that she might never figure out her life and yet seems to have no regrets. The filmstar is smiling everyday, the mask on his face gives away none of his pain and loneliness. And together, they live some of the beautiful moments of their life, only to get back to their daily ones and start doing what they do everyday… Cinema at its best!

Film	R rated	Who steals the show?
Little Children (2006)	Yes	Kate Winslet
A very long Engagement (2004)	Yes	Audrey Tautou
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)	No	Kate Winslet Jim Carrey
The lives of others (2006)	Yes	Ulrich Mühe
Lost in Translation (2003)	Yes and No	Bill Murray  Scarlett Johansson

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Because I just watched Hotel Rwanda…

When the American reporter is walking away in the rain, from the hotel because all the foreigners are supposed to evacuate, an African employee of the hotel runs behind him holding up an umbrella on his head. The American begs him not to; he says he is so ashamed.

Millions of people were getting killed. Genocide which made news but no one heard of. Hitler still killed the whites but when the blacks go through the same no one hears of it. Of course I don’t mean anyone. There are one in a million people who do care and make a difference. Who are we? Who am I? Are we ashamed? The hell we are…

We watch, we remember but we chose to forget, because there is nothing we can do. To do something we need a heart. I don’t think we have that. Films like Hotel Rwanda get into the core of our hearts. They make emotions stronger, even make you cry but then we are humans. We get over everything. I am not complaining. Maybe that is how it is supposed to be.

And maybe it is not… We all want to do something. We all want peace. Then where is it? Where does it all start from? Why do men kill? Why do women get raped? Why blacks are the dirt and whites are pure? Why do we think like this? Maybe I was wrong that we are God made. God won’t do that to us.

We have not seen wars. And we might never get a chance to. Let’s thank God for that or maybe not. We are in the better part of the world. We live in security. There are people, great people above us, who do negotiations protect us from a situation like this. Yes, they do. Let’s thank them. Let’s be people. Not cynics. Let’s thank God for what we have and pray for them who have loved and lost and lived everyday with that loss. Let’s thank God for keeping them alive.

I didn’t know I believed in God. Maybe I am just too sensitive. Maybe movies make me believe in humanity and also make me hate it. But what can I do? What can you do? Donate money? You are not even sure if you should trust the people you are donating to. Maybe we should get out there. Not every war sheds blood. But anyways, I am just ranting, before I become emotionless again.

At the end of the movie, the song and music were a blessing to my ears. With little children on the backdrop and with perhaps one of the best lyrics I have heard so far, it was just tragically amazing. But I would recommend you to watch the film and not stop after the movie is over. Let the credits roll by and listen to the song. It’s too beautiful.

Million voices by wyclef jean lyrics:

Ni ryari izuba, Rizagaruka, Hejuru yacu,
Ni nd’ uzaricyeza ricyeza.

[When will the sun return above us?]
[Who will reveal it once again to us?]

Rwanda, Rwanda,
Yeah Rwanda, Rwanda.

They said: “Many are called and few are chosen,”
But I wish some wasn’t chosen
for the blood spilling of Rwanda.

They said: “Meshach, Shadrack and Abednego,
Thrown in the fire but you never get burned,”
but I wish that I didn’t get burned in Rwanda.

They said: “The man is judged according to his works,”
so tell me Africa, what’s your worth?

There’s no money, no diamonds, no fortunes
on this planet that can replace Rwanda…

Rwanda Rwanda

Yeah, Rwanda Rwanda

These are the cry of the children

Rwanda Rwanda

Anybody hear my cry?

If America, is the United States of America,
Then why can’t Africa, be the United States of Africa?

And if England, is the United Kingdom,
Then why can’t Africa unite all the kingdoms
and become United Kingdom of Africa?

Rwanda Rwanda, Rwanda Rwanda
Yeah, yeah.

These are the cries of the children, yeah.

Can anybody out there hear our cries?

Yeah, heavens cry … Jesus cry.

Lord, did you hear us calling you?
Yeah, Rwanda Rwanda,

Lord, did you hear us calling?
Can you do something in Rwanda?

Rwanda Rwanda, Rwanda Rwanda

I’m talkin’ ’bout Jesus; talkin’ ’bout
Rwanda Rwanda Rwanda

Talkin’ ’bout … talk’n ’bout …
Talkin’ ’bout … talk’n ’bout … talk’n ’bout …

I wanna play my guitar for Rwanda….

Lyrics courtesy – http://www.sing365.com

Movie-ing crime and drama

The man that does not fear punishment, little regards crime
~ Maxims and moral reflections – Norman Macdonald

Some films are close to our heart and some are not. Crime with drama is one of the genres that I don’t relate to a lot, not even in my fantasies. Films like Pulp Fiction (1994) and Goodfellas (1990) are great cinema, made in a time and by people who have made history. I have watched and applauded the surpassing efforts and brilliance but I am sorry, I cannot relate a lot, even in the imaginary way. I am sure there are hundreds of fans who have a better view-point on that.

And that is why in this week’s list, I have scribbled down the names of best crime and drama based movies that are one of the best ever films made in the cinematic history and all these films are the ones I can relate to, even if not in real life, in my imaginary reel…

Godfather I (1972)
Marlon Brando. Family. Italy

I wanted to write ‘Trilogy’ instead of part I but then that would be three films. Anyone would suggest you to watch all the three films if you haven’t already. Yes, Godfather is epic and you have to know that! But I am suggesting the first part because it is the ‘first part’ (as in if you don’t watch, then you won’t understand). I am asking you to watch it because it is the BEST part. From the italian music to Marlon Brando’s potrayal of the prodigious Godfather and the plot could not be better with Al Pacino playing the reluctant son and heir of the undercover empire.

The shawshank Redemption (1994)
Prison. Crime. Redemption

Let me present you the best film ever made – who says that? From the most trusted imdb to rotten tomatoes to all the film journals that talk about cinema. I don’t need to describe why this film needs to watched, others have done it. It is about banker and criminal Andy who is convicted of murdering his wife and her lover who befriends the drug-dealer Red and together they find freedom in the prison through redemption. With a surprising ending, philosophically the film speaks a lot more than it shows. Must watch.

The Dark Knight (2008)
Batman. Joker. Gotham

The best film of the Batman series made till date. I loved TDKR too but what made the movie so anticipated before the release this year was the legendary-ness of the The Dark Knight. The Joker is missed. No one but Heath Ledger can look, act and make believe the evil! Batman is already famous for being the only superhero story without supernatural powers and this film beat all the previous records by coming out to be one of the best rated movies ever. If you haven’t watched the first film, Batman begins then I would recommend you to watch, but it is also fine if you don’t. Unlike films like Harry Potter or Godfather, The Dark Knight of the Batman series can be watched any time!

City of God (2002)
Rio de Janeiro. Drugs. Brazil

From the screenplay to the cinematography, City of God is easily one of the best films ever made when it comes to crime based cinema. The film is based on the life of two boys who are brought up in a violent neighbourhood but chose two different occupations. One becomes a photographer and the other a drug dealer. Their lives are very typical, they start and end in a typical way. But what is extraordinary is its story telling. You will be amazed and astonished by the detailing. Worked for me!

Léon: The Professional  (1994)
Little Girl. Love. Crime.

Of all the aforesaid list, this will definitely stand out. One of my favourite films and with Natalie Portman who is a twelve year old in the film. The story unfolds itself in the most unusual manner with unusual characters making it an extraordinary hit! Here is a story where the grave hitman teaches a 12 year old how to “clean” and a protects this complete stranger girl from all possible dangers as he eventually falls in love with her. As far as I know, all the people who I have recommended Leon have loved it, so you got my point. Not to be missed!

Film	IMDB rates	Best Known films By Director (List)
Godfather I (1972)	9.2 Top 2/250	Francis Ford Coppola The Godfather: Part II (1974) Apocalypse Now (1979) The Godfather: Part III (1990) The conversation (1974)
The shawshank Redemption (1994)	9.3 Top 1/250	Frank Darabont The Green Mile (1999) The Walking Dead (2010) The Mist (2007)
The Dark Knight (2008)	8.9 Top 8/250	Christopher Nolan Inception (2010) The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Memento (2000)
City of God (2002)	8.7 Top 20/250	Fernando Meirelles The Constant Gardener (2005)
Léon: The Professional  (1994)	8.7 Top 32/250	Luc Besson Taken (2008)

Movie-ing Feel Good Romance

I remember watching Garden State and at the end of it going completely gaga over it, specially after the last song “Let Go”. About that balmy night I wrote a post too. You can check here. There are many films from The Princess Bride (1987) to Pursuit of Happiness ( 2006) that have made us feel so great. There are other films like Wizard of Oz that can take you to completely different world. I love that feeling. When I watch something wonderful made by a group of determined, creative people, it is not just the cinematography or script that I appreciate – it is that familiar ‘feel good-ness’ that I used to have in my childhood and it that feeling I love the most. Don’t you?

Well, of course you do, we all do. And that is why this week (For last week post’s info, check this) I am listing some of my favourite romantic films that made me feel very good about future, love and may be just life and the whole point of living.. Yes, they had such effect on me, hope they affect you too. Enjoy!

Life is beautiful –
Romance. Nazi. Italy.

Easily one of the best films I have ever watched. The characters are a gift to human existence! Romantic, selfless, sweet and magical – that is how I define this beautiful film which makes you feel how wonderful life can be. It is about a simple Jewish man who falls in love with a non – Jewish Italian lady from an aristocrat family about to marry her arrogant fiancée. Dora falls fall Guido and runs away with him only to live a beautiful life with their son Giosuè. The film is based during the period of second world war and I guess you smart people have already guessed that because of the mention ‘jews’. Now Guido

must use his charm and charismatic persona to save his son from the Nazi camp and make him believe they were safe to keep him safe. You will love me all your life, for recommending you this film. So watch it!

Forrest Gump –
Forrest Gump. Tom Hanks. Romance. 

The film has made the concept of intelligent or witty protagonists a passé. A ‘stupid’ man has travelled the entire world mostly on the whims of his desire which are more influenced by the situations he faces. Loveliness is what defines the film for me. I loved it more because of the simplicity of the story, the off-beat nature of the concept. The story is not what is different, the character is. He loves one woman all his life, a woman who comes and goes from his life, who loves him but wants different things in life. The film is a story and probably one of the best and sweetest ones written when it comes to ‘feel goodness’ of cinema.

Amélie
Naive. Love. Paris

Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain. Funny, sweet, a lover’s paradise. The beauty of the film lies in its characters, in its dialogues, in the every scene which screams how beautiful life is, how little things matter. Human life is conventionally complicated. We all take part in it. This film is about an innocent, simple girl in this complicated world. You will find is funny, weird sometimes but most of all, it will make you smile. It will make your heart smile, just like it did mine!

Before sunset
Conversations. Romance. Paris

Paris is like the landmark of love. I agree completely. There was a time when I dreamt of walking in the streets of dim-lit Paris, meeting a random stranger and making love all night. Before sunset is film more like a conversational genre which actually is a sequel of another film by the same director as well as actors made and based on after 9 years of gap from a romantic one night. It is actually difficult to chose which is better between two, even imdb could not decide. But I would chose this one more than its prequel because of the middle-aged and jaded characters who make more sense in very cynical and interesting way. Lovely film – something very, very close to my heart also.

The Artist
Silent. Romance. Paris

It won the Oscar. It made its audience crazy with admiration. It became one of the best silent cinemas of all times in a world which had forgotten about it. The sweet and tangy story of a silent movie star who is not ready to give up the art in for the sake of technology. I loved the film! Many people know about it but haven’t yet taken a step to watch, may be because the posters are b/w and have the ‘old-movie’ tinge. Well, I felt the same. I watched it on a day when I had nothing to do. Yes, me. Me – who claims herself to be a wannabe movie buff. And I loved it! I smiled and smiled so much! Now how many films can make you so happy? Don’t believe me, watch it for the wise men and women in the oscar jury!

Film	IMDB rates	Oscar Accolades
Life is Beautiful (1997)	8.5	Won for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Foreign Language Film and for Music, Original Dramatic Score
Forrest Gump (1994)	8.7	Won for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Director, Effects, Visual Effects, Film Editing, Picture and for Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Amélie (2001)	8.5	Nominated for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Cinematography, Foreign Language Film, Sound and for Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.
Before sunset (2004)	8.0	Nominated for best writing and adapted screenplay.
The Artist (2011)	8.2	Won for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Motion Picture of the Year, Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score, Direction and for Costume Design

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Cocktail – Definitely not a review.

First of all, I need to justify why the post is not about The legendary-ness of The dark Knight rises but about the recent half cooked story with nothing but raw masala called Cocktail.

The film is doubtlessly a bad one. For one, the lack of the details irritated me throughout. Second, even the part were the acting could be appreciated is overshadowed by the confusion in the plot of the second half and THE Diana Penty’s ridiculous performance. Even after a point of time, you feel whatever is wrong with the director. The movie doesn’t need a known Hero. It needs a good actor who looks younger because that is how you can justify him to be that stupid.

So what am I here for?

I write when something affects me. I write when I am thinking and thinking so hard that till I pour it all down into words that I really mean, nothing can make me feel any better. Yes, that is how much the character of Veronica got into me. I don’t say I loved her; it is rather a contentious point to discuss about. In fact she intrigued me, both in a way I can relate like no one else and contradictorily in a way that I found so unrealistic.

When Imtiaz Ali wrote the film, he must have had the character of Veronica in his mind throughout. And whoever he related or based her on in the real life, he definitely didn’t know what to make her do in the end or else he had to alter the story for the sake of Bollywood commercial needs. I am not assuming. (Yes I am, because it’s a free country.)

The independent, living-for-the-moment girl, Veronica… She is hot, she is cool, she is caring and she is the best. Everyone loves her and they all want to be with her. She is the type who people adore with a lot of ‘but’s’. She is the type who is clear on the outside and insanely conflicted in the head. She expects from people, but she won’t let them know that. She has a beautiful heart but a confused mind which is impulsive, moody. She knows how awesome she is that when she fell in love with her boyfriend, she just could not think why he wouldn’t love her back.

It was disturbing. The movie talks about a girl who has never had a real family. That, I believe is incorporated in the script because of the typical Indian mentality. They didn’t want to show a girl from a nice, stable family who is so disoriented in life and seems to like it nevertheless. She respects her freedom and doesn’t like to get into named relationships because they bring more complications, demand total commitment with so much less fun to exploit life. She lives in the moment. True. But here’s a girl who is ok feeling girly sometimes. Accepting what she wants even if that is not what “defines” her. After she meets and comes uncannily close to her live-in-relationship partner, Gautam and his mother, she suddenly wants all that she never thought she would ever want. And that is when complications take shape.

But we are humans. We slip. Not every time we fall but most times we do. At the end it’s always the “good-girl” who wins. And why shouldn’t she? She is the good one. Why am I talking about all this?

I am just trying to figure out where I stand. I am just trying to be ready to face all that I know I will. The life I want to live in my terms will come with more confusion and may be misery, but I know it will be good, like it is now, with nothing to regret. I will always do what I want to, not what I need to, I know that. May be that is not a good thing, but do I care? I am trying to get used to the fact that the concept of ever-happy life is certainly not made for people like me and Veronica. We cannot hide our feelings. It is almost like a boon and a bane.

But I cannot talk about everything, things that I feel right now, at this moment-not here. I thought I will but I have reached the end of the post and I am afraid to talk, because if I do then most of the people reading this will end up judging me. And I have had enough for now. May be someday I will get used to it and stop caring the way I do for most things. But for now, I want to get out of this contemplation, leaving a clear example of all the confusion in my head.

Sometimes, it is just tiring. Today seems to be one of those days. But I will get over  it, like I always do…

Movie-ing Biopics of Heroes

This post is about watching Biopics – Films based on real life characters. I have chosen this topic to be the first one among my new interest (Click here to know) of blogging because one of the first films that brought me to love cinema above all else were biopics.
Here I have discussed the best films based on real heroes in different domains of life and society. These films are not just stories, they are inspiring tales of the best and the most rare people ever.

Schindler’s List –
Oscar Schindler. History. Germany.
No film on Nazism has ever affected me as much as the Schindler’s list. It is so hard to believe that something like that could even me true, but Steven Spielberg will amaze to an indefinite imagination of reality here. Beautiful is not the word I would like to give, explicit is. One of the best films made on biographies till date. I think everyone who watches and has watched it will agree. Too good to be defined by three mere lines of praises.

Milk –
Harvey Milk. Gay rights. America
You will know from the beginning of what is going to happen at the end and still even till the very last second you will watch the credits roll by. That is the effect which Harvey Milk’s story of his fight for Gay rights has on its audience. It teaches us the very nature of our life, where we belong and what we stand for. But more importantly, how firm are we to what we believe in. It tells us that age is no bar to create change. Injustice does need the young legs to walk the miles, but not 20 something brains all the time. Watch the film for yourself. You will never feel more satisfied.

The Diving Bell and the butterfly –
Jean-Dominique Bauby. Tetraplegic. France
Le scaphandre et le papillon. Deeply moving and camera work plus editing that can transport you inside Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby himself, a man who became captive in his own body. With Jean’s entire body paralyzed but his left eye, he writes a book with the help of his speech therapists and transcriber. In this book he dictates the story of his life, not mere experiences, no – but about his life as a lover, father, son, friend and most importantly, a human being. From the beginning till the end, you will see a man whose imagination and memory is not impaired to the least by the physical disabilities. But this movie for me is not about inspiration to do something big. It is to live and let live with a very subtle note of hope throughout the shaky, vibrant shots of the film.

Gandhi –
Mahatma Gandhi. Freedom figher. India
If I call you an Indian and abuse you for not watching this film, then that definitely would be wrong. And so I won’t do that. I will request you, to please, watch this before you watch the Schindler’s List. Not because its better, because its about us. Hater of “The Father” or not, it should be a must watch. The detail is fantastic and to be made by an English man, now that is just incredible. You might find the accent funny at some places and the events in the film might be too familiar as such, but knowledge is not a reason to appreciate something great.

The Sea Inside –
Ramon Sampedro. Euthanasia. Spain
One of the most beautiful films and when its Spanish, nothing less is expected. Very inspiring, both the characters and the story line. It is like film made at an entirely new level. I wish I had watched it a little more recently so that I could give a better view-point, but I must say that this is one film which will move you from the sea of sadness and joy, all with an inexplicable force.

Film	IMDB rates	More info
Schindler’s List	8.9	Schindler’s Ark by Australian novelist Thomas Keneally
Milk	7.7	The Times of Harvey Milk – A documentary
The Diving Bell and the butterfly	8.1	Translation of French memoir – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Gandhi	8.1	Autobiography – The story of My experiments with Truth
Mar Adentro	8	Adapted in Bollywood film Guzaarish
Film Table – 1

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Manorama Six feet under – A 2007 thriller I missed

Only View (No Review) of Manorama Six Feet Under

From the candid Abhay Deol to the perfectly named Brij Mohan, Vinay Pathak, the beautiful and soberly clad Sarika to the sarcastic, bitter and sweet Gul Panag – I am all swept over with the wonderful characterization. The film starts with an idea of the game of the Politics coming along, but who thought it would turn to be one of the masterpieces of Indian thriller!

A wanna be crime writer fed up with his life and final realization of his failure comes across the solemn wife of a politician who wants proof about her husband’s extra-marital affairs. In need of money and excitement, the suspended writer becomes a detective and this is the story of the many pits he came across, some he managed to miss and others where he fell six feet under. That was just a bad joke.

Anyways, the narrative unfolds the dirty corruption in politics, the pitiable promises, masked personas and follow ups as intriguing as betrayal and incest. Personally, I am glad I did not watch this film back in 2007. I don’t know if I could have loved it so much. After Shanghai, this is anytime my second favorite Bollywood political thriller. I mean how amazing is Abhay Deol, right? I hardly know a film in his filmography that are not choosy and undoubtedly off beat. Even Raima Sen was successful in fooling us and in fact, shocking us with her own unsaid truth. Now that I have watched this, I am more curious to see what Chinatown has in its store. Many critics have compared the Manorama with it. Moreover, I did love Roman Polanski’s The Pianist and The Ghost Writer, so I am sure I won’t regret watching this.

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Do watch the film if you are fan of Good Indian cinema. The film is off stream and kinda for choosy film buffs.. So, Cheers! And Goodnight!

One of my favorite songs that is going to my playlist after so many years I last heard it!
Wo Bheege Pal By Zubeen Garg