Dev D

Times of India rated it 5 stars. Everywhere people gave the best ratings for the film. Said it was unconventional. Truly modern. Abhay Deol is the best. Chanda is best.The song emotional atyachar was superhit.

I disagree.

I am not sure, whether I should write the post as a review, because I could not even understand many parts of the film. Had I not watched the previous or original Devdas movie, I would not have understood what they were showing at all. There were so many scenes where I raised my eyebrows (not that you can easily identify that raising!). Also there were so many unresolved questions too.

Book Review – Memoirs of a Geisha

After a long time, I could read a book which was unputdownable. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. I have not seen the movie, but after reading the book, and being fascinated by it, I am in a dilemma. I do want to watch the movie for the dressing and details, but I do not feel like destroying the cinematographic scenes of my mind.

From the theme, I thought the story would be erotic, and as they mentioned, I thought it would be more of prostitution. But it was not. The sentimental story, filled with emotions of a young girl, and the pain she has to go through at such a young age vividly creates a film of its own and draws you into her.

Film Reel

The weekend started off with the dramatic StepMom and ended with Cool Runnings, with no one else in between. But just to give a fresh start. If you haven’t got it, they are movie names.

I don’t remember whether I have mentioned it, and I am too lazy to search in my archives, but nevertheless, I do love Julia Roberts. Her smile and her beauty just mesmerizes me. I was not much aware of Susan Sarandon, though I had watched her in Shall We Dance. But the film and the characters had such a real shade, I wondered whom to praise. I am not that experienced in English films to comment on the script and photography and etc, but what I liked in most of these films, is the depth of characters. Some of them just make you think, while they shine under different colors, as if gem stones under the moonlight. It could be unpolished diamond or a just a smooth stone, and we never could understand. Stepmom, which portrays the emotions and fears  of a real and a step mother over the children they care about. It shows the two extreme mother personalities of love and affection, but both on the good side.

Cool Runnings reminded me of Chak De India, in a way. Long back, I had tweeted, about the presence of more black people in Bangalore owing to their studies. Other than in films, I had never seen them in real before. Long back, Indians were given racist remarks in outside countries. Imagine the amount of criticism they had to face in the land of whites. Cool Runnings is the struggle of the bobsled team from Jamaica trying to make it to the Olympics for the first time. It reminds us that a national spirit can do wonders.

And yes, I also watched the comedy thriller, or rather thriller with comedy, I love trouble and of course, it had Julia again in it! And ya, I did love the trouble too.. “White lies” indeed.

The recent power cuts in Bangalore have left me watch several unfinished movies, and that too foreign films. Most of the movies, have no sound at times, which gives more seriousness to the film. Expressions are clear and convey much more than the words. The actors seems too brilliant too. Lets hope I am lucky enough to finish them off during re-telecasts…

Mélange – Random Tidbits – VI

..::.. Two weeks away from words. But not from thoughts. It was not the writer’s block or anything. The times of resilience. The times of fight within. Though I am happy that I did not waste much time these days. There were many pending books on my shelf, which I tried to complete. Few movies which I watched worth reviewing, or penning down the thoughts upon, but not enough to exceed few words and to become a post.

..::.. Shashi Deshpande’s “The Dark holds no terrors” is supposed to be her first book. I don’t remember why I did buy this book that time. Normally, I have never disliked a book I have bought. Every book which I feel was not interesting enough to hit the top list, was atleast worth a library read. But this one surprised me in exceeding the limits. The writing was good, expressive and had bit of depth in details. Still it failed me to impress me. It indeed shows the struggle of a married woman who ran away for love and then from the love, to fight with herself and her fears, and guilt. But the story was not that strong to support the beautiful screenplay. Simply put, I couldn’t digest the ending.

Aftermath of the Oscars

I thought it was going to be another Monday morning. I was just browsing through the various channels on TV to start with, and saw the 81st Annual Academy Awards function in Star Movies. It was the Oscars! And I sat there for the next 2 hours glued to it.

Smile Pinki got the award for the Best Documentary short film. I haven’t seen the documentary, but I am happy for her that she too was mentioned at the Oscars. How many are lucky like that?

A.R.Rahman and Rasul Pookutty did deserved the awards for Slumdog Millionaire. I won’t say “Jai ho” was the Best original song and all, but the original background score was brilliant and the sound mixing, editing,  or whatever term it is called, was brilliant. The story was simple and nothing much to talk about. But the photography, sound, music, film editing etc was brilliant.The speeches made by those Indians, made every Indian proud. Rasul indeed made history. I liked his speech more than Rahman’s, who was more professional, though he spoke Hindi, English and Tamil on the stage. It was indeed a drama to speak of the country and making it proud and all, but its indeed a priceless moment, which would rewrite history and would be boasted of much, in coming years.

Film Review – The Notebook

Being the love season, I had shortlisted few movies from this list to watch. The last seen movie  was “The Notebook”.

The film had started off with a superfast speed, with love at first sight and all that. I hate those kinda movies flatly, but then I realized it was necessary for the story, as the characters were supposed to be in the teenage years where such things may do happen. I had read about the plot long ago while downloading the movie, and had even thought that it had a Bollywood touch! You know, the rich girl, poor boy kinda stories. But then, it was much more.

Film Review: Slumdog Millionaire

Amazing screenplay. Best background music. And a simple storyline. No wonder Slumdog Millionaire bagged 4 awards at the Golden Globe.

The film is based on the Indian book, Q&A. In short words, its just a love story, mixed with the life struggles which hints the answers to the lead character (Jamal Malik) to win the millionaire TV series. But the photography which tastes the slice of India, the screenplay, which fits perfect and makes us glued to the end, though we can anticipate the end and the freshness of the new actors, is what made me see through the film, before it got released in India. I had downloaded the music first, but other than great beats, I didn’t find it much interesting as a casual listener initially. The “Ring Ring Ringa” song reminds you of the famous “Choli ke peeche” track, and is pictured on the prostitution in Mumbai. But after you see the film, the song, “O Saya” keeps ringing in your mind, which enhanced the spirits of the lead characters. Like other A.R.Rahman’s songs, I guess the music catches on you, very slowly and gradually.

List of 20 Hindi movies I loved watching.

Following the path of Ashwin, I thought I could easily make a “Top 100 Hindi movies to watch before you die”. But then I realized there are many pending movies like Taare Zameen Par or rather my recommended wish list of Hindi Movies, which I haven’t watched yet. So I am now listing only the selected movies that I have watched and loved watching it.

There are some famous films which have not made to this list like Rang De Basanti, or Lagaan or Hum Tum etc. They are kinda good movies, but to be true at heart, I won’t mind giving them a pass, if not for the hype it created. There are some movies which can be good entertainers and huge hits in Bollywood, but the scripts or themes of such were not like extra-ordinary. So I haven’t included them also.

The list is NOT in any rank basis or in any particular order. So here it is.

Film Review: Fashion

Everyone is flooding the theatres to watch Fashion. Not for the film, but for the beauties. 

But as if I am a strange alien, I have been thinking too much over it. The hype around the film, expanded my eyes and ears for in-depth analysis of the film that came out as a review. So checkout my “Fashion” film review posted or rather guest blogged on “The Newspaper Blog” which is run by Ashwin from Chennai. No, no, its not a popular daily or weekly journal or something, but the blog is popular for its Torrents, Movies and TV show reviews. Long back, that blog contained tips and tricks for eligible people to woo girls and win hearts or ways to be romantic, but now I guess he is busy belling the CAT and smoking Apples and Mac!!

Excerpts:-

The film, Fashion, has the tagline, that “In the world of fashion, you will have to give up more than just your morals”. To simplify the post, I would say, the first half of the film is “what and how morals are being given up as you enter the industry” and the latter half shows, “what more you may give up in that world”.

The promo’s are showing mainly of 3 models, but I would say, they are just 3 representatives of 3 paths and ways in the industry.

Every film of his, have made me feel to the soul, flashing me the reality of the world and reminding me again and again, “yeah, this is the world we live in”. But, this film had no such effect.

She looked very natural, though people may find her boring, with all time drugs and smoking! I feel, she also could have portrayed the emotional side better if she were provided more scenes in the latter half.

Read More…

Enjoy reading!!!

Immersed in Books…

I had resorted to review immediately each and every book that I read, so that I could pen down my views and the emerging thoughts influenced by the writing onto the blog. But off late, the timing was not enough and bad scheduling have chopped off most of the thoughts. So before I lose them all, let me share few lines atleast for some of them.

Brida by Paul Coelho:

I had finished this soon after I did the page123 tag. The effect of Paul Coelho had kinda started to diminish in me one by one. Not that I disliked his theme n all, but I am not that impressed any more. Maybe that’s why I am hesitating to take up the thrid book of his from my bookshelf, “By the river Piedra…”. There had been many instances which I didn’t liked or believed in this book, say for example, the re-birth and the story of Wicca and Witchcraft. I don’t deny or say that re-birth is false, but its just that I have not been convinced yet of those thoughts. The main thing I liked is that, Brida was in search of her soulmate, if it ever existed, just like any young woman and the revelation to her that we can meet more than one soulmate in our lives. The concept of the Dark Forest was also meaningful at times, and I particularly liked the ending (if at all you have the patience to reach there!) , which is almost applicable in the present life.

Ladies Coupe by Anita Nair:

The starting of the book was great, since it spoke of the railway station and train journeys which reminded me of my own travels. There was a fictional part of listening to all the life stories of 5 people in one single night, but nevertheless its a fiction. The stories of all the young ladies strikes a note with present life, but not entirely at some places. Some places it looks exaggerated, but we never know what all happens at urban places or within relationships. The protagonist, Akhila searches for an answer whether is it essential for a woman to get married in life. The unrevealed answer is contained in the open ending, so as to create more depth in the intrigued solutions of the common question. For me, its actually par with the Arranged Marriage, but on the other side, and I feel it portrays unconventional answers, but depicting conventional importance.