Friday, December 30, 2011

Smashes and Crashes 0f 2011: A year end list of the best & worst films

I was pretty sure that I'd seen lesser number of films this year than I did back in 2010, but as I sat down to compile a year end list I realized my list this year had many more contenders for the top 10 than they did last year.

Maybe I'd seen lesser number of films but the quality of the films had gone up, thanks to various film festivals I attended in the year gone by & also the exposure to various film clubs & making friends with fellow film geeks who would take copious notes about cult films with the enthusiasm of a nerd at a science quiz.

So this year's list is an eclectic bunch of arse kicking superhero flicks, auteur directed mass entertainers, screwball comedies & also films that've been winning accolades across the festival circuit.

These are the films that have made a nice, warm, cozy home within the confines of my memory & imagination over the past 12 months.

10. The Tree of Life


The reticent Terrence Malick's 'The Tree of Life' aims for a vision & scope that very few films before have achieved. It tries to bring us face to face with how the earth's existence came into being, while alongside portraying the life of a family living in the American midlands. Naturally, it polarized audiences. So while many complained they weren't able to "get" the film, others labelled it an instant classic.

Well, here's what I think:- Malick's film was an experience to behold, a landmark film, but yes it moved at a snail's pace. It has long stretches of scenes with absolutely no dialogue & when they are spoken they're merely in whispers, & let me be honest I may never watch it again, at least not in its entirety. But I'm glad I experienced it. The film shall hover in my mind for a long long time.

The "problem" with 'The Tree of Life' lies in the fact that you have to peel through layer upon layer of subtext in order to get to the themes of questioning God, the limits of inflicting suffering & the ambiguous nature of death, and unfortunately not many film goers prefer to travel that far out as a movie going experience.

Well, at least Terrence Malick had the balls to throw out that challenge to us without caring about the cash registers. And for that I salute him.

9. Bridesmaids


Judd Appatow is a modern day comedy genius, who has mastered the art of making the stoner/dude comedies (Superbad, Pineapple Express, Knocked Up etc.), but this time round he teams up with Paul Feig (director of a royalty of TV sitcoms-30 Rock, The Office & Arrested Development to name just a few) & a brazenfaced bunch of chicks who show us they can do an equally good (if not better) job at making a gross-out, raunchy, slapstick & outrageous comedy.

But beneath the slapstick & boorish humour is a steadily beating heart which makes it so very lovable & charming. Bridesmaids throws up a myriad of stupendously funny characters but my personal favourite was Melissa Mcarthy's sturdy Megan. Try not to burst out laughing when she's on screen & you might die of asphyxiation.

Appatow may have pulled off the ultimate trick with Bridesmaids- A chick flick that the boys can genuinely laugh out loud to on a guy's night out. Undoubtedly the best comedy of the year.

8. The adventures of Tintin: Secret of the
    Unicorn


There were a hundred & one ways in which 'The adventures of Tintin' could've gone wrong. At least 3 generations of fans to satisfy, justice to be done to the mammoth scope of Herge's adventurous tales all the while maintaining their boyish charms, the apprehension regarding motion capture & finally, the last few outings of auteur Steven Spielberg hadn't quite been hitting the nail on its head.

But don't you just love it when each & every piece of a puzzle fits RIGHT into place?

It was heartwarming to see Herge's comic panels come to life quite literally as they were drawn. Also blending 3 Tintin stories effortlessly to give birth to one grand adventure was a stroke of genius, and to top it all off, the film was scored by the inimitable John Williams (which pretty much made it magical by default), and if anybody had doubts over characters been done justice to, they needn't look beyond Snowy the dog's histrionics.

The film left me smiling from ear to ear & was nostalgia inducing. Lo & behold! Mr. Spielberg is back in form. 

7. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows
    [Pt 2]


Its' next to impossible that you haven't seen a Harry Potter film if you exist on planet Earth. A generation has grown up with the celluloid adaptations of J.K. Rowling's iconic characters, so naturally it was essential that the makers provide us with a fitting finale, and owing to what they built up last year, DH pt.2 had a HUGE responsibility of making sure that every Pottermaniac goes home happy.

Not to worry. The saga goes out with a big bang.

When I wrote about 'Deathy Hallows Pt.1' last year I ended it by saying, "hopefully in Part 2 all hell shall break lose" & I was not disappointed. Pt.2 was as action packed & brisk in pace as Pt.1 was introspective & moody. The battle of Hogwarts came alive onscreen in all its bustling glory, and the remotest of characters were there to make their presence felt (even Madam Pomfrey showed up!). All in all the saga has come to a solid & satisfying conclusion & we bid goodbye with damp eyes & warm hearts...unless...erm...never mind.

6. Moneyball


Moneyball is a sports film that even a non-sports fan can thoroughly enjoy, because it isn't as much about baseball as it is about Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) & Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) & the atypical bromance between the resolute game coach & a nerdy number cruncher.

Aided by a spectacular screenplay written by 2 of the best screenwriters in Hollywood - Aaron Sorkin & Steven Zallian & some zany dialogue, Moneyball ventures into the world of a man trying pull himself out from the depths of despair, & we all have experienced what that feels like at some point or the other. Pitt displays finesse & class in his performance but the real delight for me was Hill who finally gets to dig his teeth in a meticulous, meaty non-stereotypical role. Look at his expression in a scene where Brand successfully bargains a player over to their team over the telephone. Pure delight.

Its a melancholic movie but still stirs enough joy in itself to steer through.

(Here is my original write up of Moneyball after watching it at MAMI)  

5. Pina

Wim Wenders' mesmerizing documentary is about Pina Bausch, a German dancer & choreographer, who sadly passed away during the principal photography of the film. Wenders had almost given up the idea to make it, but convinced by members of Pina's dance troupe he decided to go ahead with it. So now, the film stands as a homage to the ambitious choreographer.

Its hard for me to define this film. It does not tell a particular story & yet it tells hundreds of stories. Wenders takes a unique approach that involve set piece reenactments of Bausch's dance routines performed by her fiercely devoted company of dancers. These are interspersed with their interviews, where they narrate how Pina's impact changed the way they experienced life, how she taught them to express the deepest of emotions through dance.

The film is an ideal example for the usage of 3D. instead of the gimmicky nature which many films have subjected 3D to, Pina shows exactly how immersive an experience 3D can be, it takes us inside the performance spaces of these wonderful set pieces.

Pina almost borders on being a meditative experience.

4. X-Men: First Class


I was pretty sure X-Men: First class was gonna suck. I mean seriously, how far can you milk a franchise? The third X-Men from the original trilogy was extremely unimpressive & X-Men Origins: Wolverine was a tepid excuse of a movie to display Jackman's brawny star power.

But boy was I pleasantly surprised by this juggernaut of a movie!

Not only was X-Men: First Class the best superhero movie of this year, but the best we've seen since Nolan's The Dark Knight. Director Matthew Vaughn does an excellent job of coalescing the many backstories & still maintaining a tightly structured story of the film itself to keep us hooked to the edges of our seats. Charles Xavier & Magneto are to comic lore what Dumbledore & Gandalf are to fantasy, & to tell their origin stories was a heavy burden but it is completely done justice to. Michael Fassbender totally NAILS it as Magneto, the  revenge spewing, Nazi killing badass who (as we all know) would later demand a more dominant standing for the mutants. 

X-Men: First Class has all the trappings of an action movie - things blow up, rockets fly, elaborate fight scenes take place, but there's a very good reason behind all of that happening. All of those things affect the story & characters, and that's what makes a quintessential super hero film.

Take that Transformers!

3. Drive


Nicolas Winding Refn's 'Drive' is a very very rare fusion of a snug art movie & a high-adrenaline violence fueled actioner. Ryan Gosling plays a stuntman by day who switches over to a wheel man for hire at night to help out robberies & thefts. Things hot up when Irene (Cary Mulligan) moves in as a neighbour with her son & our mysterious driver starts growing affectionate towards  them. Then her husband Standard (Oscaar Isaac) returns from prison. Now, instead of the story veering towards the expected jealousy angle,it takes a wicked turn when the driver finds out about Oscaar's impending debt to the mafia. They plan a million dollar heist. It doesn't go according to plan & instead ends in a blood bath.

Well, this is just a warm up. Winding's film has a profound impact because it brings violence to the forefront as it is in real life-Sudden, agressive, ruthless & unpredictable. Scenes we expect to be serene & lovable are jagged by nasty spurts of staggering violence. 

The 80's soundtrack provides a strange subtle harmony to the milieu & acting performances are top notch. Gosling is pitch perfect as the mysterious brooding Driver who has a past which in keeping with movie-lore we aren't introduced to. He just IS. And that's that. Carey Mulligan provides the much desired role of a template of vulnerability. Ron Perlman & Albert Brooks are menacing as the mob men & Bryan Cranston provides the father figure potently.

Its that strange wonderful violence driven film that still leaves the aftertaste of serenity in your mouth.

2. The Ides of March


Banking on a star cast that would probably make the Hollywood walk of fame jealous, George Clooney's Ides of March is a taut political thriller that will go down in the history books as one of the very best. What works for the film is how it unravels the dirty nitty gritties & the malicious mind games of political parties in the guise of a razor sharp, pulse racing screenplay (Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon). 

The movie throws ample amounts of twists & turns to keep you on tenter hooks & the performances are top notch (what else can one expect with the who's who of method acting raining down in the film?) but the pick of the lot is Ryan Gosling. The transformation of his character Stephen Myers from a humble press secretary who looks up to potential president of USA Mike Morris (Clooney himself) to the guy who could turn the political scenario upside down is superbly crafted. 

But what really makes 'Ides' worth sitting up & taking note of is that just like 'The Social Network' last year it is very much a film of today, of this day & age, where smart work is held in higher esteem than hard work. 

'Ides of March' packs a punch. 

(Here is my original write up of Ides of March after watching it at MAMI)
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And finally
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1. The Artist


The best film of 2011 does not have a spoken word & is shot in stark black & white. Michael Hazanavicius' 'The Artist' is a film that belongs to a league of its own. Ever since I saw it I've been revisiting it in my head. I could not imagine comparing it to any other feature film this year, & therein lies its victory. The film made me fall into a state of enchantment that no other film did.

On paper you might say the film has lots of handicaps -  Silent film, Black & White, unknown director, no star power, in fact you might even mistake it as one of those award winning snoozefests that bore you to death. But you would be thoroughly mistaken.

The Artist is an out & out joy. It's almost impractical that you walk into see this film & do not come out with a smile plastered across your face.

Haznavicius tells the quintessential Rise-fall-rise story of an actor with all the tenderness & affection that he has for the silent era Hollywood bursting out on screen. Each & every frame makes your heart flutter with merriment.

The excellence of the acting prowess on display here is almost unparalleled, its no child's play to replicate the  mannerisms & characteristics of the silent actor's from the 20's, but Jean Dujardin, Bernicie Bolo & all others involved take the challenge head on & come out with flying colours.

The film has already won plenty accolades & I won't be surprised if it takes home the Oscar this year. In an era where the souls of movies seem to be more or less withered, The Artist brings pure, unadulterated joy. Kudos to that.

(Here is the original write up i did after watching The Artist at MAMI)
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Honourable mentions:-


The following missed the top 10 by a whisker

Jane Eyre:- A good old fashioned romantic drama. Think of a Jane Austen novel in a gothic setting. Riveting performance by Mia Wasikowsa & Michael Fassbender's Edward Rochester is like a bad ass Mr. Darcy.  

Thor:- Chris Hemsworth's chiseled body made the perfect Asgardian superhero & Tom Hiddleston was menacing as Loki. Best popcorn movie of the year & a close contender to X-Men: First Class' throne.

Rise of the planet of the Apes:- Andy Serkis knocks it outta the park as Ceaser-- probably the most memorable character at the movies this year. So what if he was an ape?

Kung Fu Panda 2:- The ever lovable Po (Jack Black) returns to kick some more Kung Fu ass, only this time round its about family. Laugh out loud fun with just the right measure of sentimentality.

Rango:- A cowboy western, but with a lizard as the protagonist (voiced by Johnny Depp), A far cry from the cutesy Pixar films, this one's got rough edges. Totally worth a ride.

Horrible Bosses:- A group of friends decide to kill their respective overbearing bosses & what ensues is a sheer laugh riot. The star cast is perfect for a film like this. Jennifer Aniston is a scene stealer as the nymphomaniac dentist.
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THE CRASHES

Enough of the good, let's take a look at the bad....and the ugly...and the downright disgusting. Here are 5 films that came riding with tons of expectations on them but turned out to be epic sized duds.



The Hangover 2:- So basically they dusted the script for the first one, & merely replaced the word 'Vegas' with 'Thailand' & the word 'Baby' with 'Monkey' right? *Sigh* Todd Phillips, you just HAD to ruin it didn't you? To say that it wasn't half as funny as the first one would still be giving it a compliment. 

Cowboys & Aliens:- How can a film with the coolest effin' title in the world turn out to be a disaster? Directed by the guy who made 'Iron Man', produced by the guys who made 'LOST' & 'Apollo 13', & starring James Bond & Indiana Jones, for Chrissakes HOW? The movie starts of pretty decently, setting up the brooding cowboy characters in the wild west, And then the aliens come & destroy everything...including the movie.

Green Lantern:- While Marvel was busy putting out one awesome superhero flick after another DC thought they might as well try a hand. Well, they should've just kept their hands in their pockets. Firstly, Ryan Reynolds looks like a nincompoop as Green Lantern. Secondly, the so called story was a pathetic half assed attempt, what did they do put 6 year olds in charge of the writing dept.? Oh wait, no even THEY would've written a better script, & lastly whoever the hell chose the colour scheme for this film should be imprisoned in Oa. All that BRIGHT GREEN & PINK makes you downright queasy. Ugh!

Sucker Punch:- Dear Zack Snyder, you forgot the golden rule of filmmaking - Never let technique override content. If only you'd given half as much importance to the story as you gave to maintaining the cool graphic novel/video game-y look & making the hot chicks in short skirts look glossy we would've had a winner on our hands

Pirates of the Caribbean: On stranger tides:- A 4th Pirates of the Caribbean movie was right on top of the "things the world doesn't need anymore" list. Just by Johnny Depp putting mascara around his eyes doesn't give birth to a good movie. Sorry Captain Jack, your ship sank...without a trace.
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So that was that, but if the internet buzz is anything to go by, 2012 is going to be an epic year for movies - 'The Dark Knight Rises', 'The Hobbit', 'MIB 3', 'Prometheus', and many many many more...so hopefully next year will be much more fascinating than this one...if the world doesn't end that is!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!






(You can read my last year's best & worst of list here)


Saturday, December 17, 2011

Freedom of Expression



There's no point in living if you can't live freely. The freedom to express what's in your heart in whatever way possible - through speech or action, written or oral. Also to express without any hesitation or fear. All art comes from being free or a desire to be free. And so does revolution and courage.


Freedom is power. But, as a beloved comic book character has taught us - "With great power comes great responsibility". One has to be careful, cautious and concise when expressing.


The internet is more or less a parallel universe, a wonderland if you will. But, if there's anything that Lewis Carroll's story about a young girl falling down a hole has taught us, its that even a wonderland is filled with vile creatures.


There are those blatant, shameless and ruthless. Their very idea of existence on the internet is to offend and Anonymity is the jewel in their malicious crown.


Anonymity, in my opinion is the easiest way to avoid responsibility.


Then there are those, who with the convenient excuse of wanting to curb the offenders pretty much start a petty propaganda of their own.


Censorship. Now that's another sinister method to escape responsibility.


Express. Be free. the internet is our canvas and we have the best of colours in our possession, but also be fair and responsible. For the best freedom is the one with responsibility beating vigorously within its heart.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Mumbai film fest: Day 4

On day 4, I was only able to squeeze in time for 1 film. But that 1 film was an experience I shall not forget for a very, very long time.


The Artist




Language: Silent film with English intertitles
Year: 2011
Director: Michael Hazanavicius


'The Artist' was the first time that I watched a silent film in a movie theater. It was an experience to behold. It made me feel like I had traveled back in time to the golden silent-era of Hollywood.


The film depicts a time period from 1927 to 1931 & is shot in pristine black & white. In these times of high definition colours, microscopic clarity & surround sound there is something trustworthy about a black & white silent film that makes us instantly connect with it. Every frame is so lovingly decorated that you just can't stop your heart from fluttering with joy. Even the screen aspect ratio is the classic 1:1:33 format. 




The story is that of a dashing & rather arrogant superstar George Valentin (played by Jean Dujardin) of the pre-talkie era who is caught off guard by the arrival of sound in films. He dismisses it in the early stages ("If that's the future, then you can have it" is his snobbish reply to the producer). Obviously, he is proven wrong. Over the next few years, his roles dry up, he goes broke, ventures into directing but fails miserably, his wife leaves him & so do his palatial comforts.


Around the same time there's another star on the rise, the lovingly named Peppy Miller (Berinice Bolo) who was spotted by George & whom he had fallen in love with before her career went into an overdrive. She's known for a little beauty mark that Valentin penciled with love & care. 


So while Valentin goes down in the dumps & Peppy soars to the sky, would she remain loyal?


I guess you know the answer. Yes, it is the grand retelling of the quintessential 'fall of the artist' story, but the manner in which it is told makes all the difference in the world. One can see all the fondness & affection that Haznavicius has for the silent era burst out in tenderness & glory here.


Of course the acting is unparalleled. There are certain mannerisms which were so prominent in the actors of the silent era that are on full display here & leave you in magnificent awe. No wonder Dujardin won the best actor award at Cannes earlier this year (Not to mention even the adorable Jack Russell terrier in the film won the Palm dog award!)


In a silent film, the music are the words & Ludovic Bource does a terrific job of eliciting the desired emotions out of us.


'The Artist' is a film that is in a league of it's own. It's unfair to try & compare it with any other film that I've seen in the festival. It made me fall into a certain state of enchantment & reverie that no other film did. 


Somewhere along the way as technology advanced, the movies lost their soul. 'The Artist' resurrects that soul.





Monday, October 17, 2011

Mumbai film fest: Day 3

On day 3 I witnessed 3 drastically different films. A dystopian, ominous turkish flick, a visually soothing Russian film & a razor sharp political thriller directed by George Clooney.

Le Diner Les Monstres/ The Monsters' Dinner


Language: English (Turkish actors)
Year: 2011
Director: Ramin Matin

The monsters' dinner is as dark, ominous & psychologically challenging a film as they come. In fact I would even slot it under 'horror' in my book even though there are no ghosts present. Well at least not the "physical" kind. Psychologically though, there are monsters galore.

It's hard to say whether you "like" or "dislike" a film like this. Because the only intent here is to make a profound impact on your mind. And it does that quite convincingly.

The film is set in a dystopian universe, a satiric reflection of our contemporary global society manifested in the near future, in which two seemingly ordinary couples sit down for a dinner party. The film cruelly and comically shows how our contemporary culture might transform into a world of extreme hedonism, violence and desensitization.

It's a world where evidently "normal' things that liberate us for example, painting, reading fiction, smoking or even tasting the sweetness of sugar are illegal, but ostensibly preposterous things like infidelity & "buying" children are the order of the day.

The entire film has just 4 characters, is shot entirely in 1 house, takes place more or less in real time & has lots & lots & lots of dialogue, as that's the only tool through which we derive the time, & environment the film is set in.

The film relies very heavily on creating the dark, mysterious feel, by generating a plush yet cryptic ambience. A special mention to the sound designer Oguz Kaynak, as the background "score" (I wonder if you can call it that because it sounds more a melange of sound effects & jarring music) had me very intrigued. The photography too is top notch. If you want to see how many different ways a character can be captured within limited confines of space watch this.

This film reminded me of Kubrick's 'A clockwork orange' which is set in a similar dystopian universe. There's a sequence in the film where the characters while having normal chit chatter are also slapping a small child with ferocious intensity just for fun. It makes you cringe in your seat.

All I can say is if any formal dinner you attend starts resembling the dinner in this film, run like hell & don't look back.


First time for everything

Language: Russian
Year: 2011
Director: Leonid Fomin

It's thanks to film festivals like MFF that I get to see a small Russian independent film like 'First time for everything'. It might never make it big in the commercial arena, might not even make enough waves to get a cult following, & might be very difficult to even dig out on the internet (WHAT?!).

It's a simple story of a little boy, Kolya, who accidently meets his father for the first time in his life. Father and son rediscover each other, overcoming inner misunderstandings as well as numerous obstacles in their life path.

The film is visual poetry. In complete contrast with 'A monsters' dinner', this film has very minimal dialogue. It's all about images & visuals & expressions & body language & things that are left unsaid.

The cinematography by DOP Alexey Korovin is breathtaking despite it being quite apparent that the film was made on a tight budget. Whether it's a forest, a lake, the warm & cozy interiors of a wooden house, the cold rain, the glowing sunlight, or even the plush confines of a flat, everything is picturised beautifully. The charming music by Andrey Zubetc adds effortlessly to the milieu.

It's a film that creates a halo around you & expects you to be "in the zone" to enjoy it thoroughly. I surely did.

The Ides of March


Language: English
Year: 2011
Director: George Clooney

The George Clooney directed 'The Ides of March' had the longest que. For an 8:15 p.m show people had started lining up outside the auditorium since 6 p.m, so I was doubtful whether I'll be able to get in, but luckily I did. And I'm glad that I did for 'The Ides of March' is one of the best films I've seen this year.

George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood, Geoffery Wright.

Whoa!

Nothing. Just wanted to get the load of that exceptional star cast off my chest. With that amount of talent involved, a film can either soar to the skies or crush under the pressure of its excellence. Thankfully in this case, it's the former.

Now, politics is dirty. You know that & I know that. There's a whole lot of shady work done by political parties behind the scenes at the time of elections to make us, the general public, believe that their candidate is squeaky clean. But of course they're not. So the premise of Clooney's film & the revelations it makes might not be anything brand new, yet Clooney makes his points within the guise of a pulse-racing thriller. And what a move it is.

The central character is Stephen Myers (Ryan Gosling), who as a press secretary is required to more or less lie for a living. he works for Pennsylvania Gov. Mike Morris (Clooney) an idealistic liberal. Paul Zara (Hoffman) is his seasoned campaign manager. Also on Moriss' campaign is a young intern Molly (Wood) who Stephen gets cozy with. Sen. Pullman (Michael Mantell) is Morris' opponent & Paul Giamatti is Tom Duffy, Pullman's campaign manager. Marisa Tomei plays the inquisitive New York Times reporter Ida Horowicz.

Both Moriss & Pullman are in the race for President & the state of Ohio will decide the game.

Taking this premise Clooney who's aided on the screenplay by Grant Heslov & Beau Willimon sets up a tale of sex, deceit & doublecrossing.

To give away anything more would be a shame. All I can say is that the film throws twists & turns galore that are a treat to watch unfold.

I never realized when the 100 odd minutes raced away while watching the film & when that happens you can be rest assured the film has struck a chord. It's sure to get a wide release in India soon & when it does I recommend you go & watch it.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Mumbai film fest: Day 2

So on day 2 of MFF I saw a sweet-as-a-candy romantic drama, a marathi satirical dramedy & an insipid German film.

Restless


Language: English
Year: 2011
Director: Gus Van Sant

I was drawn to Gus Van Sant's Restless like a nail to a magnet.

16 year old Enoch (Henry Hopper) is a funeral crasher. Needless to say this implies that he is in some weird manner obsessed with the idea of death. At one such funeral he bumps into Annabelle (Mia Wasikowska). Sparks fly & the two of them get acquainted & crash some funerals together until Enoch comes to know that Annabelle herself is a cancer patient & has just 3 more months to live

The subject sounds grim & morose no doubt but it is handled with a deft hand by the director. At no point is Annabelle's condition used to extract sympathy out of you. Because death is so near her, Annabelle simply decides to ignore it & wants to live out & experience as much life & romance as she can in the time remaining. Instead of gloom what we get is efflorescence. Wasikowska is splendid as the Manic pixie dream girl Annabelle (This is her 2nd bright performance of the year after Cary Joji Fukunaga's British adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's 'Jane Eyre'). The cinematography by Harris Savides is noteworthy as it paints an ideal canvas of beauty & pain.

On the downside though the pace of the movie is pretty slow & can give a turtle a run for its money in the 2nd half. The role of Hiroshi, Enoch's english speaking Japanese ghost buddy who serves as his sub-conscious & voice of reason is never really convincing & one wonders if it was required at all.

Yet all of that aside I completely loved losing myself in this beautiful world of 'Restless'. It gave me a feeling akin to listening to a Pink Floyd album, or meeting an old friend, or a late evening by the sea. It made me realize why I fell in love with the movies in the first place.

I for one can't wait to watch it again & again.

Deool (The Temple)


Language: Marathi
Year; 2011
Director: Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni

Deool is 1 story finely divided into 3 acts. The first act will remind you of the stories of R.K.Narayan with its simple and unpretentious element of humour focused on ordinary villagers. The 2nd act sees the transformation of human psyche & behavior once wealth & social status are acquired & the 3rd is the introspective one which asks questions about the soul, religion & existence of God.

A farmer while searching for his cow finds her near a tree. Exhausted, he takes a nap under the tree & dreams of the 3 headed hindu lord datta. Unable to keep this to himself he tells the whole village. News spreads like wild fire & the tree site is considered holy.

This is the basic premise for the entire film. There's humour, politics, philosophy, & a mirror is held up against the hype & hooplah infested times that we live in today.

Just like 'Adieu Gary' which I blogged about yesterday even Deool beleives in creating a universe of characters unto itself. There are too many to name here but each makes a noteworthy contribution. But where Adieu Gary was small & intimate. Deool is grand & ambitious.

The acting is fantastic all around & why not, the cast boasts of the who's who of the Marathi film, television & stage industry, Nana Patekar, Dilip Prabhawallkar ( 'Gandhiji' from Lage Raho Munnbhai who seems to be in every Marathi film nowadays & also is ironically nicknamed "Anna" here!), Girish Kulkarni, Sonali Kulkarni, Kishor Kadam, Vaibhavi Deshpande just to name a few, and also a sprightly cameo by Naseeruddin Shah himself.

There aren't many faults to find here really. Everything from the script (Girish Kulkarni) to dialogue to background music to cinematography is splendid. Only aspect I didn't like was a glossy dance number which was completely out of place, & probably the length of the film could've been a bit shorter.

But these are just minute hindrances in what is a fabulous all round endeavor. It's an entertaining crowdpleaser that's also reflective & thoughtful. Leave the Ra-One's, Rascals & Bodyguards behind & watch this instead.

Uber uns das all (Above us only sky)


Language: German
Year: 2011
Director: Jan Schomburg

After watching 2 films that I was entirely engrossed in, I have to say Above us... turned out to be quite underwhelming.

Martha Sabel (Sandra Huller) is an English teacher who's in a happy relationship with Paul Sabel (Felix Knopp), a medical student. Paul gets a job in Marseille & they decide to move there. Paul leaves & Martha is supposed to join him a week later. But 2 days after his departure cops turn up at Martha's place to inform her that Paul has been found dead in his car. He committed suicide.

Sounds damn interesting doesn't it? Well, it's actually not.

Reading the synopsis above you would expect the film to follow a certain trajectory, which to be frank it does for most of the first half. But just as I was getting excited at the prospect of watching a neo-noir murder mystery the film takes a turn & sadly it's for the worse.

While probing Paul's mysterious death Martha comes across Alexander (Georg Friedrich) & falls for her as he reminds her of Paul. Hereonwards the movie focuses on whether Alexander will be able to take Paul's place in Martha's life or not.

The pace of the film is lethargic & the plot takes its own sweet (bitter?) time to unravel. Conflicts emerge & drop for no reason, & the story failed to keep me captivated. To give credit where it's due though Sandra Huller is fine as the troubled Martha. The subdued agitation & depression in her eyes is stark.

I'm not saying Above us... is a bad film, but I felt it could've been a better one. It ends up being a bore which is a pity. But then that's just my opinion.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Mumbai film fest: Day 1

The 13th edition of the week long Mumbai film festival (MFF) kicked off on 14th of october & like an obedient movie buff i was present to reap the benefits along with my fellow movie geeks. Each day I will try & post my views, opinions & thoughts about the films I see. So here are my musings of the 3 films I saw on day 1.

Adieu Gary (Goodbye Gary)



Language: French
Year: 2008
Director: Nassim Amouche

Adieu Gary is one of those films that creates its own little universe of characters & demands us to immerse ourselves in its amusing & dreamy world. The setting is an old forlorn garden city of France which used to have a factory which is now closed down. And yet some people decide to still linger around. We meet a 50-something widower Francis who has 2 sons Samir, who's returning after a stint in prison for selling weed & Icham who has a boring job but is learning Arabic to get a more 'happening' job in Morocco. Francis has an affair with his neighbour Maria who in turn has a dreamy, jobless teenage son who spends most of his day watching old American westerns. Oh & there's also the beautiful Nejma, a North American waitress that Samir falls in love with & the oleaginous Abdel who hangs around the street corners. Apart from these there are various other characters we are introduced to who mostly bask in the summer sun.

The film is not plot heavy & has more to do with references & imagery. It brings forth the interesting fact that the lives of the unemployed are probably as routined as those of the employed. There are character back stories here that need figuring out on your own accord. The acting is mostly good all around but Jean Pierre Bacri stands out as the conscientious Francis. There's one party scene in particular that caught my fancy where Nejma starts to sing with a man playing an Oud & the camera pans a full 360 around the party before coming back & resting on Nejma & the instrumentalist again.

If you are ready to be patient & like to embroil yourself in the happenings on screen you will find Adieu Gary lingering in your mind long after the end credits roll.

Moneyball



Language: English
Year: 2011
Director: Bennet Miller

I was desperately looking forward to watching Moneyball at MFF for 2 reasons- 1. Aaron Sorkin & 2. Steven Zalliain. Yep, the 2 phenomenal screenwriters have collaborated on the script of this zany, intelligent, smart & moving biographical sports drama.

Brad Pitt plays Billy Beane, GM of the Oakland A's who are down in the dumps ("There are rich teams, there are poor teams then there's 50 feet of crap & then there's us") owing to a losing streak & the impending doom of losing 3 star players. Beane has got to build a team worthy of winning the championship & he's got zilch budget. Enter Peter Brand, played to potent perfection by Jonah Hill who finally gets to dig his teeth in a role of substance after playing the comedy whiz kid in innumerable teen comedies. Brand is a nerdy Yale graduate, a sabermetrics pioneer who crunches the numbers to arrive at a strict cost effective analysis of baseball players.

Pitt is simply superb as Billy Beane & immerses himself completely in the role. Our heart goes out for him right from the word go & the passion is right up front with each movement & each dialogue. This is undoubtedly one of Pitt's most memorable performances of his career.

Also present is Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman as team manager Art Howe, a thorn in the side of Bean's plans. Hoffman doesn't have much screen time yet leaves an indellible mark on the movie.

The witty dialogue & tight script is no surprise given the dynamic duo that worked on it & the cinematography by by Wally Pfister makes for an inviting atmosphere. Also notable is how cleverly real, authentic baseball footage is used within the movie.

Moneyball is a business movie that's disguised as a sports movie. It's that rare occasion when big budget Hollywood decides to serve up something inventive, sharp & wise, It's a sumptuous feast.

Armadillo


Language: Danish
Year: 2010
Director: Janus Metz

Armadillo is a hard hitting documentary that will make you thankful for the fact that you can sit in the comfortable confines of your home & walk around freely on the city streets because there are other parts of the world (not very far from ours) where war, destruction & death stare people right in the face no matter where they turn.

The film follows a group of Danish soldiers who are on their first mission in Afghanistan at a forward operating base named FOB Armadillo. We are witness to how their lives play out for the next 6 months. Needless to say its not very pretty.

Armadillo is raw & unhinged. It puts us, the audience out there in the battlefield. It goes out to prove that no matter how much planning & plotting goes around, war is sudden, aggressive, brutal, gut wrenching & devastating.

There's one edit near the mid-way point that is heart thumpingly visceral. The soldiers out of boredom are busy playing black ops on their Xbox when the camera zooms in & the image of a pixelated cartoon-y blast merges with the green flames of a night vision camera. Splendid!

And then there are the scenes where the soldiers go out to ask the villagers of how secure they feel. This is when you realize just how helpless the people of the region are. How overnight their entire livelihood, their houses, cattle, crops & women & children shall be lost. They are damned if they do , damned if they don't as one Afghan farmer puts it innocently "You don't die, the Taliban don't die...its just us who dies"

Though I did feel that at times the film sensationilized certain sequences, yet at the end of it whatever you think of the war or even of the men’s actions, it’s impossible not to care for them and the suffering Afghans equally. And to maintain that balance for a war film is quite an achievement

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Silence

Forever takes an instant to end
And cacophony turns to silence in a snap.
Silence.
What am I to do with all this silence?
The memories hover
but the thoughts are silent.
The mouth speaks
but the tongue is silent.
Aggression boils
but anger is silent.
The clock ticks
but the time is silent.
The eyes see
but the vision is silent.
The images reflect
but the insight is silent.
The light resonates
but the sunshine is silent
The dreams ache
but the want  is silent.
My affection writhes in agony
but mockingly Love is  silent.
The waves crash
but the winds are silent.
The smiles are aplenty
but heartfelt laughter is silent
The night is a blitzkrieg
but the stars are silent
The companionship is merry
but trust is silent.
The heart's taking a victory leap
but the soul though, is tragically silent.
Silence.
What am I to do with all this silence?

-ABBAS

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

They

They said they would melt the winds,
They said they would boil the skies,
They said they would snatch it back,
And give to me all that was mine.

They told me impatience was good,
They taught me vengeance was fuel,
They insisted I trample on others' smiles,
Because others' lives are meant to be ruled.

They tempted me to cross the line,
To lose any semblance of mind,
They promised an askew justice,
One neither sober nor kind.

The sun started to fade away,
Even he had decided to part ways,
If only I could've grasped some fortitude,
In those quick disappearing rays.

The one dressed in black blew his breath on a harmonica,
He did it for a hearty reason.
They tried to pull me away from him,
Because he often warned me of their treason.

They own a force that's brute & raw,
Their illusion of comfort leads to the throes of insanity
They push & pull with wholesome vigor,
Till you're only left with the memories of morality.

As I stand perched on the edge,
The faint music with it's humble message flies,
I shall miss the blowing wind,
I shall miss the blue skies.

-Abbas

Sunday, April 3, 2011

We are the Champions...of the World


I am not a cricket expert but i love the game. And of course another little thing happened that made it mandatory that I write this post. On april 2, 2011 INDIA WON THE FREAKIN' WORLD CUP!!!!! (go ahead scream. I'll wait for it. We'll do it *each & every* time someone mentions it). Yes, the dream came true. We are the world champions. For the next 4 years ours will be the team which will be looked up to. Which will be the measuring stick for excellence in the game of cricket.


The thing with the world cup is that it still remains the grand daddy of all cricket tournaments despite the advent of T20's & the IPL. The major reason being that it occurs just once every 4 years. That is just twice in a decade (uniike the T20 WC which occurs every 2 years & the IPL which is an annual event). So the chance to back your nation's team & support them with all your heart & passion for the ultimate glory comes just once every 4 years.


I was too young to grasp the 1996 tournament but I faintly remember the disappointment in the house when India lost the semi finals to Sri Lanka & subsequently the infamous shot of Vinod Kambli in tears. The first real & very fond memories for me are that of the 1999 world cup. India was led by Mohd Azharuddin & faced an exit in the knock out stages. Of course Australia famously went on to win that tournament under the terrific leadership of Steve Waugh.


Little did one know that in the 2 subsequent world cups we'll see similar scenes of the men in yellow celebrating with the bubbly & lifting the cup. This time led by the aggressive & scruffy Ricky Ponting instead of the gentle & agreeable Waugh.


In the 2003 World Cup as the Indian team battled tough oppositions I battled the tough board exams which thankfully ended at just about the right time for us to catch the finals. And what do you know India were through, led by a rather appealing Saurav Ganguly. The stage was set, the nation held its breath & we were all set to take the cup back after 20 years.


Um...not quite.


Australia put up a gargantuan total of 358 on the board & one knew it was next to impossible to chase it down. India lost by 125 runs. It was one of those days that left many with a lump in the throat. Dejected & disappointed we once again accepted that we just weren't good enough on the given day & gave ourselves sympathetic pats on the back.


The less said about our 2007 campaign the better. Led by Rahul "the wall" Dravid India lost disastrously to minnows Bangladesh in their very first match. it was shocking to say the least. After a consolation win against Bermuda we were unable to deliver once again when it was required against Sri Lanka in a do-or-die situation. For the first time in 15 years we were unable to qualify for the knock out stages. It was shameful.


Out came the sharp knives of criricism from all corners, as did the sms forwards humiliating & ridiculing the team members individually. For a brief while a nation had stopped believing in its heroes & had lost the passion for the sport they were crazy about.


But then as Dravid hung the skipper's cap following the debacle, a young nifty Indian wicket keeper with a flair for hair (I know!) took the mantle. And that's where the tide changed my dear friend. (Did I just say 'my dear friend'? Oh my God, screw you Navjot Sidhu!)


That man was of course Mahendra Singh Dhoni.


A team's aspirations & achievements are signified by its leader, & here was a leader that the Indian cricket team so desperately needed. We conquered one accolade after another under his leadership. 1st ever T20 WC, the Border-Gavaskar trophy, & attaining the number 1 spot in the ICC test rankings to name a few.


But it all culminated at the 2011 World Cup. THIS was the stage where Dhoni & the team had to prove their mettle. I've got to be honest with you. Yes, I wanted our team to win it, but deep in my heart I was skeptical. It was too good to be true. A world cup win at home? Certainly life wasn't a fairy tale, was it? Were we THAT good?


The answer was Yes, yes & yes. I've never been happier to be proved wrong :D


No one from my generation will ever forget the 2011 World cup. We started as favourites, we stuck to the cause & most importantly we believed. The boisterous support for the team was evident all through the social networks, the media, in our conversations & most essentially in our hearts & minds. When we look back at it we have every reason to be proud.


We were never really outplayed in any match. Yes we tied with England & lost to South Africa in the league games but even those were very close calls. And once we were in the knock out stages, the rest was as they say history. The next three victories have been etched in our brains with golden ink. I don't know about you but in future whenever i'm pissed off, or feeling blue I'm gonna find solace in remembering Ponting's face as he faced defeat & saw the World Cup slip out of Australia's hand when Yuvraj Singh thumped the shots for the winning runs. It was Epic! (yes with a capital E).


And who can forget the frenzy, hype & hysteria & the subsequent joy, ecstacy & elation of the Ind Vs. Pak semi-final? There's no other cricket match in the world that carries more tension, excitement & weight of expectations. Beating our neighbours is ALWAYS a pleasure & we did it once again. That's 5-0 in a World cup suckers! We were through to the finals!


And then of course THE night of the 2nd of April, 2011. Ind Vs. Sri Lanka World cup final. Wankhede stadium, Mumbai (I'm trying very very hard to maintain my composure here but the hormones of the fanboy inside me are raging :D). After scoring 60 odd in their 2nd powerplay SL poised a modest total of 275 to chase for the Indians. Many had already started biting their nails at this point. Then on the very 2nd ball of the 1st over Lasith Malinga trapped Sehwag leg before. The nation went 'GULP!'. A few terrific boundaries later Sachin "the GOD" Tendulkar was caught behind on 18. Stunned silence. Will it be a repeat of '03?


HELL NO!


We were here to win & win we did! Gautam Gambhir scored a gutsy 97, Virat Kohli showed immense maturity in scoring a patient & graceful innings of 35 & then of course M.S.Dhoni pulled off a magnificent captain's knock just when the whole nation needed him to. A splendid 91 of just 79 balls.


It wasn't all that easy though. At one point we required 30 runs off the last 26 balls of the match. Forget nails, we had progressed to biting our bones by this point. But alas! We pulled through. Yes we did.


For years we have seen the TV grabs of Mohinder Amarnath bowling Michael Holding & running away with the stumps to give India the World Cup victory of 1983. Now our generation has a new moment of glory, that of M.S.Dhoni hitting a six to score the winning runs of the match.


There's no point in describing the scenes that followed after the six, because they're just that- inexpressible.


Tears flowed once again but these were tears of joy. The World cup had come home after 28 long long years. it was the time for a cloudburst of jubilation, joy & merriment.




I've probably never seen Sachin Tendulkar so happy on the cricket field. And that's saying something for a man who has played the game for 2 decades & has 99 international centuries under his belt. Perched on top of Yusuf Pathan's shoulders with the Indian flag wrapped around him you could sense that the legend's tireless dedication had bear fruit.




It was a victory that silenced all the critics. Those who said that our batting relied on the onus of a single man, those who were against Dhoni's bold captainship decisions & his batting prowess, those who said our middle order was weak & it showed once & for all that this team had the knack for finishing things off .

This victory was also a dedication to the broken dreams of the Ganguly's, Dravid's & Kumble's of the team who gave their all but unfortunately never got a chance to lift the trophy.

After the victory Sachin said "winning the world cup is the ultimate achievement & I'm experiencing it now". So is the nation Sach. So is the nation.