Manning our 'Birds', day and night
Risking it all, in every flight
Armed with wings made of gold
shining now is that star in the night
Men who flew, flew far and wide
Men who flew, did that with pride
In peace and war, they made us proud
and made us cry, when they died
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Review of SANCTUM
3D has become such a clichéd feature these days that I had decided to give every 3D film a miss, primarily due to the manner in which the technology is used purely as a tool to accessorize the film rather than really add any cinematic value to it. But when it’s the iconic James Cameroon who’s involved in a project, could I say no.
First of all, a film about diving can only be appreciated by a layman, if a brief introduction is given about the entire process. Despite being familiar with diving, I found the initial part of the film difficult to follow due to the needlessly cheeky dialogues and lack of emphasis on essential exposition.
The 3D feature is well used in several sections in the film and one is exposed to the world of cave diving and the dangers involved therein. But when a film is supposed to celebrate human spirit and endurance, it should be more than just a one dimensional visual spectacle. This is where the film loses out. The characters are sketchy and behave in strange whimsical manner. You could have well been playing a 3D video game or watching a B grade action affair, as often key moments in the film are bereft of any real emotion. There is little empathy one feels for the cast when they are faced with life and death situations. The moments that give you the creep come far and few between. The chemistry between the various actors seems as shallow as the story itself.
In the end, one leaves the theatre with not one enduring memory of this rather emotionally bland affair. This is accentuated when one compares it to a similar film on outdoors, 127 hours, released two weeks ago. 3.0 STARS
First of all, a film about diving can only be appreciated by a layman, if a brief introduction is given about the entire process. Despite being familiar with diving, I found the initial part of the film difficult to follow due to the needlessly cheeky dialogues and lack of emphasis on essential exposition.
The 3D feature is well used in several sections in the film and one is exposed to the world of cave diving and the dangers involved therein. But when a film is supposed to celebrate human spirit and endurance, it should be more than just a one dimensional visual spectacle. This is where the film loses out. The characters are sketchy and behave in strange whimsical manner. You could have well been playing a 3D video game or watching a B grade action affair, as often key moments in the film are bereft of any real emotion. There is little empathy one feels for the cast when they are faced with life and death situations. The moments that give you the creep come far and few between. The chemistry between the various actors seems as shallow as the story itself.
In the end, one leaves the theatre with not one enduring memory of this rather emotionally bland affair. This is accentuated when one compares it to a similar film on outdoors, 127 hours, released two weeks ago. 3.0 STARS
Monday, January 31, 2011
Review of 'Dil to Bachcha hai ji'
We all know that Madhur Bhandarkar is a creative genius when it comes to exposing the underbelly of urban society with deft display of irony with a dash of sly humour, which has come to become his trademark over the years. What we didn’t know is that he had the capability to extend himself to the comedy genre.
‘Dil to bachha hai ji’ is a departure from the mindless comedy that has become the USP of most bollywood directors. While it does remain a comedy, it does not ask you to leave your thinking cap at home. The film explores the range of man-woman relationships that mark modern urban existence and presents them in this film with three relatively extreme cases in point.
The film meanders along with the three concomitant stories and tries to relate them with the one word; love, and a common house. There are plenty of risqué and humorous moments along the way, many of which appear natural and hence make it a sit-com rather than a slapstick affair.
Marked by good performances by most of the actors, supported by crisp writing and barring the one odd inconsistency, the film appears credible and well worth the money. The even distribution of screen time between the actors and the one odd hummable tune keep up the tempo and make it a funny film. 3.5 STARS
‘Dil to bachha hai ji’ is a departure from the mindless comedy that has become the USP of most bollywood directors. While it does remain a comedy, it does not ask you to leave your thinking cap at home. The film explores the range of man-woman relationships that mark modern urban existence and presents them in this film with three relatively extreme cases in point.
The film meanders along with the three concomitant stories and tries to relate them with the one word; love, and a common house. There are plenty of risqué and humorous moments along the way, many of which appear natural and hence make it a sit-com rather than a slapstick affair.
Marked by good performances by most of the actors, supported by crisp writing and barring the one odd inconsistency, the film appears credible and well worth the money. The even distribution of screen time between the actors and the one odd hummable tune keep up the tempo and make it a funny film. 3.5 STARS
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Review of the movie '127 Hours'
Reputation clearly seems to have preceded Danny Boyle at the Oscars with his ‘127 hours’ receiving four* nominations including the best actor. The film about a real life adventurer’s survival tale has been suitably humanised to avoid making it another episode of ‘Man vs Wild’.
Reality Tv and Adventure channels where the situation, however untamed, is often controlled and hence gives one the comforting knowledge that all is going to be well. The film is a departure from the stage-managed precision of these TV shows. It gets into the head of the penitent adventurer when he battles weather, fatigue and reflects upon his life’s follies as a gloomy end stares back at him from the craggy creeks.
The first half of the film gets where it is aimed at; giving the viewer the creeps, but the second half has moments of humour that are protracted a wee bit and hence let the audience heave a sigh of relief, something that has the unintended effect of driving them back into the comfort of their seats. The gory ending might be discomforting to some. The music by AR Rahman is largely on mark but some of the scenes would have been better off without music to make the setting chillingly real. Over all an outdoor adventure, that keeps the adrenalin pumping. 4.5 STARS
Reality Tv and Adventure channels where the situation, however untamed, is often controlled and hence gives one the comforting knowledge that all is going to be well. The film is a departure from the stage-managed precision of these TV shows. It gets into the head of the penitent adventurer when he battles weather, fatigue and reflects upon his life’s follies as a gloomy end stares back at him from the craggy creeks.
The first half of the film gets where it is aimed at; giving the viewer the creeps, but the second half has moments of humour that are protracted a wee bit and hence let the audience heave a sigh of relief, something that has the unintended effect of driving them back into the comfort of their seats. The gory ending might be discomforting to some. The music by AR Rahman is largely on mark but some of the scenes would have been better off without music to make the setting chillingly real. Over all an outdoor adventure, that keeps the adrenalin pumping. 4.5 STARS
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Review of Dhobi Ghat(Mumbai dairies)
Having read the mixed bag of reviews of this film, I had decided to give it a miss. But Aamir had ensured that no other big releases affected chances of his better half's magnum opus and hence I had to grudgingly make it to watch this one.
Right from the outset as the credits rolled in, the movie painted itself with a poignant palette creating a fresh fresco. The parallel stories began scene after scene to stitch themselves in a telling manner as the film progressed. The characters while could have been etched better, still grow on you and soon one is absorbed in the film enough to overlook the shortfalls and be consumed by the brilliance of their screen presence.
Calling the movie subtle would be stating the obvious. The film is another in the numerous odes that the city of Mumbai has received. However, the film does that without being loud or overly partisan in its portrayal of the grime and grit of the metropolis. Technically flawless, the film plays itself out like a slow and painful melody that just manages to touch your heart. For me, it's a 4 STAR effort.
Right from the outset as the credits rolled in, the movie painted itself with a poignant palette creating a fresh fresco. The parallel stories began scene after scene to stitch themselves in a telling manner as the film progressed. The characters while could have been etched better, still grow on you and soon one is absorbed in the film enough to overlook the shortfalls and be consumed by the brilliance of their screen presence.
Calling the movie subtle would be stating the obvious. The film is another in the numerous odes that the city of Mumbai has received. However, the film does that without being loud or overly partisan in its portrayal of the grime and grit of the metropolis. Technically flawless, the film plays itself out like a slow and painful melody that just manages to touch your heart. For me, it's a 4 STAR effort.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Udaan-Review
I watched Udaan yesterday was touched by the brilliance of this film. The film is technically sound and absolutely honest with the plot. The actors do a brilliant job bringing home remarkably consistent performances. Movies like Udaan make me wonder, when will we Indians get over the over prized, over hyped stars and promote beautiful works like Udaan. I had a mixture of mild smile and explicable tension though out the film as the unpredictable narrative meandered beautifully to a heartwarming and unprecedented finale. Kudos to team Udaan.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Vote for a Change
Vote for a Change
Righteousness based on what is fake
Forcing you till you can't anymore take
You wished you turned back into an ape
For the beginners, that's Indian red tape
Country's scourge, a community's bake
All for the social animal's sake
Hope like an islet between a lake
i give you on it my humble take
This is a call for you to awake
All for you mate! For your sake
Hard for one, where ever you rake
No easy answer this, not a easy cake
Scrap it, with every push a new flake
Expose the rot, shine the strake
Whatever you do, what ever you make
Don’t for once think my effort is fake
Serpentine queues, a lifelong wait
Underhand deals, the commonest bait
Democracy came to us quite late
It is now ours and it's our fate
The protectors we have come to hate
They fleece us at every gate
We run in circles for our date
Be it the court or for the tax rebate
A ray of hope, a form to create
To find in crowd, a noble prelate
He is answer to the debate
A rejoinder to the puzzle first rate
That’s me you should choose to quote
I am your man and i need your vote
Repeat with me, Amit should be your rote
I will uphold promises, the crowd I’ll dote
The future's bright with me, it’s not a tote
I’ll rule just, and save this sinking boat
i am after egalitarianism, not the note
All I ask from you simpletons is a small little vote
I’ll be the leader you ask me to be
That all ends well, a promise I shall see
He who vouches for me, my friend he'll be
And who doesn’t my wrath he shall see
The Voting lines are open in 5 ,4, 3, 2, 1, 0 secs…..Call now!
Forcing you till you can't anymore take
You wished you turned back into an ape
For the beginners, that's Indian red tape
Country's scourge, a community's bake
All for the social animal's sake
Hope like an islet between a lake
i give you on it my humble take
This is a call for you to awake
All for you mate! For your sake
Hard for one, where ever you rake
No easy answer this, not a easy cake
Scrap it, with every push a new flake
Expose the rot, shine the strake
Whatever you do, what ever you make
Don’t for once think my effort is fake
Serpentine queues, a lifelong wait
Underhand deals, the commonest bait
Democracy came to us quite late
It is now ours and it's our fate
The protectors we have come to hate
They fleece us at every gate
We run in circles for our date
Be it the court or for the tax rebate
A ray of hope, a form to create
To find in crowd, a noble prelate
He is answer to the debate
A rejoinder to the puzzle first rate
That’s me you should choose to quote
I am your man and i need your vote
Repeat with me, Amit should be your rote
I will uphold promises, the crowd I’ll dote
The future's bright with me, it’s not a tote
I’ll rule just, and save this sinking boat
i am after egalitarianism, not the note
All I ask from you simpletons is a small little vote
I’ll be the leader you ask me to be
That all ends well, a promise I shall see
He who vouches for me, my friend he'll be
And who doesn’t my wrath he shall see
The Voting lines are open in 5 ,4, 3, 2, 1, 0 secs…..Call now!
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