My Random Act of Kindness

This is what I am going to do when I watch a movie. All of us have gone through the process of watching a movie and realizing mid-way that having a million needles thrown at you all day would be less painful than sitting through the said movie. When you pay homage to Einstein - understand his theory of relativity and figure that he would have come up with his eureka moment at precisely such a point in time.

We've also had the exact opposite sensation - let time stay still so that I can soak up more of this wonderfulness on screen.

What I will try to do is simply an act of paying it forward. When someone recommends a movie to me, I place in his or her hands in a way, my life. I let them guide me for 2 hours into their idea of fun. Sometimes I feel liberated, and I realize that I can connect to the recommender on a different level - like the two hours of movie dialogue is all that is unspoken between us. Then there are those other times, after a movie, I just want to bang my head against a wall so that I can have it in my heart to forgive and forget and move on without judgment. I am a very judgmental person. Opinions, whether my own or others, matter a lot to me. So I pray to god to let me forget about those 2 hours of my life I will never get back. Which seems hypocritical of me, when I waste the remaining 22 hours doing absolutely nothing. Buts that's me. Digressing - another flaw.

So my unselfish act of paying it forward is this - I will write about every movie I watch. And give you my recommendation. So that I in turn can be alternatively revered and cursed. I'm not selfish.

Here goes. Movies seen this past week.

• The Informant! - Watch it. Funny. Matt Damon looks like a bumbling idiot. It'll be a vanity project for your soul.
• Clash of the Titans - Never mind. At your own risk. Sam Worthington has 26 lines. Total. Seriously.
• Greenberg - Meh. I am too young to get it. Maybe in ten years.
• Chloe - Confusing. Interesting. Julianne Moore is gorgeous. Perfect. Maybe on DVD?
• The Invention of Lying - Watched the first 45 minutes. Do you even want to know why?
• Superbad - Ditto. Maybe if I were in highschool?
• The Painted Veil (repeat) - Edward Norton. Sepia. Mountains. In that order. Go for it. 
• Date Night - Does not live up to the comedic prowess of  the leads.

You ain't got nothing on me Mr. Ebert.

Opening Sequence

I don't know if a lot of people do this, but I love watching certain opening sequences of movies. When I do not have enough time to watch the entire movie, or sometimes when I just want to get a slight taste of the movie, I watch its opening sequence. With YouTube, it's become very easy. In no particular order, some amazing opening scenes:

• M:I2 - The rock climbing scene. In one word. Breathtaking. Everything from the vast emptiness of the location to the minuscle Tom Cruise to the wonderful background music (Iko Iko) is what makes this a memorable opening scene.
• Vanilla Sky - Times Square. Empty. Thats it. The juxtaposition of the ever so crowded Times Square with the emptiness (both literally and figuratively) of Cruise's character works to lay the path for the rest of the movie and the character's struggle. Here too, the music (From Rushmore with Love) elevates the scene from ordinary to something beautiful.
• Casino Royale - The parkour-like chase. Visually brilliant. Races your adrenaline along with the characters'. Special mention goes to the shower scene (Vesper and Bond) - it conveys so much without a single word spoken. Gives us a new Bond - one with feelings.
• Laurel Canyon - Not an opening scene but the dialogue Christian Bale's and Natascha McElhone's character have in the car is probably the most emotionally and sexually charged scene shot. Ever. Also, brilliant performances.
• Kill Bill - Don't waste your time reading this. If you have seen the movie, you remember the start of it (and probably the entire movie too). If you haven't, please go watch it. You'll get why I don't mention the start or even just one scene because its so damn difficult to pick up just one.
• Empire of the Sun - Close-to-last scene, when Jim tells the Doctor that he cannot remember the faces of his parents anymore.
• American History X - The curb stomp. Come on guys. Brutal.
• 25th Hour - Tribute in Light + amazing background score = sombre introduction to the tonalities of the movie.

Right now these are all that I can remember. I'll probably keep adding to the list.

My All Time Favorite Movies

Because this is my blog, and I will post whatever I like, whenever I like. In no particular order, here goes:

1. Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
2. Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2
3. Mission: Impossible
4. Empire of the Sun
5. Shop Around The Corner
6. Dial M for Murder
7. Eyes Wide Shut
8. The Hangover
9. The Painted Veil
10. Lemony Snicket's: A Series of Unfortunate Events
11. Horton Hears A Who
12. DDLJ
13. Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander
14. Andaz Apna Apna
15. Padosan
16. Nacho Libre 
17. 25th Hour
18. Fight Club
19. Before Sunrise + Before Sunset

The Hangover - Movie Review

Believe it or not, I just got around to seeing this movie. And boy, am I glad I saw it. Those of you who know my taste in movies know that I would probably place Ace Ventura ahead of The Schindler's List (or similar) in my favorite movies. My rating system is pretty simple when you come to think of it - the higher the number of repeat viewings, the higher the movie goes on my list. And by repeat viewings, I mean wanting (and actually getting around) to watch it every week. I can safely say that Ace Ventura has been watched by me once every month. Others in this category are Andaz Apna Apna (tell me you did not know this!), Up, Horton Hears a Who, Madagascar (I will say that I get around to watching only clips of King Julien though) and any movie of Tom Cruise (yes, I don't care what religion he follows - I like him for the movies he makes). A lot more are coming to mind but lets leave the list as is for now.

Now, The Hangover. It's already started climbing up in my ratings chart with the speed of a deer being hunted by a tiger. I am not going to go into the specifics of the story. It's the essence of the movie that got to me. It's situational comedy at its best. As one of the actors' said in an interview - the comedy does not come from the actors/characters being funny or saying funny lines. These guys are sad little men who think they are funny but aren't. Its the interplay of the characters with the situation (which I admit, are crazy and hence hilarious) that makes The Hangover a classic comedy which will survive the test of time. With written humor, there is always the fear of not being relevant after a couple of years.

Thats all there is to it.

Blood is fun!

Lets play critic!
Movie at hand - KILL BILL

I know, I know, its old, almost ancient for most, but I chose this because it has changed my perception of cinema. I am not from the Vin Diesel-Van Damme-Wesley Snipes fan club, and Chick flicks are just plain stupid - barring a few.

I come from the comedy-thriller-adventure movie genre. So I was pleasantly surprised when Tarantino managed to combine all these into a single movie reel. We all are aware of exaggerations in movies, but this guy takes it to a whole new level. Fyi, this was one of the few Tarantino movies I have seen and a die-hard fan is what he has turned me into. (I seriously did like the Batman series!)



Both the volumes are equally fantastic, but if asked to pick a favorite, I would go for the first part, coz it contains all that action and gore! The pace of the movie is excellent. 5 stories, called chapters are shown in non-chronological order and are testament to Tarantino's story -telling abilities. Each chapter has been dealt with surgical-like precision. The limited "hall-of-fame-making" dialogues are indeed a treat - wholly blending in with the theme of the movie - which is revenge.

Uma Thurman is magnificent! The role was tailor-made for her and she sure does justice to it.

Completely unconventional filmimg - comic-book type. (Again, remember the Batman series??)

But I think what sets this movie apart from its contemporaries is the use of different kinds of sequences - including Japanese Anime - which shows blood in all its bloody detail! Here is where the deliberate over-the-top bloodletting comes in. Strangely, this is what ends up making the movie a must-see and a archivable item. if this bloody gore wasn't there, I am sure it would be another glamorized Tomb Raider!

Heroes vs. Shaktiman

Was watching this new series - Heroes. Initially, seemed like mayhem - characters getting introduced after every commercial break and each one of them having weird powers. Looks like something out of Nickelodeon? Well, it is. Its as crazy as it sounds. But some how these firangs have the capability to take a bizzare topic and turn it into 'edge of your seat' interesting (think Independence Day and X-Files). We don't for once think of it as stupid and impossible. Hell, its the impossible factor that draws us to it. We call it - entertaining the child within us. Superman, Batman, Spiderman - hugely successful films - not because of special effects but simply because they are larger than life.
Shaktiman - I don't remember being an avid fan of this serial but I have cousins who swear by it (well, I don't think thy've reached that age yet!). And I scorn. How can you like a serial as inane as Shaktiman? It shows a middle-aged, potbellied man saving lives and the world - in a costume. Is it because we don't have the CGI and special effects upto the standard? No. Its our mind, and the way we think. West is the best. However crazy, dumb, stupid, incomprehensible it may be. Dhoom 2 is a smash hit. I know why. I will probably never like Shaktiman, I am blinded by the phoren culture. But someday I would want to appreciate those K-serials as much as Baywatch and Beverly Hills.