Interview with Tisca Chopra

Just like we are taught to never judge a book by its cover, we too should never speculate about the personality of a film star simply by his/her onscreen or public persona. While Tisca Chopra has always remained clear of any controversies, she is somewhat of a dark horse of the film industry. Gaining acclaim after her comeback in Taare Zameen Par, I found her, through my interactions on twitter and email, to be a very down to earth person, courteous, and someone who has varied interests ranging from traveling to writing, along with an obvious passion for cinema. Her colorful nature, she did answer the questions in purple, along with a knack for good humor, just read some of her answers, she has won many hearts with her smile and brilliant performances in films and in commercials.

I would like to thank Ms. Chopra for taking out the time from her busy schedule to answer the questions put forth about her life and about her time in the Indian film industry.

Raghav Modi (RM): You've been working in the film industry for a while now, but your comeback came about with Taare Zameen Parwith a rather unconventional role of a mother to a young boy. How did that happen?

Tisca Chopra (TC): One of the assistants on the film, Ritu Bhatia had seen my work on TV. I was called in to audition. I did my best at the audition and I was on the same evening. 

RM: Being a part of the Indian film industry for so many years how do you feel it has changed over the years?

TC: The age of the actor is here. If you can act, you’ll be working and working a lot. The only thing that can stop you is if you develop an attitude.

Multiplexes have breathed life into new types of stories. The next step is movies that have multi ethnic, multi country casts and crews- world stories... some of that we have seen in Crash and Babel, but more is yet to come.

RM: What according to you is the next logical step that the film industry should be heading towards? Has the audience really started to look forward to "intelligent" cinema or is there scope for everything still?

TC: Films like Ready, Golmaal and Son Of Sardaar prove that the audiences love comedies and action films. Yet, slowly there is a distinct audience emerging for smaller and sassier films too. With a bursting-at-the-seams population like ours, how can only one type of film work? Everything works, so long as it's got a semblance of a soul.

RM: There has always been a gap of few years between your films. Your filmography is somewhat empty between 1995 till 2000 and then again from 2004 till 2007. This also included a name change. Why have these breaks been important and where have you been busy during these years?

TC: There are three kinds of roles for women in Bollywood- Babe, Bhabhi and Beeji. I keep ducking the stereotype. Anything that offers me chance to play a real person, I will do it. Fat, funny, thin, bald, ugly...anything, so long as its real and has a good story to tell.

I’ve never been homogeneous. I do not feel pressure to do work all the time. I travel, I read and when something fun comes up, I do it. It's important for me to believe in the story and in the people making it. One can’t keep reaping if one is not sowing. I want to put in a little living to be able to bring something fresh to my work. I don’t want to develop emotional myopia…I can’t see other actors films and act out of that. I need to meet people, observe life, and do different things.

Meantime, I have finished a book I am writing. It's called ‘Get Your Act Together’. We have also been traveling with ‘Dinner with Friends‘ a fabulous play that I’ve had the good fortune to be in. 

RM: Ever since your return to films you have been doing a number serious films/roles like TZP, Firaaq or even Mirch to an extent. Has this been a conscious decision or it is always about the role rather than the genre of the film?

TC: Not at all. I am absolutely dying to do a comedy. Friends and family will tell you that I’m quite a clown. TZP set a benchmark that most people just follow. Coming up shortly is a comedy I did, ‘10ml Love’. I enjoyed that so much that now I’m seriously looking for another comic script… something totally crazy. Something like As Good As It Gets… smart and funny.

RM: Although it is a clichéd question, but you must have a wish list when it comes to directors and actors. So, which director and actor would you want to work with, someone you haven't worked with yet?

TV: Anyone with a delicious script. Actually, I am now keen to write a script myself... maybe that’s the next step for me. But, if you are asking whose work I like, then Raju Hirani, Vishal Bhardwaj, Shimit Amin, Dibaker Banerjee, Neeraj Pandey (Wednesday), Subhash Kapoor (Phas Gaye Re Obama), Abhishek Sharma(Tere Bin Laden) are some names.

Internationally, I’m a huge fan of Woody Allen’s films. There are so many excellent directors like John Lasseter, The Coen brothers, Peter Jackson, Clint Eastwood, Ang Lee, Martin Scoecsese and Christopher Nolan. I’d love to work with actors like Leonardo Di Capprio, Jhonny Depp, Helen Mirren, Ryan Gosling and Meryl Streep.

RM: As an actress, do you have any regrets, roles that you missed out on for one reason or another?

TC: I did not miss out on anything because I live for the moment and make the film I’m doing at the moment the best fun thing in the world. So whether the film does well or not, I’ve given my heart and soul to it and had a blast making it. It's a win win. So, to answer your question I have no regrets.

..unless you talk about ‘Fargo’,‘Chicago’, ‘Bullets over Broadway‘ or ‘As Good As It Gets’, then yes I did miss out on those.. 

RM: Can you tell us about some of your up-and-coming projects?

TC: Coming out on the 7th of December is ‘10ml Love’, a mad comedy based on Shakespeare’s‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’. I’m filming ‘Ankur Arora Murder Case’ that is being produced by Vikram Bhatt, at the moment. ‘Qissa’, an international film with Irrfan is just getting done. There’s a bi-lingual thriller that is starting in February. And like I said, I have an idea for a film, which is a comedy. I want to write that asap.

RM: What are some of the perks of being in the limelight and also some drawbacks that you wish you could change?

TC: I wish I didn’t have to wear high heels. Something about wearing high heels makes your brain stop functioning. The flip side is that, that makes one appealing to certain types of men.

I’m also intrinsically shy, so sometimes that becomes an effort- to fight my basic personality and be open. Being a celebrity, one has to reveal selectively, but being an actor has opened my soul.

RM: One of the perks that we are aware of is that actors get to travel all around the world on the pretext of filming. Is there anyplace that you've discovered because of a shoot that you would like to return to?

TC: I’m pretty hooked to travel, work or no work. My husband’s a pilot, so we end up traveling a lot. I fell in love with Istanbul. That’s one place I’d love to go back to. Manali is a favorite in India. I want to definitely go to Ladakh this coming year, the Dead Sea, the Rio Mardi Gras and the Machu Picchu area.

RM: Before we let you go you have to tell us your five favourite Indian Films and five favourite Non-Indian films?

TC:  International- As Good As It Gets, Fargo, Shawshank Redemption, Bullets Over Broadway, The Green Mile.  

Indian- Lagaan, Ab Tak Chappan, Raat aur Din, Taare Zameen Par, 3 Idiots.

Interview with author Baradwaj Rangan

Having grown up watching Mani Ratnam films, albeit his Hindi films, I welcomed the chance to interview Baradwaj Rangan who in his book Conversations with Mani Ratnam (review) dissects, discusses, and divulges into the filmography of this prolific director via a series of "freewheeling conversations".   

The book is a wonderful piece that proves to be a window into the mind of a director. Mr. Rangan obviously has a love towards Mani Ratnam's films, a love that showcases itself in the form of the passionate question and answer sessions that make the book a must for any film enthusiast.

I would like to thank Mr. Baradwaj Rangan for taking out the time to answer the questions put forth and for also helping me re-discover a director who has been an integral part of Indian cinema right from his very first film. 

Baradwaj Rangan

Raghav Modi (RM) - In your book Conversations with Mani Ratnam you take on a novel approach on discussing the director's filmography. While memoirs have become common amongst the film industry off late, a conversational book like yours is still a lesser known commodity in our part of the world. Is this a change you hope to see more of?

Baradwaj Rangan (BR) - The quick answer is yes. But it also depends on the filmmaker, and how open they are to talking. Ultimately  no one is going to fully open up about everything, but are they at least committed enough to slog through questions about their career? And are they willing to genuinely engage in a back-and-forth conversation, which may sometimes be not-so-flattering to them? Those are the questions you need to answer before determining their fit for this kind of book.

RM - Mani Ratnam is one of the few directors who have influenced the movie going public of both regional and Hindi cinema. Still, his Tamil and other language films, besides Hindi, are not known amongst the Hindi cinema watchers. Why do you feel that while world cinema (subtitled non-English films) is so easily accepted in the North, we still struggle with regional films to get noticed across the country? 

BR - One reason is surely the lack of subtitled prints. The only time I get to see Marathi or Bengali films is when I go to film festivals. What happens to these prints after they make the festival rounds? Why aren't they converted to DVDs? I've never found an answer to these questions. But even then, the number of people who seek out “foreign” films – in the sense of films that are in any language that’s foreign to their ears – is quite limited. The same people who check out French and Polish films will probably see these films, if subtitled. It’s still difficult to cross over to a larger market.

RM - Mani Ratnam is unlike a number of Hindi film directors who are very in-your-face with film promotion. He comes across as a person who would rather let his work speak. How easy or hard was it for him to open up to you and talk about films that are an integral part of his life?

BR - We just started talking, with no fixed agenda, and it slowly became a series of conversations. The fact is that he was open to this – and this openness, combined with a sense of comfort developed over time, made it easier for me.

RM - Indian audiences have become attracted to scandals and gossip when it comes to films and film-stars. Do you feel genuine artists like Mani Ratnam is at a loss as they stick to the conventional forms of film promotion? In fact he mentions in the book that for him going to premiers is a big ordeal as he would rather just release the film and get over with it.

BR - This is a question you’ll have to ask him. As you said earlier, he’s someone who’d rather let his work speak for himself. But no, I don’t think cheapening oneself with scandals and gossip is the way to go about it.

RM - There is a certain selfishness in your introduction as you almost feel cheated when Mani Ratnam went national with his films in the post-Roja era. Why and where do these feelings arise from?

BR - I thought this was all there in the introduction. There was this filmmaker making films only for us Madras kids (as it appeared), and we wanted more. And I don’t know that I would call this selfishness so much as self-centeredness.

RM - Conversations with Mani Ratnam is a very film-centric book that methodically discusses the films by the director and stays clear of any scandalous anecdotes. While it would attract film students and the die-hard film enthusiasts, the general reading public might not find it equally interesting. Was it a conscious decision taken by both of you to stay clear of gossip and name calling?

BR - I certainly was not interested in scandals and gossip, and if I’d asked him such questions, I wouldn't have been invited back for further sessions. This is about a filmmaker’s work, his mind, his thought process. And I do think that anyone interested in cinema will find this book easy to read. I didn't really pitch this book to someone who’s not interested in the work but only in the gossip.

RM - What and how did you research Mani Ratnam and his films before conversations with him commenced? Did it include watching and re-watching his films trying to pick on nuances and intricacies of his style or was most of it from your personal memories of having watched his films?     

BR - Yes, it involved watching all his films a number of times. There were also memories, as you’ll find in the book.

Excerpted with permission from Penguin Books India from the book 
Conversations with Mani Ratnam by Baradwaj Rangan. Penguin Viking/ Rs. 799,-

RM - Reading the book I came across so many Tamil/Malayalam/Kannada films being mentioned with stories that are simply unheard of even now in the Hindi film industry. Do you think Hindi cinema is still not brave enough to experiment with stories only taking on films to remake once they have proved successful in the South?

BR - I don’t know. There was always a parallel cinema tradition (the precursor to today’s multiplex system) in Hindi where strange stories were attempted. But not so much in the mainstream, as in Tamil and Malayalam. I think it’s also a question of scale. When you’re budgets are low, you can take more risks.

RM - Your chapter on Thiruda Thiruda ends a bit abruptly with Mani Ratnam stating that he doesn't remember a dialogue you based your question on. Were there times during your conversations when you knew you had asked enough questions, pushed him to the limit, and it was time to move on?

BR - There was also a bit of shaping of the questions, so that there would be some dramatic impact even within a session. But yes, you have to know, sometimes, when you have hit a wall and when it’s time to move on.

RM - A lot of film makers complain that critics or even the general cinema going public tries to find meaning in everything on-screen even when there is none. For example you talk about the two versions of the theme song from Nayakam with one being "rawer" and the other "polished" and how it suggests the "eventual refinement of Velu Nayakan". Mani Ratnam is quick to point out that it is more of an "evolved" version of the song and "not necessarily the man who's become sophisticated". Do you think we as an audience are always looking for hidden meanings?

BR - I don’t know if I like the term “hidden,” which makes it look like the film is some kind of treasure hunt filled with a director’s clues. These interpretations come about by a need to resolve something. Let’s take this particular example. The thought process is like this. (a) This version of the song doesn't sound like the other version. (b) It is more polished. (c) What could be the reason? Now to some people, all of this won’t matter at all. They’ll just hear the other version of the song as is, without their brain asking them “why, why, why”? But if your brain is asking you that question, then you try to find an answer that can be supported with evidence from the movie. And I guess the answer I found was that this polished version is perhaps a reflection of the man himself, as he’s grown. Note that I am not saying that this IS the reason. I’m just saying that this is the reason that makes sense to me, and it doesn't matter to me what Mani Ratnam’s intentions were.

RM - I am unaware of the order in which the conversations took place, but reading the book there is a certain fluidity in the latter chapters and Mani Ratnam seems more at ease to the point he is even a bit brash telling you not to use Ram/Sita/Raavan in place of Dev/Ragini/Beera in your questions when discussing the film Raavan. Was it just him eventually getting comfortable with the entire setup?

BR - I think at that point he didn't want to talk about the mythical figures, which he had no control over. He had created only the film’s characters, and so he said let’s stick to those names.

RM - Having read the book, my first inclination is to try and watch some of Mani Ratnam's regional films and then maybe re-watch his Hindi ones, especially Raavan which I did not really like. Would you say this is pretty much the aim behind the book, to try and encourage the audience to appreciate the work of one of India's greatest film makers?

BR - The aim of the book is simply to peek into the mind of a MAINSTREAM filmmaker, to understand how and why he creates characters, how he uses songs, how he strives for “class” even while addressing a “mass” audience. Because far too many people dismiss this mode as a “thoughtless” mode, and as I am a big fan of this style of storytelling, I wanted to explore the thought behind each film. And yes, if you are prompted to pick up his other works, that’s a bonus.

RM - Mani Ratnam talks about not watching his films once they are released. Are you of the same notion when it comes to your writings or do you go back and rethink about what you have written and what would you have done differently given the chance?

BR - Oh I rarely go back and read stuff. Sometimes I know something is turning out well even as I’m writing it, but it rarely comes out the way you want, given all the time pressures, and I don’t like to put myself through the angst of finding a ton of mistakes and inelegant constructions.

RM - What is the one thing that you discovered about Mani Ratnam, either personal or about his films, during the conversations, that you were unaware of beforehand?

BR - I don’t know if it’s just the one thing. There are a lot of little details in his films that were fun to learn about, like the fact that they searched hard for train tracks that curved like a river for the opening of “Thalapathi.” I mean, how many filmmakers would bother about a detail like that?

RM - In the end, please tell us your top 3 Mani Ratnam films and what makes them essential viewing from your point of view?

BR - Instead of top three, let me go with the three Tamil films of his that you must see if you've not seen them. Nayakan, for the way everything came together. Iruvar, for the scope. And Kannathil Muthamittal, for its emotional trajectory. Happy viewing.

Thank you for the interview Mr. Rangan. I would also like to thank Mr. Arun Arora from Penguin India for initiating and helping organize the logistics of the interview.

Cabin in the Woods with Nostra

The new concept that’s based on the idea of “Dessert Island” and a “Top Ten Films List” combined continues as some of my friends from the Twitterverse have been kind enough to take on the challenge of telling us about 5 movies that they would want with them if they were in a Cabin in the Woods under different scenarios. 

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Our next contributor is Nostra,who while traveling to Eastern Europe came across a scenario that put his life in jeapordy...

"You've just rented a Cabin in the Woods with a male friend while on a backpacking trip in Eastern Europe. On your first night you meet two beautiful women who want to show you the "real" country. You instantly remember the film Hostel. Not knowing what they really want you now have one night and 5 films to convince these girls to like you so they don't take you to a torture chamber. What five films would you want to watch?"

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Well, firstly they must have drugged me, because I can't remember ever seeing Hostel. Since my friend keeps reminding me about this movie I quickly read the synopsis on IMDB and switch to survival mode. How would I manage them to like us? It's important to show them the beauty of life and love.

I think the perfect movie to quickly show that would be the documentary Life in a Day. This is a documentary that was made by Ridley Scott, Kevin MacDonald and Joe Walker who asked people around the world to upload footage, all shot during the same day. They got a lot of footage and managed to edit it into this movie which celebrates life around the world.

Now if that didn't win them over (maybe they don't like documentaries) I will have to use another "weapon" to break through and what better way than laughter. So I'd have to pick one of the best comedies out there. For a moment I think about Groundhog Day, but since that might not be funny enough I will pick Dumb and Dumber instead. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels managed to breathe life into these two stupid guys in a way you'll never forget. I'm sure there will be scenes in this movie that will make them laugh. My personal favorite being the one with the ketchup and mustard bottles.

Singin' in the Rain - They might be in a happier mood now and to keep that vibe going I'd choose this vibrant musical. If they still have grim thoughts, all the colors, dancing and songs like Make 'em Laugh, Singin' in the Rain might wash a lot of that away.

Once - A romantic movie with great music which they might be able to relate to as one of the main characters comes from Eastern Europe. If they have a piano I could tell them I can kind of play "Falling Slowly" (even though it might not be very good yet they could be impressed).

Before Sunrise - This would be the last movie I would show and I thought this one through. First of all it is a romantic movie and if the previous movie already opened a little door to compassion this will open it further. The story of two strangers meeting in a train and spending the night in Vienna can't leave you cold. When this movie finishes they will wonder what happened after this and I could tell them that there is another movie where you will find out (and that a new one has been shot and will come out soon).

In case all this wouldn't work I'd convince them to watch a sixth movie and I'd just pick a really long movie, hope they'd fall asleep and we will get out of there as quickly as possible.

Nostra runs the My Filmviews blog with reviews for new and old movies, weekly features (The Monday Question and The Many Faces of...) and he's always open to talk movies on Twitter here.

If you would like to participate and would like me to send you a unique scenario, simply Email Me 

Movie Confessions Blogathon

It's blogathon time and this one was suggested by my good fellow film blogger Nostra whose blog www.myfilmviews.com is one of the few blogs I read frequently. Thankfully Nostra didn't go too deep into the confessional part, maybe because he has some deep-dark secrets of his own, but reading my answers will likely raise a few eyebrows, especially the fact that I am yet to see the Godfather trilogy.

Which classic movie don't you like/can't enjoy and why?   

I honestly can't think of any film that I have seen and don't like from the classics. I usually like them for one reason for another. But for the movies I have not seen, Gone with the Wind for some reason has never intrigued me enough to want to watch it. In other words, frankly my dear I don't give a damn!

Which ten classic movies haven't you seen yet?  

8 1/2

Some Like it Hot

Roman Holiday

It's a Wonderful Life

Citizen Kane

On the waterfront

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Godfather Trilogy

Raging Bull

Have you ever sneaked into another movie at the cinema?

Thought about it many times, but no I have been a chicken when it finally comes to that. Also in India the tickets are checked at the entrance of each screen. Although, once a friend knew some people at the theater and they let us in for free to watch a film.  

Which actor/actress do you think is overrated?

Oh! there are many and now that you have asked I can't seem to remember. Adam Sandler comes to mind. I also think some of the actors get typecast in a specific role (action, comedy) and spend most of their lives doing similar films and eventually it gets boring and that irritates me.

From which big director have you never seen any movie (and why)?  

Again I can't think of anyone off my mind, but on Twitter I come across people discussing movies and directors I have never heard of, so I know there are quite a few, especially ones who made film before the 70s. Also my world cinema viewing has been limited to newer releases and more pop-culture films.

Which movie do you love, but is generally hated?

That would be Transformers and all three of them. I grew up watching the cartoons and Transformers:The Movie (animation) has always been one of my favourite films, so I cannot help but love them. I did however initially not like Transformers 3, but then when I viewed it again at home, enjoyed it a lot more.Also, and I know this will get me in trouble, Michael Bay as a director doesn't bother me as much as he does a number of people. 

Have you ever been "one of those annoying people" at the cinema?

I want to say no, but i'm sure as a school kid when we would go for movies in large groups we were obnoxious. It's the typical group mentality, so i'm sure I was one of the annoying ones during those times. I did however once spoil The Usual Suspects for a couple of friends of mine, so I was definitely one of those annoying people "outside" the cinema.  

Did you ever watch a movie, which you knew in advance would be bad, just because of a specific actor/actress was in it? Which one and why?   

Most of Adam Sandler movies that have come out in the last 3-4 years. I've never seen them in the theater but sometimes when it will come on TV, even knowing it will be bad, i'll sit through it. Examples would be First 50 Dates, Click and other unmemorable films of his.

The other person would be Jim Carey who again have done a number of duds off late, but then again watching Mr. Popper's Penguins I quite enjoyed it, so in the back of my mind that is the reason I watch movies I think I will not like, because there is always a little hope that I might like it instead.

Did you ever not watch a specific movie because it had subtitles?

Yes and No. Yes in the sense that I am extremely moody when it comes to watching films (and other aspects of my life), and for a subtitled movie I just have to be in the right frame of mind. So I am sure I have skipped a film because of that reason at some point. Having said that I have never skipped a film just because it is subtitled.     

Are there any movies in your collection that you have had for more than five years and never watched?

Five years is too long a time so the answer to that would be no. But, I do have movies like 8 1/2, La Haine, The Outsiders, and No Direction Home which I have had for a considerable amount of time and I am yet to see them.

Which are the worst movies in your collection and why do you still own them?

That would be a number of films, especially Hindi films which I have bought at one time or another just to spend time or out of curiosity not knowing they would be this bad. I think Mission Istanbul (Hindi) would top that chart as being one of the most ridicules films ever in my collection. Why do I still have it you ask, well because no one is dumb enough to buy it off my eBay shop... honestly (and I hate to just throw films away).

Do you have any confessions about your movie watching setup at home?

I am lucky to have a nice little room dedicated to movie watching, a sort of a mini-home theater. The only confession worthy aspect of the room would be that when our house was being built it was one of the first few rooms that was completed, even before most of the bedrooms were ready. Other than that the fact that at my age I have to sneak in small film memorabilia to "decorate" the room from time to time as my family thinks that most of it is a waste of money.

Any other confessions you want to make?

Not really. I don't know if it's a confession, but I prefer to watch movies late at night and alone partly because I hate to be disturbed and at night everyone is asleep so no disturbances from phone calls either, and secondly it saves the embarrassment if an adult scene were to come up.   

Cabin in the Woods with Emil Ekelund

It’s time for some movie fun. It’s a new concept that’s based on the idea of “Dessert Island” and a “Top Ten Films List” combined. Some of my friends from the Twitterverse have been kind enough to take on the challenge of telling us about 5 movies that they would want with them if they were in a Cabin in the Woods under different scenarios. Someone is snowed in while another is confined to the cabin as a toxic gas is leaked around them. Would you want to scare the people you are with or maybe get comfy with your better half with your choice of films? 
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This week we have Emil whose name always makes me suspicious if he moonlights as a superhero in his native Sweden. I gave him the following scenario and just like a superhero, his choices were quite brave...

"You and two of yours friends take on a challenge to stay over the weekend in a supposedly haunted Cabin in the Woods. What five films would you take with yourself to pass the time?"

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This is an interesting scenario as there are many ways one could go with it. Do I pick funny movies to ease the creepiness of the whole thing? Or do I go the obvious route with scary films to try to spook everyone? The problem with this latter horror approach is that knowing the friends I'd bring along, odds are I'd be more creeped out than they would. But then again, I find that horror films often lose their edge when watched alongside others. Perhaps things would be different in a setting such as this, though. In the end, here are the films I would bring.

Tucker and Dale vs Evil (2010)
This is the only movie I'd bring that I haven't seen yet myself. However, based on the trailer, this seems like an effective pick to start out with, as it seems hell-bent on disarming a stereotypical frightening scenario with comedy. It's also a film I've wanted to see for some time now, and I've heard good things about it, so hopefully it'll be a solid pick. Assuming this weekend is a Friday evening to Sunday morning kind of thing, this would make for a good first film for Friday's double feature.

High Tension (2003)
I only discovered this French horror film the other month myself, and I was very impressed with it. I suppose if the cabin we were in really was haunted, we'd have bigger things to worry about than the serial killer scenario in this one, so this will be a welcome break from reality in this regard. High Tension is suspenseful, gory, and captivating. The film's only real flaw is its stupid ending, but even that could work to its advantage here if we watch it to cap off Friday. If we're still mulling over how dumb it was rather than thinking of the scariness, we should still be able to get a good night's sleep between Friday and Saturday.

The Shining (1980)
This would be for sometime in the middle of Saturday. Everyone has seen it, but it's still a film worth revisiting for the creepy haunted house factor, as well as for sheer entertainment with Jack Nicholson going bat-shit crazy. Plus, it has enough directorial flourishes to satisfy my cinephile side as well.

Repulsion (1965)
Not only would this be a good way for me to introduce my friends to a kind of horror film they might not normally see, it's also one of the creepiest films I've ever seen. Catherine Deneuve getting more and more paranoid and delusional while holed up in her apartment should be fitting for our little group. There is a chance that this one won't go over too well with the others, so just in case they end up hating it, let's schedule this one second-to-last on Saturday.

The Others (2001)
While it's tempting to try to think of the scariest movie ever and put it here in the main event slot for Saturday night, I don't think that would be wise for the reasons I stated in the opening. It might fall flat due to the the group viewing factor, or, if it does work, I'd be at least as freaked out as everyone else. So I'm picking The Others. It's not heavy on the frights as such, but goes for a lot of low-key tension and lets the darkness play a big part - appropriate for its time-slot. In the end, it's just a damn fine movie, and it fits into the haunted house theme.

Emil is a Swede who only got into movies in a big way a few years ago. As such, he's still constantly trying to catch up with a century of films - to varying degrees of success. He thinks Bill Murray is pretty much the coolest man in the world. When he's not busy with movies, Emil enjoys playing video games and reading books. He may be addicted to ice tea in the summer and regular tea in the winter.
His movie blog is called A Swede Talks Movies, and is exactly what the title suggests. It features reviews, top 10 lists, assorted discussion pieces, and a very low rate of new posts. It can be found here: http://aswedetalksmovies.com/

If you would like to participate and would like me to send you a unique scenario, simply Email Me 

Posters - The New Wave

The Hobbit poster which is rightly called a "tapestry" - simply beautiful!

I have always found posters to be fascinating. As much as I love films, I have always craved after those brilliant fan made minimalistic posters or in some cases the originals of the classics. Let's face it, posters have once again, with the ease of internet, become a top priority for film makers in their marketing campaign. These images on paper are the perfect teasers to any film. Placing a poster of a film on a webpage or as an advertisement is the first step taken by most to get news about the film to the masses. Moreover, it is the poster design that also acts as the first impression for the audience. Make a good and intriguing poster and there is a higher likelihood that a person will click on the link. Obviously, posters at movie theatres are as popular as ever. 


I do feel that Hollywood went through a period in the 90s and early 2000s when posters were not given that much importance. Part of it could be because 90s was when home viewing was at a high and thus there was no such need. Surprisingly, the VHS covers from this time have become quite collectable now due to certain nostalgia associated to them. Also, internet was not as accessible as now, so for a poster design to spread like a virus, it had to be something really really special. 


That has changed over the last few years. More and more film-makers are paying attention to posters and coming up with unique and individualistic designs. A number of times competitions are being held by studios to let the audience design posters for an upcoming movie in what is a perfect marketing and design technique. The popularity of fan made posters (once again, especially the minimalistic ones) probably has something to do with this also. Now, be it a fan made poster or an "original", if it's good then it will be tweeted/ReTweeted or Liked on the internet within minutes.


So, I just wanted to share a few posters of movies that are about to be released that have impressed me for different reasons. They might not have the same "cool" and "hip" factor as the minimalistic ones or even the hard to find Polish movie posters, they are still a positive step towards giving poster design a certain art credibility they so rightly deserve.  

The poster of OZ: The Great & Powerful has a rather fairytale look to it,
but I like how it has a somewhat dark feel to it. 

Very 80s and it should be considering most of the actions stars in the
film are from that era.

The poster would make more sense once you have seen the film,
still it says and shows everything you really need to know. 

It's not the best poster around, still interesting as the skull is
made up of VHS tapes.

A teaser poster that just looks amazing.
Even comes close to be being minimalistic. 

Love the old-fashioned style and the crease as if the
poster was folded. Very Tim Burtonesq. 

I do not know anything about the film, but thankfully the poster design
caught my eye before the star of the film. I'm all intrigued now. 

Sign of a big blockbuster film this poster is. Hotly anticipated
the poster provides just the right dose of excitement.

I like this poster because all you have to do is look at the poster and
you have a fairly good idea what the movie will be about.

Probably my favourite TDKR poster, after that of Catwoman for obvious reasons.
Along with the Hobbit tapestry, this has to be my favourite poster in a long long time. 

  

Cabin in the Woods with Rachel Horn

It’s time for some movie fun. It’s a new concept that’s based on the idea of “Dessert Island” and a “Top Ten Films List” combined. Some of my friends from the Twitterverse have been kind enough to take on the challenge of telling us about 5 movies that they would want with them if they were in a Cabin in the Woods under different scenarios. Someone is snowed in while another is confined to the cabin as a toxic gas is leaked around them. Would you want to scare the people you are with or maybe get comfy with your better half with your choice of films? 
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Staring the series with Rachel Horn, she was given the following scenario, and her choice of movies have quite the variety;

“You have gone to your Cabin in the Woods with the family for the weekend. But, a Bear scare has resulted in everyone being confined to the cabin till further notice. Which 5 films would you want to have with you and why?”

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Top 5 films I would want to watch while trapped in a cabin are in no particular order and are not my favourite films of all time these are films that make me happy and I always enjoy watching them again and again

Sex and the City -I can already hear the boos from the boys, well sex and the city is a great film. What’s not to like? There’s fashion, sex, sexy men. For me it’s all about the fashion. I sometimes pop Sex and the City on before I go out for a night out. There is just something while watching it makes you wanna wear the highest heels possible and look glamorous, don’t know if any girls out there agree but always makes me feel better before I go out. The story ain't bad either. Love the way they handled her getting over the heart ache... felt very real (shush boys).

National Treasure- For me Nic Cage in a fabulous role. I love both the films. I guess it’s trying to be a modern day Indiana jones (which I LOVE). I think the story is awesome and I feel all the characters have great chemistry. I remember going to the cinema thinking I was gonna end up watching a pile of poop but I was gladly very surprised and the story line had me hooked. I think when it came out on DVD I watched it like 20 times and you have gotta love Sean Bean as a baddie.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding - There are soooo many reasons I love this film. This film is so cleverly written and so true to how life is like that. When I lived in turkey which is very similar to Greece the same chaos happened with me. It was like watching what I had gone through but made funny! Having John Corbett in the film is another fab reason. I love it I mean I want to marry this guy! His character Aiden from Sex and the City should so have been the one Carrie ended up with not Big *spits*.

Ghostbusters - One of my fav childhood films. Man I had a huge crush on Dan Aykroyd, please don’t ask me why, my sister still takes the mickey to this day that I had a crush on him. When I was growing up I think I owned every piece of Ghostbusters merchandise. I remember sneaking into my brothers bedroom one day before Christmas and finding loads of Ghostbusters stationary. I was such a happy girl my mum wondered why I was prancing around all happy. Little did she know I was a huge geek as a young child. I also loved the cartoon Ghostbusters but it always bugged me that slimer was a main character lol. Also thought Sigourney Weaver was hot when she was possessed I wanted her makeup!! Fav scene has to be the Stay Puff Marshmallow man. Love his face when he gets zapped.

Overboard - a Goldie Hawn classic she plays both characters so well she’s just a really funny actress. I remember owning it on VHS and wearing the tape out. I watched it that much. It’s a heart-warming story which is always nice to watch. My dad watched it so much so he could see Goldie’s butt!! I love what the kids did to her. I think I was a very cheeky little child and probably would love to have played tricks too.


What did you think of Rachel's choices? Would you have selected something else? Do tell...

Rachel has been a film geek since she can remember. She's slightly obsessed with Lord of the Rings and considers herself to be a 31 year old child. Rachel co- founded #MTOS with Raghav as they both have a passion for films and want to bring the film community together. She have 2 children that mean the world to her, and she is currently fundraising for her autistic son who also has learning difficulties and a rare disorder called Pica. Rachel's main aim is to within the next year become the first Pica charity and help out other families.

You can find out about Rachel's noble efforts on www.facebook.com/GivingZachASafeFuture

If you would like to participate and would like me to send you a unique scenario, simply Email Me