Dear Bollywood (Things I want to say to the Indian Film Industry)

This post started on a serious note with what was supposed to be 10 things I wanted to say to Indian actors and/or film makers, but that was not to be. What it transformed into was a comic piece which had me laughing at my own jokes, much to the annoyance of my wife who was sleeping next to me at the time. Yes, it was one of those good days when I got to sleep on the bed in place of the couch. You have to realize that in my head, I'm the funniest person alive and in the same head all of you are laughing your guts out while reading this post... starting now! The only way you can tell me and the rest of the world that I wasn't funny is by commenting, which is something I welcome, but in all honesty I'll just delete that comment and you would have wasted all your time and energy in writing that comment... So I would suggest read the article and even if you don't feel like laughing, fake it!

Dear Bollywood, please stop using the word Bollywood. It means nothing, unlike that place called Hollywood which is, well, an actual place. Also saying you're part of Bollywood to foreigners is as good as saying you're from Timbuktu. Be proud of your cinema.

(Yes! I know I've called you Bollywood too in this article, but that's so that you listen to me and also so I get more hits with people searching Google)

Dear Shahrukh Khan, you may have an ever growing fan base, but we all miss the humble Shahrukh of the Fuji and Baazigar era. The whole 'I'm the best' attitude is just so lame. Also Ra.One, lets just hope the 'one' referred to the number of movies you had planned in the series.

Dear Deepika Padukone, we really want to see you do something other than playing the same old role of a modern girl who drinks, smokes, is okay with live in relationships, calls her parents by their first names etc. Nothing wrong with the role, but you've been doing the same thing again and again and again and again ... See how annoying it is when I repeat the same word ... That!

Dear Abhishek Bachchan, Ek role, Ek power house wala role mangta hai. Angry young man will do. No more multi-starrers, okay a few, but also some main leads playing complex characters in good stories. Good stories being the main part. Kabhi toh koi Idea apne liye rakhlo.

Dear Regional Cinema, is that the right term? I'm not sure, but seriously though, you make some outstanding films, so please release them with subtitles. We don't have to always wait for dubbed versions or for Hindi cinema to pick them up and remake them.

Dear “mithai” makers, I hope you learnt an important lesson. We in India watch classic Hollywood films, and world cinema, and Indian cinema, and pretty much everything you think we don't watch. So don't copy things and try to present them as original. If you do, don't send your film for consideration to the Oscars. If you do...

(Yup! Nothing. Nothing is what you'll get in return)

Dear Indian Cinema, when you release the DVD, kindly pay a tiny bit of attention to the subtitles. It's not too much hard work, and it will only benefit you in the long run when it comes to the international market.

Dear Akshay Kumar, in your own words 'Bacchae Ki Jaan lega kya?'. What in the world are you making. Rowdy Superbore and what not. Seriously, barish karwa aur hosh main aao.

Dear various actors and actresses, please, please, please keep your relationships a secret. We know you are all modern and okay with us knowing who you are dating, but honestly speaking, we don't really want to know... Okay!

Dear Anurag Kashyup, aapko itna gussa kyon ata hai? Zara chill marne Ka aur Gangs of Wasseypur type good-good filums banane Ka.

Dear Sonakshi Sinha, stop with the village-belle roles you've been doing and start experimenting a bit.

Dear Actors in their 30s and 40s with 6-8 packs, you make my wife drool. I no like this. Please eat more junk food.

Dear 3D - DIE!!

Dear Ek Thi Daayan, hahahahahahahahaha bas bas hansaa hansaa ke maare gi kya?

Dear makers of Agneepath (2012), Don't listen to anyone else, you made an amazingly bloody revenge drama with stellar performances, and I liked your film.

Dear...

Knock knock,

Excuse me a moment please,

Who's there?

'Tusshar Kapoor now with two s''

Tusshar Kapoor now with two s' who?

'You're right actually'

Dear Anushka Sharma, please take the advice I gave to Deepika and do roles that are other than that of a Delhi girl. Thoda moderation to banta hai Na!

Dear...

Knock knock,

Humph! Excuse me once again,

Who's there?

Tusshar Kapoor

Tusshar Kapoor who?

Jeetender ka beta

Chal jhoota!

Dear Gangs of Wasseypur, you made many a women on twitter change their twitter handles to 'womaniya' ... I know not why?

Dear makers of Student Of The Year, since you made a film about the new generation, all I'd like to say is WTF?

Dear Karan Johar, no one anymore cares if you're inside the closet, outside it, or in between. So, yes, if some doofus asks you that, you may go Tarantino on him. In fact I'd pay to see you go Tarantino on that poor soul.

Dear Imran, please meet Zayed Khan. Your future-self. No seriously!!

Dearest Makhi, my wife said she did not like how you looked in the film and that you gave her nightmares. Very superficial of her I know, but you might want to fire your makeup artist.

Dear Deol Family (minus Abhay), Where are you? What? I shouldn't wake them up? Oh okay!

Dear...

Knock knock

Ufff.. Sorry

WHO'S THERE?

'Ritesh Deshmukh.'

Ritesh Deshmukh kaun

'Woh yahaan Tushar aaya tha kya?'  #facepalm

(#facepalm kya? It's a twitter thing, Tum nahi samjhoge)

Dear Aishwarya, people still never get your jokes during interviews or the accent. Actually people don't get my jokes either, or my accent. Hmmmm...

Dear Irrfan, please don't let the West use and abuse you. You're a great actor so choose your roles wisely. I mean The Amazing Spider-Man ... What was that?

Dear English Vinglish, this English is a very phunny language and you made Mind Your Language into a filum. That is all.

Dear Sonam Kapoor, itna sannata kyun hai behan? What… wait, wait, I take the last part back.

Dear Omi Vaidya, aapka 3 idiots wala act khatam hua toh kuch aur dekhen?

Dear Prateik Babbar, I thought I had a squeaky voice. Also see above advice to Imran Khan.

Dear Vicky Donor, you took all the fun out of Doner Kebabs

Dear jamai raja, Hahahahahahahahaha yes, we're laughing at you.

Dear Saif, Older? Check. Younger? Check. Same Age? Abhi Picture Baaki hai dost. Okay fine, I'm jealous.

Dear makers of Bol Bachchan, Why? Whhhhhhhyyyyyyyy?

Dear makers of Paanch Ghantey Mien Paanch Crore, Thank you for ek title mien puri story.

Dear Madhur Bhandarkar, I have a story for you. There once was a director. He made a film. Then he made the same film in a different setup with a different cast. Then he made another film with a different setup, but it was still the same film, only with different actors. Then, he made another film, but this time is was still the same film where only the setup and the actors were different. Yes, humko pakaoge toh hum tumko pakaenge.

Dear makers of I M 24, if you would have told the audience the real age of the actors, they still wouldn't have cared about the film.

Dear makers of Jism 2, the only people who benefitted from your film were the producers of Sunny Leone's earlier films.

Dear Sajid Khan, Maaf karo Bhai, hum galati manlete hain. Houseful 3 mat banana.

Dear dialogue writer of Agent Vinod, "aap coffe ke liye chalna chahenge" ... Yeh kya hai?

Dear the team of Tezz, I love how your cast goes inside a manhole in London and come out in Birmingham. Might come as a surprise, but we too travel outside India.

Dear Akshay Khanna, Where are you? Kya? isko bhi sone do? Yaar, pehle bola karo.

Dear entire team of Players. You had a story given to you. You had two films you could get inspired from. And what is it you do... Bolo... Chup kyun ho... Time ki barbadi.

Dear Salman, there is so much I can say about you, but I won't, kyuki mujhe John aur Vivek nahi ban na hai.

Dear...

Knock knock

That does it

Who is it?

'Shatrughan Sinha'

Who? What?

'KHAMOOSH!'

Okay!

Curse

Curse is a Singaporean horror film that although has a low-budget feel to it, manages to entertain with good enough characters and an interesting storyline.

Using the concept of Singapore's reserve army, six individuals from various aspects of life are grouped together and sent to an island, supposed to be cursed, to find three AWOL soldiers. Although the premise of the story gives ample opportunity for each character, ranging from a historian and a reflexologist to a socialite and a career soldier, to showcase individual personality traits, the film never really capitalizes on this keeping the story more about the cursed island and the evil spirits of a mother and daughter that are the cause of all the mayhem and murder.

There is though a sense of mystery to the entire story with the events being told in flashback by one survivor who isn't disclosed till the very end. Moreover, within the flashback story there are other mysterious and surprising elements thrown in for good measure. With the setting being a deserted island and the film being primarily filmed in wooded areas, there is a continuous feel of dread throughout and the makers use the settings well enough to incorporate a few jumps and scares for the audience.     

The most disappointing aspect of the film has to be the choppy acting and dialogue delivery. The spoken language is mainly English and at times it is clear that the actors are struggling with the pronunciations. Nevertheless, it isn't horrific acting, just not of the level that could and would have taken the film to the next level.

Curse makes for a fun watch with a descent story concept, but with a higher budget and a stronger cast, it could have achieved much more than it already has.

Rating 3/5

DVD Info:

Region:          2

Country:       Singapore

Language:     English & Malay

Subtitles:       English

Certificate:   15

Running Time:        91 minutes

  

Conversations with Mani Ratnam (Book Review)

There is a good chance that an avid film watcher in India would have seen at least one film by Mani Ratnam at some point of his/her life. Mani Ratnam has long been an integral part of Indian cinema making movies in varied languages, at regular intervals, and taking on issues and stories that are equally thought-provoking and entertaining.

My first experience with a Mani Ratnam film was Anjali. Although it wasn't till recently that I realized the film had been directed by him, it is one of the few films that has stayed in the back of my mind ever since I watched a dubbed version in the early 90s. It might have been that the story revolved around kids, but there are scenes that still linger in my mind even after two decades from this film, something that I cannot say about certain films that I have seen this year.

Baradwaj Rangan, in his book Conversations with Mani Ratnam, takes a somewhat new approach at tackling the filmography of this prolific director. Avoiding the route of a memoir, Mani Ratnam opens up to the author/critic/editor about his love for cinema before taking the reader on an inside look at the workings of film from the time the idea of the story germinates to the time the film is finally released. The success of the book lies in the fact that the author is equally passionate about Mani Ratnam's films as is the director about cinema. This passion, shared by both individuals, is what forms the crux of the book.

Conversations with Mani Ratnam features a step by step look at the films that have defined this director. Rangan is meticulous  with his research as he questions Mani Ratnam linking characters from different films or talking about certain elements, like trains, that have been explored on a regular basis in his films. Mani Ratnam remains one of the most fascinating directors of the last few decades because he has had the inclination and opportunity to direct in many different Indian languages over the years. Discovering his regional, non-Hindi, films, I had a strong urge to venture into a side of the director that was till now unknown to me. The book in that respect manages to pull the reader into the world of Mani Ratnam that is full of music, stories, and above all a sense of honesty and the want to show society a mirror through his films.

Mani Ratnam and Baradwaj Rangan, both stay clear of any scandals and name callings during their conversations. That for me makes the book stand out, for it remains true to the art of cinema, forgoing the need to sell more books by using gossip as an instigator. Instead what it focuses on is the various collaborations that Mani Ratnam has had over the years in the field of photography, music, and even story writing. What this also means is that on the outset the book is mainly going to appeal to film enthusiasts. In its defense, the book is presented in an easily readable fashion and helps the reader relate more to the films by giving a short synopsis of each film being discussed. My initial hesitation lied with the fact that I had no knowledge about Mani Ratnam's regional films, but once again the conversations flow so seamlessly between the director and the author that it doesn't matter too much which film is being discussed because the reader is just immersed in the power of cinema being discussed by two avid fans.

One of the most interesting aspects of the book for me was realizing, in reading the conversations, that sometimes critics or the audience dissect a scene so much that they see a certain meaning behind it all. It can range from character studies to certain scenes to the music being used. What Mani Ratnam does is break this thought by suggesting that at times a scene is a scene and there really is no hidden meaning behind it all. Questioning Baradwaj Rangan on this very topic in my interview with him, he is quick to counterpoint saying that it's not always necessary what the director wanted or did not want, but at times the audience can take away a lot more from the film than what was initially intended by the filmmaker.

Conversations with Mani Ratnam is a book not only about a director who lets his work speak for him. It is about the power of films and tremendous amount of hard work that goes behind each film being made. Most importantly, the book is about the passion for cinema, a passion that is shared by the author, the director, and each and everyone who is likely to pickup the book up and read it.

        

Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi (Hindi)

It's important for people to realize that just because their father/mother/sibling/wife/husband is a popular actor/director doesn't mean that they too have the same artistic gene in them, just like me starting a film blog doesn't mean I am a professional film critic. There obviously is no harm in trying, for we all must try, but when you have backing and experience at your disposal, you just might want to make the most of it in your attempt.

Bela Bhansali Segal, sister to ace director Sanjay Bhansali, tries desperately to present a charming film that revolves around the Parsi community with an unconventional love story at the heart of it. The problem is that although the Parsi community is full of eccentricities and charm, the quirkiness just doesn't explode on the screen. If you really want to watch a film that truly gives an insight into the Parsi community of India watch the underrated Little Zizou. As for the supposed unconventional love story between the mid 40s couple, it isn't anything new as there have been numerous films in the recent past that have revolved around a similar topic.     

Starring Boman Irani and Farah Khan as the couple in love, the film never really amuses or entertains. The comedy is so juvenile that I sat in amazement thinking what really was going through the head of the makers and the actors when they filmed the scenes. Mind you, the film is not really meant for kids, so they can't pass the comedy on that either. Boman Irani gives a good performance, but doesn't bring anything new to the table. Farah Khan, officially acting for the first time, is wooden with her dialogue delivery and try as she might just doesn't have any grace during the song and dance numbers either, of which there are many. The supporting cast that comprises mostly of character actors like Daisy Irani are probably the only saving grace, but once again they are given such absurd situations and comic moments that they too find it hard to give their best performance.

Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi is a feeble attempt at new-age cinema, such as Khosla Ka Ghosla and Do Dooni Char, that has been relatively successful. Unfortunately a poor and predictable storyline is its biggest downfall making this two hour film unwatchable.

Rating 1/5      

Asli-Naqli (1962) (Hindi)

Dev Anand is a legend in Indian cinema and in Asli-Naqli he gives one of his most underrated and subtle performances. Staying away from his usual larger-than-life roles, he plays the part of a spoilt brat, Anand, coming to terms with reality when one day after fighting with his rich grandfather he decides to spend the night in a park. Here he is taken home by a small factory worker Mohan (Anwar Hussain) who gives him food and shelter. Unbeknownst about Anand’s true identity Mohan along with his sister Shanti (Sandhya Roy) and the rest of the bastigive Anand support and love as the former playboy discovers the harshness of life and learns the all important lesson of being happy with whatever little he has.

Asli-Naqli (Real-Fake) is a film with a message. It signifies the ever growing diversity between the rich and the poor and their resulting thoughts about each other. The film is from a time when the middle class was nonexistent and thus the difference between the rich and the poor was a lot more stark and visible. As Anand goes about living in the basti he meets Renu (Sadhna) who teaches him about selfless love and the power of sharing education and helping someone without expecting anything else in return. As love blossoms between both Anand and Renu, the past catches up and it is at this point that Anand rises up to the occasion of breaking down the boundaries that exist between his former life, that he detests, and a simpler life that he has come to appreciate.

Dev Anand, while he has played varied roles throughout his career, and while some of his trademark acting traits are omnipresent in the film, still gives a commendable performance and stands out amongst the rest of the cast. The remainder of the cast takes on their characters rather well with Anwar Hussain and Sandhya Roy making the most of their supporting roles.

No Indian film is complete without songs and Asli-Naqli is not without the classics like "Tera Mera Pyar Amar" and "Tujhe Jeevan Ki Dor Se". The title song, which comes midway in the film, is especially memorable as it is in tune with the theme of the movie and the lyrics talk about how the rich people, busy accumulating wealth, are the ones who are at a loss and the poor, who might not have money, have hearts big enough for everyone.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee, one of India's most versatile directors, manages to capture the frustration of Anand really well. In his earlier life, Anand besides having everything one could require has a certain hollowness he feels in his heart. Now, living with people who give him love without expectations, he struggles to find or keep a job. What really is noticeable in the direction and the story is the abundance of humor, a trademark of Mukherjee that he explored much later in his career. It is these clashing moments of high tension emotion and comedy that bring alive the reality of life as it is.

Asli-Naqli is a film full of emotion, and does drag a little in between, but it is a film that preaches a simple lesson, one that encourages everyone to enjoy the simplicities of life and not just take everyone they meet at face value.

Rating 3.5/5

DVD Information:

Title: Asli-Naqli

Running Time: 145 Minutes

Format: Black & White

Distributor: Shemaroo

Price: Rs. 149

       

Les Enfants Du Paradis (Children of Paradise)

WOW! I wish I could end my review of the film just there because Les Enfants Du Paradis is a film that simply must be seen. Voted "The best French film ever made" by the French Film Academy, it is probably one of the finest films ever to have captivated the audience with a storyline that evokes unparalleled emotions.

Les Enfants Du Paradis is the story about Garance, an always smiling "modern" woman who becomes the object of affection of four different men. The story is about her encounters with these men and how they are enraged, indifferent, and jealous, of the other men in Garance's life. The beauty of the film lies in how the story revolves around the theatrical world wherein the pantomime and theatrical performances form an integral part of the story.

The characters of the film compliment each other in such a fashion that each one of them comes across as an equally important aspect of the storyline, no matter the amount of time they spend on the screen. 

Garance/Claire (Arietty) - is a woman who lives by her own terms. She doesn't love one, but everyone equally, and believes that her happiness lies in pleasing the ones who make her happy. The object of desire, she never has any qualms about the decisions she has made in her life, at least not till much later.  

Baptiste (Jean-Luis Barrault) - A mime and a rising star in the theater world, he experiences love at first sight on seeing Garance. Love is depicted in its many forms through the people Garance encounters, and Baptiste epitomizes true love, one which is without lust. It is also this notion of love he has that leads to him losing out on Garance.

Frédérick (Pierre Brasseur) - An actor and a player he comes closest to Garance in terms of free love. His chance encounters with Garance leads to a romance which when ends leaves certain hollowness in Frédérick. It is his realization of this space that Garance has always occupied in his heart that forms his character arc.

Count Edouard de Montray (Louis Salou) - An aristocrat with the means to provide Garance with all her needs, he expresses his love to her with the offer of give her protection. His love is very diplomatic, almost business like and in stark contrast with the type of love Baptiste and Frédérick show towards Garance. While Garance, due to certain circumstances, takes up on the offer, the Count is never able to make her love him.

Lacenaire (Marcel Herrand) - A conniving criminal, he has the most volatile and indiscreet relationship with Garance. His love for her is that of control. He doesn't show that he needs her, but as we find out with the progression of the story, it is his love that is the most dangerous amongst all of Garance's suitors.     

Jéricho (Pierre Renoir)- Jéricho is a jack of all trades. He is the common thread between all the primary characters of the story. A "ragman" dealing in stolen goods, he has a different relationship with each one of the men fighting for Garance's affection and at times comes across as their conscience that these men have left behind in their quest for love.

Marcel Carné directs the film with gusto, which looks even more beautiful in the restored version. The streets of Paris and the depiction of life at the turn of the 19th century is a window into the theatrical world of France and the change in thinking that was taking place at the time. He captures the plays and the pantomimes within the film with such panache that they become individual acts culminating into something magnificent. It is these very theatrical performances, working well within the film, the sum of all parts, which make the film a true classic.

Watching the film with subtitles, I was in complete awe with the dialogues. French has long been considered the language of love and although some of that "love" might have been lost in translation, the film is one of the most beautifully spoken films I have ever come across.

Les Enfants Du Paradis plays havoc with the emotions of the audience. There is a hint of tragedy throughout the film, be it the pantomimes wherein Baptiste expresses his loss of love or even when the happy-go-lucky Garance, just for a moment, talks about being orphaned at 15 and growing up fast in the cruel world. While the film is over-laden with tragedy, there are short bursts of humor at every corner that leaves the audience uncertain about how they should feel.  

Les Enfants Du Paradis is a study of human nature at its basic, rawest form. Love, hatred, jealousy, revenge, possessiveness, need, lust, and passion are but some of the emotions that are tackled seamlessly in the film through its different characters. In the end, it becomes a battle of wits between the four men as they; once again, try to attract Garance's affection. The film ends where it really begins; in a room with Baptiste and Garance expressing their contrasting thoughts about love to each other. While the end is sure to leave the audience heartbroken, it is Frédérick, at an earlier occasion, who is able to put the gist of the story in a few words...

"Jealousy belongs to all if a woman belongs to none".   

Rating 5/5

DVD INFORMATION: The restored edition of Les Enfants Du Paradis is highly recommended not only for the quality of the film, which is brilliant, but also for the special features that talk about the story behind the film and also look at the process of the restoration.

Title: Les Enfant Du Paradis - The Restored Edition

Release Date:17th September 2012

Running Time:182 minutes

Cert.: PG

Language:French with English Subtitles

Special Features:

     Theater, Love, and War: Making Les Enfants Du Paradis

     Once Upon a Time...Les Enfants Du Paradis

     The Restoration

     Restoration - Before and After

Legends of Indian Cinema – Gulzar

Most Indian cinema enthusiasts would be aware of Gulzar. He's one of the few multi-talented legends of Indian cinema who might not have a larger than life persona, but nevertheless he has been an integral part of the world’s largest film industry. His followers might not be as vocal as fans of Shah Rukh Khan, but they are there, listening to his musical words at home over a nightcap, or quietly introspecting after reading his poetry in the early hours of morning. 

A lyricist, dialogue writer, scriptwriter, producer, director, and storyteller par excellence, it is no surprise that he has been honored with numerous awards over the years including the Padma Bhushan in 2004.

My knowledge about Gulzar has always been limited. For instance, it was only while researching this write-up did I realize his real name is Sampooran Singh Kalra. Furthermore, although over numerous occasions I've witnessed his writings, but it has always been through the medium of cinema, that is through film songs or stories.

So, when Penguin Spring Fever 2012 culminated with a book talk featuring Gulzar, I was there eager to experience his poetry in person. Wearing his trademark white kurta-pajama with shinning gold juttis, Gulzar came across as a rather humbling personality. There was no air of superiority in him, certainly not one that a star is expected to have. It was an evening filled with words, words that made all of us laugh, think, emote, and lastly words that left a mark in our own personalities. 

A few moments from the evening

City of Violence (Korean)

I always end up with this fuzzy feeling when I am about to watch a new Korean film. Lately, I have been furiously searching for new material and there seems to be a lot available. So far I have been lucky enough to have liked all (yes all) the Korean films that I have seen. City of Violence came very close to being the worst yet, but manages to rise like the phoenix towards the end.

When one of his friends is murdered, city cop Tae-su (Doo-hong Jung), travels back his to home town to pay respect and decides to stay on and find out who killed his friend. The story of five friends that moves between the past and present, is on one end a gangster flick, but simultaneously is more about friendship and honor and to an extent about revenge.

As Tae-su goes about finding the truth, he is accompanied by Seok-hwan and they initially have a pretty awesome showdown where they fight gangs of street dancers, BMX riders, baseball players, school uniform dressed girls, and a few others.

The film does get extremely slow in-between with too much emotional baggage. On hindsight, it might have been important to break the violent streak of the film in the beginning and one that is about to come.

City of Violence really makes an impact in the last 30-40 minutes. Finally figuring out the reason and person behind the death of their friend, the last half hour is full of great fight sequences and some heavy drama. I especially loved the way the film ends (sorry can't say much as it would spoil the movie).

City of Violence has a very basic story that is portrayed rather well with some great performances and fight sequences. The last few minutes remain its strong point and bring about the entire film together with its bleak yet courageous end.

A 4 out of 5 Star Rating          

First Thing ... Korean Cinema

First Thing is a feature I run on my blog from time to time to interact with people in my Twitter timeline. The premise is simply to state the first thing that comes to your mind when I say _______? (The blank can be anything cinema related) The only catch is that the answer has to be in only one sentence.

Memories of Murder

So, continuing with my somewhat repeating feature I present to you the "First thing that comes to your mind when I say KOREAN CINEMA”;

@T_J_atkinson - Unsurprisingly, I think of OLDBOY

@PopcornJunkies - The Host

@ArcaneMovieTees - The Vengeance Trilogy

@FilmSamurai - Revenge Films

@DrunkonVHS - I find Korean cinema new and exciting, it's one of the few areas I haven't thoroughly explored.

@Discuss_Cinema - The Revenge trilogy of Sympathy for Mr Vengeance, Oldboy and Lady Vengeance.

@reviwer - Currently leading in the world of cinema. Standard of films just keeps getting better.

OldBoy

So it seems that "Revenge" films and the Vengeance Trilogy are the most common answers. I have to confess and say that I am yet to watch the entire Vengeance Trilogy (having only seen Oldboy), but I’ll be bumping the trilogy movies up in my must watch list.

Korean Cinema is something that has amazingly taken over the cinema world over the last decade. What surprises me is that it is yet not commercial in most countries. These movies have been doing the festival rounds and have gained more success by word of mouth rather than self promotion. I also find that Korean Cinema is much more gutsy and ballsy than any other cinema around. Be it gore, sex, or violence, everything is more realistic and in plenty. Credit also goes to the directors and writers that are making original cinema with striking camera work or plot lines.

The Chaser

As for me, I was totally won over by The Chaser which remains one of my all time favorites. My Sassy Girl is probably one of the most refreshing romantic comedies out there even now. I recently had the pleasure of viewing The Man From Nowhere and A Bittersweet Life which have some amazingly iconic moments and Memories of Murder which is a movie based on a real-life unsolved serial killer case.

So if you have a Korean Film that you swear by and want others to experience, feel free to mention it in the comments box below and let us support a budding and brilliant cinema industry.    

Note from the Author:

Everyone mentioned above are great film bloggers and/or tweeters and I recommend following each and every one of them (not in real, just on twitter). You can simply click on their names to go to their respective twitter timelines.

The Electric Experience

Nestled on a small street in the centre of Birmingham is the oldest working cinema in the UK. Not knowing about The Electric, you just might pass it by. Not knowing about The Electric would also be a grave mistake by any film enthusiast.

The Electric is not just the only independent cinema in Birmingham; it also is simply a one of a kind experience. From the moment you walk in to the time you leave, The Electric takes you into an era where multiplexes didn't exist and you get a sense of the old world charm. Over the decades The Electric has had quite a few transformations and name changes, but its new avatar is by far the best in my 20 odd years of knowing of its existence.

The Electric is small. Two cinema screens with a small lobby area housing a bar and the ticket counter. Instantly on my arrival I felt claustrophobic. This I later realized was due to the huge lobbies and multiple ticket counters I had gotten used to at multiplexes. Slowly, but surely this feeling converted into a sort of coziness. There are small nooks and corners with places to sit that give it an almost homey feeling, as if you have just entered your own private home theatre. The staff was genuine and you could actually have a conversation on films with them. There wasn't that distance or hurriedness that one feels at the multi-screen theatres. A sign telling me they sell my favorite magazine, Little White Lies, confirmed that I was at the right place.  

The experience that is The Electric starts from the moment you buy the ticket, or should I say the ticket stub, which is truly a classic touch. The next bit of surprise was when the well stocked bar served me cola in a glass bottle along with a glass full of ice and a slice of lime. There was no plastic in sight and that my friend is underrated sophistication. The seats once again are not the sliding types one finds at the "big" theatres, but they are equally comfortable. You can always opt for the "couches" which take you in the lap of luxury. A SMS service for the privileged few lets you order food/drink without moving an inch.

Now, the tickets are slightly expensive. So, although you pay about a pound more than usual, but then not only are you supporting the local independent cinema, but the atmosphere is by far worth the extra cash. The fact that I saw Senna on my first visit, which is my favorite documentary/film of all time, amplified this experience even more.

I am also impressed with The Electric because it is a theatre that is not afraid to experiment. It recently hosted the Shock and Gore 2011 festival. Such events are an excellent way to bring the community together and simultaneously promote the art of cinema in all its forms.

So, the next time you are in Birmingham, take a slight detour to visit The Electric and definitely take out time to watch a movie for an amazing time.     

The Age of Cinema

Heads Up! This post is not at all as epic as it's title suggests. It has nothing to do with the actual age of cinema, nor does it have to do with the age at which you can watch a movie. It deals more with the age at which you should watch a movie. What I plan to talk about is two simple yet important questions that to me are basically two sides of the same coin;

1. When is a good time to make children watch the modern classics like Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club, and the likes?

2. Does a movie say The Goonies or Stand By Me, if viewed by an adult now for the first time, have the same effect they had on the masses when they were initially released?

To start off with the first question, recently I made a group of four children/young adults aged 10-15 watch Ferris Bueller's Day Off. For me, the movie is the ultimate feel good movie. I do have to point out that I watched it much later in my life (late 20s) and it has stayed in my favourites ever since the first viewing. Not only did it take a lot of convincing before the four young adults agreed to watch it (they were having an X-Men marathon and the third disc wasn't working resulting in a movie change), but when I told them about some film essentials like "The Breakfast Club" all I got in return was laughter and that the sequel is probably called "The Lunch Club". I feared the outcome of this.  

Now, the reviews of Ferris Bueller's Day Off were somewhat mixed. They laughed at most comic scenes. The heavy philosophical scenes might have been a bit too much, I'm not sure. I asked them to give me a short review and this is what they said;

Sehar (15): The film is just full on entertainment. From the acting to the storyline to Ferris' impromptu performance, everything makes the audience wish that they were living the teenagers life.

Maha (13): I did not enjoy this movie very much. I found the plot quite cheesy and the acting was over the top. However, in places it was quite funny and enjoyable sometimes.

Harun (13): I thought that the movie was very funny and entertaining, and the idea of the film was good. However I would have really liked the movie to have a scene with Cameron and his dad arguing about the ferrari.

Hashim (10): The movie was really funny and I liked how the principle stopped at nothing to catch Ferris.

My question after this little experiment is that what is a good age to watch some of the modern classics? I often wonder if I would not have liked Ferris had I seen it earlier in life? For example, just as I found out about movies like The Breakfast Club (seen again in my late 20s) through forums and twitter, should these be discovered by the younger generation on their own? Or is it that with time something like Say Anything or 16 Candles will slowly move into the group of movies that should be viewed by everyone, but just are not? Will my daughter (almost 4) consider Harry Potter and Twilight as the modern classics and consider the movies of 70s and 80s and even 90s too old to be viewed? Only time will tell.

Moving on to my next question, which came to my mind when @movieanarchist on twitter recently stated that they did not like Stand By Me. This adult had seen the movie for the first time, and putting his review aside (no disrespect) what I tried to figure out was that had it been watched at the time of its release or when the said person was younger (closer to the age of the characters in the movie) would he have liked it?

Take The Last Emperor. It is one of the few movies from my childhood that I remember watching and liking. It is a rather strong drama and by no means is a children's film, but then why do I remember watching it? The only connection I could figure out was that it features a child in the title role. Once again the question arises, should the younger generation be introduced to movies like The Goonies at their age or should we just let it be?

Recently I saw people talk about Super 8 with a sense of nostalgia linking it to the movies of the past. Does age and the time you watch a movie really have an effect on you liking it? What would people think of Super 8 if they have not seen the movies they relate it with (Goonies, Close Encounters of the Third Kind)? Could it be that the age you watch a movie at is almost as important as the content of the movie? I know I watched most of the modern classics in the late 20s and liked most of them, but maybe I need to dig deeper and watch some more and see if this theory holds true?

I do know one thing. Whatever the case, when the time comes I'll make sure my daughter get to watch these modern classics even if I have to pay her to sit and watch them.

If you have any thoughts about this, you know what to do smarty pants :-) 

First Thing… The Godfather

We all have a list of movies that we should have seen, but we have not. I’m not talking about the latest releases, but the classics. The films that are part of almost all film discussions. The ones that you dare not say you have not seen. The ones that you know just enough about to sound informative when you lie about having watched them during a film talk.

Now, I know you are smart enough to have figured out from the title and the above paragraph that I have not seen The Godfather (or the sequels for that matter). There is no real reason for this. I just haven’t. I plan to someday and that to sooner than later… I hope.

So, in order to gain some more information on the film, just so that I can pretend to have seen it, I asked some of my twitter friends what is the "first thing that comes to your mind when I say The Godfather".

As always, all of the following are excellent film enthusiasts that I recommend following on twitter. You can simply click on their name below which is also a link to their twitter profile.

@Dale_SaxonIII - Overrated film experience unless you really like spaghetti.

@snobbyfilmguy - Whenever someone mentions The Godfather I immediately think of its epic nature.

@nuts4r2 - Horse's head!

@FilmSamurai - Don Corleone sitting in his office in his tuxedo at his daughters wedding petting his white cat.

@NJHallard - The music.

@littlestpicshow - Instantly think Marlon Brando and respecting the family, as he sort of optimises what the film is and stands for in my opinion.

@askimrach - Oops another film I haven't seen, I've never fancied it.

So, based on the above information that I have so cheekily gathered, the next time I have a conversation on The Godfather, this will be my official stand;

“The Godfather is an overrated film experience of epic nature where scenes with a horses head and Don Corleone petting a white cat stand out along with the music and respect for the family.”

Do you think I can get away with that?

10 Reasons Not To Watch X-Men First Class

I am aware that I am late for the party. Most people have already seen the new X-Men and almost everything has already been written about it. So in order to bring about a change, I present to you 10 reasons why you should not watch X-Men.

1. First of all what is there to like about a movie that compliments the entire series and simultaneously opens the door for future sequels. Are action movies supposed to be like this? Shouldn’t they just reboot the entire thing with a new cast (as they did) and start afresh?

2. First Class is basically an “origins” movie and it works wonderfully as that. My problem with X-Men is that now even the non-comic reading public will know everything there is to know about the characters, like Charles Xavier/Professor X (James McAvoy) or Hank McCoy/Beast (Nicholas Hoult). This means that the one thing we had over them, the knowledge of how it all began, has been taken away from us. That was the one thing that separated “us” from “them”.

3. So seriously what was up with all the subtitles? Haven’t the studios learnt that we moviegoers love it when foreigners speak with each other in a funny English accents rather than talking in their native language?

4. Two words, one name - January Jones! Again, who in their right mind would want to watch a scantily dressed January Jones portray Emma Frost. Like having the coolest real name wasn’t enough, she had to go out and do a superhero movie. If I were you, and only if I were you, I’d boycott the movie for this reason itself.

5. After watching a classy movie like X-Men: First Class, you are bound to compare it to other superhero movies. The problem with that is that your expectations will be really high henceforth and that will eventually lead to disappointment. So avoid this movie and go watch Daredevil instead. I promise you that all the movies to follow will delight you.

 6. I never knew that an action movie was supposed to be this intelligent. I mean should it not have been dimmed down so that we can watch it without using our brains. The subtle seduction of Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) by Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto (Michael Fassbender) is nothing but pure brilliance as is Erik’s decent into what he is to become. Trust me; you don’t want this kind of intellectual entertainment in a movie.

 

7. Oh My God! The movie was not in 3D. How in the world did that happen? The very thought of not paying extra for your ticket and not having to suffer a headache from wearing those glasses is simply appalling. I mean who in their right mind, in this day and age, would go and watch a non-3D movie?

8. Right, so what is up with the running time of this movie? At close to 130 minutes I was starting to think it was an Indian movie and that too without a song and dance sequence. The fact that the movie kept me at the edge of my seat and completely engrossed and interested in it has nothing to do with this. A movie so long deserves boring moments or a song and dance sequence.

9. Also by avoiding X-Men you not only save money, at the expense of losing out on pure unadulterated entertainment, but you do not have to wait the next few years in anticipation of the sequel. My eagerness for the sequel is already at a high, but that was a small price I was ready to pay just so that I could warn you about this movie.

10. Lastly, the much talked about cameos. So, if you decide not to go and watch this movie, which I am sure, you will not after reading my post, there is no need for you to not talk or know about the cameos. In fact I will do you all a favor and tell you all about it here. That is the least I can do. So it’s like these two men…


Note: Due to the nature of the post and information about to be given out, this blogger has been taken to an undisclosed location till further notice.

 PS: The blogger has requested we inform his readers that the above blog is a sarcastic take on his experience at the movie. He absolutely loved the movie and recommends that each and everyone should go and watch it. If he were to complete his post, he would have given it a 4.5/5 star rating.