"Sometimes it is the people who no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine." - Joan in The Imitation Game

As a technologist, I often wonder about the value of something I work on. How can I measure it? Alan Turing had no such questions - he saved 14 million lives and ended a war two years sooner than it would otherwise have, with a brilliant mathematical invention, which we know today as ‘computers’.

'The Imitation Game' might be the story of World War II but it is no 'Schindler's List'. War forms the backdrop of the story of a man who is socially awkward but wants to solve an unsolvable puzzle. This is portrayed in a scene early on when Alan Turing(Benedict Cumberbatch) goes to the army headquarters not because he likes politics but because  'Enigma is the most difficult problem in the world'. 

Alan's strategy is to build a machine that can be programmable and reprogrammable to break  'Over one hundred and fifty million million million possible settings' that would take millions of years to decode manually. With the help of a team of code-breakers, researchers, mathematicians, Turing embarks on a journey to build this machine. This includes crossword wizard, Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley), who befriends Alan and helps him interact with his team-members. Turing now has a hundred thousand British pounds to make or break the war. 

The most dramatic scenes are from Turing's childhood. In 1927, Turing is a nervous teenager who is bullied by his buddies because of his social awkwardness until Christopher rescues him. It is Christopher who introduces Alan to a book on cryptography. As Turing gets engrossed in the world of codes and cyphers, he realizes his true feelings for his friend. 

The casting choice of Cumberbatch is apt. He portrays the over-confidence of Turing very differently from Sherlock . As Sherlock, he is cocky, defiant and arrogant. As Turing, Cumberbatch has a total transformation - naive, ignorant of social dogma, he portrays at once a mathematical genius as well as an innocent victim, with aplomb. Whether he is scribbling on his notepad or sipping beer, the quirks and nuances he brings to this character are truly remarkable. It did remind me a little of Russell Crowe in 'A Beautiful Mind'. 

The tension of Turing breaking the Enigma is followed by his downfall after the authorities find out about this homosexuality. He accepts hormonal therapy to imprisonment for 'gross indecency' and slowly resigns himself to suicide. 

"The Imitation Game" manages to not just be a thriller but a historic biopic that educates the viewers of the compelling story of Alan Turing. Sixty years after his death, the Queen of England has pardoned Turing and condemned his punishment in 1950s as unjust. Alan Turing totally deserves the universal recognition that this movie has brought to the world. 

This is #Day1 of #YourTurnChallenge. During this 7 day challenge,I would be blogging about one Oscar nominated movie per day.

'When it comes to marriage, one man is as good as the next. And even the least accommodating is less trouble than a mother.'-from Dangerous Liaisons

‘There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book’, said Oscar Wilde.

The 18^th century French novel ‘Les Liaisons dangereuses’ was born before Wilde yet the statement applies to it perfectly. The movie version of this book is  ‘DangerousLiaisons’, where the vicissitudes of the story and dialogue are comparable to Oscar Wilde's 'The picture of Dorian Gray.' In fact, there was a brief moment when I debated if this is even better than Wilde’s famous work.

Set in early 18th century France, the movie opens on ‘immoral’ high ground – the popular socialite, Marquise de Merteuil (Glenn Close) wants to avenge her abandoned lover, Bastide and seeks the help of the corrupt Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich).

The count has to seduce the virginal fiancée of Bastide, Cécile (Uma Thurman) before the marriage. The unscrupulous Count Vicomte thinks that game to be trifle and suggests going in pursuit of a married woman, Madame de Tourvel (Michelle Pfeiffer). The Marquise agrees provided he brings back proof of his accomplishments in order to spend one glorious night with her.

What follows are the adventures of the sexual predator, Vicomte who plays women as pawns in his game of chess. He easily conquers the chaste Cecile but Madame Tourvel proves more challenging to him. Throughout this game of decadence, the Marquise is supportive of him as well as to other women by presenting a façade of a malevolent chaperone. The moral ambiguity of this game is revealed in a dialogue by

Marquise to Vicomte ‘When I came out into society I was 15. I already knew that the role I was condemned to, namely to keep quiet and do what I was told, gave me the perfect opportunity to listen and observe. Not to what people told me, which naturally was of no interest, but to whatever it was they were trying to hide. I practiced detachment. I learned how to look cheerful while under the table I stuck a fork into the back of my hand. I became a virtuoso of deceit. It wasn't pleasure I was after, it was knowledge. I consulted the strictest moralists to learn how to appear, philosophers to find out what to think, and novelists to see what I could get away with, and in the end, I distilled everything to one wonderfully simple principle: win or die.”

The manipulation by the countess is unlike Scarlett O’Hara. While Scarlett’s justification is never to be poor again and to restore the grandeur of days gone by, the countess seeks this game to extract vengeance on men who cross her path. Either ways both women resort to the only methods that are available to them at that period of time - cunning manipulation of men.

Glen Close is superb as the middle-aged countess, whose face expresses immense depth of emotions that most modern actresses are incapable of. She portrays the immoral Marquise by a mere change in her eyes, sometimes revealing the love/hate relationship she has with Vicomte and other times as a beautiful and intelligent woman caught in a society in 18th century France where women are supposed to listen to their husbands and act docile. She portrays the moral ambiguity so subtly that you are caught between appreciating and condoning her.

The movie reaches a crescendo when a triumphant Vicomte produces the evidence but the countess refuses him the one night she promised since she cannot face to be second fiddle, given that the count had fallen in love with the married woman. Does Marquise really love Vicomte or merely considers him a worthy rival?  Who would get the last word in this battle of the sexes? Does Marquise manage to destroy Vicomte or does the count get an upper hand? Watch this movie to seek your own answers, which might not be the same as the person next to you.

" The only person standing in your way is you." from the movie 'Black Swan'

I watched Black Swan, when it was first released in the theater. I  liked the passion, the psychological twists and the dark story. But, it took a re-watching to love this movie.

The title of this post is the crux of the movie. No one stands in the way of achieving your dreams except you. Yet, most of us are inhibited by our own psychological barriers - in this case - a controlling mother, a protected childhood and a sheltered life.The fears and apprehensions of our beliefs ultimately make or break the dreams of our life.

Nina(Natalie Portman), a ballerina, dreams of being the lead of the new ballet 'Swan Lake'. Swan Lake is the story of diametrically opposite sisters white and black swans representing the good and the evil. When the evil sister seizes the prince that the white swan falls in love with, the white swan commits suicide. Nina pitches herself for the role to her director, Thomas. Thomas rightly points that Nina can play the white swan perfectly - she is demure, shy and weak. But it takes someone to lose oneself to passion to portray the black swan. Thomas is proven wrong, when Nina shows a glimpse of the black swan when she bites him while kissing. Nina is now chosen as the swan queen.

Natalie Portman is excellent as a demure girl, who lives in a bedroom for little girls. She is inexperienced in sex and does not know how to react to her controlling mother. As her mother displays passive-aggressive control , Nina's hidden aggressiveness comes out. Sometimes frightened, at other times disturbed and angered, Natalie Portman totally deserves her Oscar for this role.

The movie is dark and the sudden twists and turns of Nina's mind-play, makes it a quasi-horror movie. You are not aware of where the reality begins and delusions interject. The best part is the way Lily enters Nina's life. Lily is the anti-thesis of Nina - carefree, bold and ambitious, she plays an essential part to bring out the dark side of Nina.Nina's hallucinations and psychological neurosis grow as she is threatened by Lily. This emotion finally liberates Nina out of her meekness.

Darren Aronofsky, a very artistic director, well known for 'Requiem for a dream' and 'Pi' , once again proves his distinctive and thought-provoking style. If you are in a mood for some artistic fare
 this is suspenseful, thoroughly engrossing and artistic, this is the movie for you.

The Lunchbox , a movie review

'The Lunchbox' is an Indian film of great poignancy narrating the story of friendship between a housewife, Ila and a soon-to-retire accountant, Fernandez.

The backdrop of the dabbawallas(lunchbox delivery men) of Mumbai, who were studied by Harvard for their six sigma delivery standards, showcases hard work and struggles of everyman. From the moment they pick the lunch boxes, they travel by foot, rickshaws and trains to ensure that every lunch box is delivered to the right person before their lunch break.What happens when one of those lunch boxes goes amiss , forms the crux of the movie.

When Fernandez receives Ila's lunch box by mistake, the initial confusion soon turns into friendship between two lonely people. Ila ,ignored by her non-chalant husband and Fernandez, a widower with no friends or immediate family, start sharing their  little moments of joy, nostalgic memories and day to day problems through hand-written notes via the lunch box.

Ila's upstairs neighbor 'auntie' is her agony aunt, sometimes helping her with spices for the dishes while at other times advising on what she should write to Fernandez. Without actually seeing a glimpse of 'auntie' we sympathize with her story of the loving wife taking care of her husband in coma for 15 years. As this kaleidoscope shifts, we catch another glimpse of Indian women - Ila's mother taking care of her cancer ridden husband with minimum resources.

Meanwhile, Fernandez, is befriended by his successor at work, Sheik. Sheik provides comic relief , whether he is cutting vegetables on the train or eagerly eyeing the lunch box over his lunch of fruits.
Sheik brings a sliver of friendship to Fernandez's life.

Commuter trains in Mumbai are the life blood of the city. The backdrop of the trains reflects the mosaic of Indian culture that co-exists peacefully in between the chaos  - beggars singing popular Bollywood songs, religious groups singing hymns aloud, dabbawallas balancing their boxes and vendors selling wares on the trains.

There is a scene where Ila, the protagonist, shares  with her daughter the games she played as a child. The trigger for this conversation is Fernandez, who regrets not creating more memories with his wife before she passed. This encapsulates the beauty of this film.Like an expert trapeze artist , it balances humor, poignancy, romance and a tinge of melancholy with subtlety.

The movie takes a turn when the friendship turns into romance and brings forth the insecurities of Fernandez and Ila. Ila is unhappy on discovering her cheating husband and Fernandez is confused about his retirement.

Will Fernandez have the courage to face Ila? Will they get together at all ? To find out the answers do watch this movie and I promise that you won't be disappointed.

And there wasn't anything I could have done to save them. - Philip Seymour Hoffman in the movie 'Capote'

I did not watch 'Capote' for the longest time thinking it was one of those boring biographical movies. However recently I read a blurb on Netflix that it portrays the period in Capote's life when he was researching the book 'In cold blood'. My curiosity was piqued.

I remember reading 'In cold blood' one summer afternoon. Before this book, I only knew about Breakfast at Tiffany's. I still remember my blood boiling at the murder of the innocent family in Holcomb and rejoiced when the killers were arrested. It truly was one of the best crime non-fiction books that was ever written.

Philip Seymour Hoffman personified "Capote". As someone recently said 'He was more Capote than Capote himself.' He reflected a kaleidoscope of characters shifting between light and dark moments with equal aplomb. As an ego maniac he pursued the story of the murderers Perry Smith and Dick Hancock initially as a curious writer for the New York times and later as a friend of Perry. His emotional involvement with Perry was unlike the book. The book was bleak and grim and you hated Perry from the bottom of your heart. Yet, Capote in reality was close to Perry. He was torn between writing the book and his emotions for Perry , whom he said " It's as if Perry and I grew up in the same house. And one day he stood up and went out the back door, while I went out the front."

Hoffman's portrayal of homosexuality was so convincing that I had to look up the personal life of Hoffman. His mannerisms, his fashion sense and his involvement with Perry Smith all pointed only in one direction. Yet, he was torn between right and wrong. He watched Perry hanged to death and that lead to the great writer's downfall.

The other surprise element of the movie was Harper Lee. I had no idea that she and Capote were neighbors and childhood friends in rural Alabama. And I had to hide a chuckle when Truman is jealous of the success of  'To kill a Mocking Bird'.

Watch this movie for the surprise moments  or if you are a fan of Capote's writing. But most of all watch this film for Philip Seymour Hoffman's Academy worthy performance.

'Her' movie review

There is a dilemma that every writer faces - how to create something new  and refreshing out of the same subject that has been written about at-least a hundred times before? Writer-director Spike Jonze 
does this amazingly well with near-futuristic buildings without looking too 'sci-fi' and a story that seems plausible in this digital age.

'Her' is the story of Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) whose day-job is to craft hand-written letters to share love and joy, while at night he is desperately lonely seeking love and companionship that everyone desires until he installs a new Operating system 'Samantha' (the lyrical voice of Scarlett Johansson). This heralds the start of a 'relationship'. As Samantha listens to Theodore, makes him laugh and even flirts with him, Theodore cannot help but fall in love with 'her'.

At one level this seems to be a movie of human emotions, of bonding , of connections and the vicissitudes of  relationships, which is beautifully portrayed between Theodore and Samantha.But what bothers me is that it is so plausible a story that causes existential angst. People are already addicted to devices, but would they become so anti-social that they seek relationships with technology rather than humans?  Would they rather have a perfect-'I will be there for you always' Operating system rather than a woman who has arguments and disagrees with you?
  
I fear that such an operating system with AI would become a reality soon and might even come with some nuances of imperfections but I am pretty certain that the idiosyncrasies that we are born with cannot be replicated. Only I know where my nose itches.

American Hustle - A Movie Review

'American Hustle' is a comedy-drama that is light-hearted while dealing with a heavy subject of an FBI investigation. Unlike Argo, this movie does not adopt the seriousness of the actual event - Abscam, the investigation that shook the US Congress in late '70s. The movie pivots on Irving and Sidney (amazingly played by Christian Bale and Amy Adams) who are con artists with a zest for life.But they have a problem - Irving's wife ,Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence) who is sometimes an air-headed housewife and other times an alcoholic.Sidney adopts a false identity with a British accent - Edith Greensly and increases Irving's business until she is caught by an FBI agent, "Richie" DiMaso (Bradley Cooper). Richie releases her on the condition that they participate in a 'sting' operation in a corruption investigation.

Thus begins the roller-coaster ride - of greed, of deception, of women's power play over men and of insecurities. Amy Adams towers tall over Jennifer Lawrence playing the role of her career - sometimes seductive, other times frightened, as Sidney she simmers and seduces both the men - Irving and Richie.Switching easily between British and American accents, her character adds depth where it could easily have been one-dimensional.

Jennifer Lawrence, as Rosalyn, is a wild card.A loud paranoid,alcoholic,who happens to talk her mouth out. The scene where she asks the Mayor of Camden and her husband to smell her nails to see why she likes the smell 'so sweet yet rotten' captures her character. She speaks what is on her mind and is candid to admit that 'she does not like change'.

The rest of the story is how friendship evolves between Irving and Carmine, the Mayor of Camden, while Richie plots how to nab Carmine for corruption.

It was fun to see all those '70s styles-  Sidney with her hair in rollers at home, Rosalyn with those loose,bouncy curls and even Richie sporting several tiny rollers.

I like this movie way better than Silver Linings Playbook (directed by the same person,David O. Russell). It has style, glitz and glamor but beneath it all it has heart-warming depth of characters. The one note of caution I must mention is that it would have made Hitchcock, who said "The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder.”, a very unhappy man. Over 2 hours, it calls for a better editing job. 

The way you fear a cow sitting down in the middle of the street during rush hour,that's how I fear Canadians - Bernedette in Where'd You Go,Bernadette

'Where'd You Go,Bernadette' smells like fresh flowers in spring. This delightful novel is gleefully funny with sprinkles of warmth and intelligence thrown in good measure. 
Bernadette Fox, the protagonist, seems to be anti-social - she hates Seattle, does not want to socialize with neighbors or other mothers at the PTA and says 'I don't know if community is something you do or don't believe in'. But do not be fooled by this, behind this facade is an intelligent woman who was once the most successful architect of LA.

The other important character is Bee,her fourteen year old daughter. Bee is an eighth grader who is an accomplished flutist, a mentor for younger students and a straight-As student.Most of the book is seen through Bee's eyes and is a collection of email correspondence, letters and even an emergency hospital bill!

Elgin, Bernadette's husband,  works on a high-profile secret project(yes, pop-corn popping 'Samantha') at Microsoft and is the 4th most watched person on TED talk.However there is a gulf widening between Elgin and Bernadette which culminates in the disappearance of her. The rest of the story is about Bee investigating her mother's disappearance.


Some funny quotes from the book:

Seattle - "whoever laid this city never met a four-way intersection they didn't turn into a five-way intersection' they never met a beautiful view they didn't block with a twenty-story old folks home with zero architectural integrity. that's the first time the words 'architectural' and 'integrity' have ever been used together in a discussion of Seattle'.I've never seen a city  so overrun with runaways, drug addicts and bums"

In a letter, Bernadette explains her current state "If you were wondering what I've been doing for the last twenty years, I've been resolving the conflict between public and private space in the single-family residence."

“What’s Microsoft’s mission anyway” I asked, wolfing down a piece of Costco birthday cake. It was Costco day on campus, and they were signing people up for discounted membership, using free sheet cake as enticement. No wonder I get confused and sometimes mistake the place for Utopia. 

“That's right,' she told the girls. 'You are bored. And I'm going to let you in on a little secret about life. You think it's boring now? Well, it only gets more boring. The sooner you learn it's on you to make life interesting, the better off you'll be.”

I highly recommend this book as for fun, humor, maybe a little about parenting, relationships and all things in between! So if want a little philosophy and lot of entertainment, Go grab it at your nearest library.

Blue Jasmine - A movie review

For those of you who came in late, Blue Jasmine is a contemporary 'A Streetcar Named Desire'!

Like Blanche DuBois, Jasmine is a fading, but still-attractive woman who has lost everything in life and seeks solace in her sister's home in San Francisco. Like Blanche, she is an alcoholic and a nervous-wreck and like Blanche, Jasmine is delusional and refuses to accept the reality of life.But unlike Blanche, Jasmine's past was luxurious and extravagant , hosting lavish parties where New York city's socialites rubbed shoulders.

The movie pivots on Cate Blanchett.Sometimes a suave high-society and other times a nervous wreck surviving on Xanax, Cate plays the part as beautifully as Viven Leigh in 'A Streetcar..'.
We are mesmerized by this Berkin bag carrying woman whose past in the upper echelons of society she cannot let go. Her sister Ginger is portrayed with sincerity by Sally Hawkins. Affectionate but timid, Ginger tolerates Jasmine's hysteria. Whether commanding her boys to keep it down or asking her boyfriend to leave so that Jasmine can concentrate on her computer course, Ginger is supportive of Jasmine.But, Jasmine is ashamed and embarassed of Ginger's dull and mundane working-class life.

You want to hate this woman whose big dreams of going back to a rich life are meaningless especially since she has no education or basic computer knowledge. But you only end up feeling pity for her mental unbalance and histrionics.

There is a scene where Jasmine describes working in a shoe store serving the same women she had entertained with grand parties. This scene is created so well with a narrative that one can't help but applaud the greatness of Woody Allen, the director.
Do not expect to be entertained with the typical Woody-esque jokes, instead it is an intense drama not seen since Crimes and Misdemenours.

Review of 'Life of Pi'

A book or a movie takes you on new and exciting adventures. But, sometimes they also lead you through familiar labyrinths. For me, ‘Life of Pi' offered both.

I have a mental picture of Pondicherry, where I grew up in the ‘80s - wide open buildings in the Indo-French quarters, the view of the beach from the ashram, yellow limestone walls and the shady paths of the botanical gardens. ‘Life of Pi’ brought this image to screen so vividly that I was almost tempted to like the movie better than the book.  The bharatnayam dance lessons brought a wave of nostalgia of similar experiences. I remember my mother reprimanding me when I made the Sign of the Cross gesture with 'In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit' in a Hindu temple. Although I did not read Camus’ The Stranger until later in life, I went through the same existential angst of our teenage protagonist, Pi. When Pi enjoys the storm on the deck of the ship, I was reminded of how much I enjoyed running around in the rain. 

‘Life of Pi’ is not only about the philosophical questions that Pi raises while growing up in Pondicherry, but also a story of survival. Survival of a ship-wrecked teenager stranded on a boat with a tiger named Richard Parker. This boy who believed that even animals had ‘souls’ had to find a practical way to not only stay alive at sea but also make sure that he is not devoured by a hungry tiger.  Just like ‘Wilson’ provided the much-needed companionship in ‘Cast Away’, Richard Parker is subjected to conversations that help Pi stay hopeful and afloat. 

It is not the interpretation of the book that Ang Lee has brought to screen but the nuances of dwelling deep into the characters. One example is the dinner table conversation between Pi and his parents about his interest in multiple religions. While his father points to him western rationale and power of medical science, his mother soft-spoken yet strong, points to the ONE who takes care of the inner self. It is a beautiful yet subtle depiction of Indian women of my mother’s generation. The soothing Tamil music, the ‘karthigai’ lamps on the water and the lovely shots of the beach mesmerized me blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. For those of you who grew up in India in the ‘80s or are from Pondicherry or in search of a soulful story, this is a must watch.

Review of the movie 'The Master'

What is it that Lincoln said ? '“You may fool all the people some of the time, you can even fool some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time.” 

Paul .T. Anderson's The Master  seems to fit this bill. Movies that meander aimlessly never fail to amaze me. Even if the maker of the movie believed in it (P.T.Anderson), what the hell were the people around him doing?

The story of The Master had immense potential. It could have conveyed the thin line between fanaticism of  belief and non-belief, it could have been a powerful message about the charisma of charlatans, it could have even been a story of the power of influence over the helpless, instead it chooses to be an incoherent mishmash of a half-lunatic war veteran and an evangelist of a new religion.

The war veteran ,Freddie Quell, is played by Joaquin Phoenix and the evangelist,The Master, is a brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman. Freddie is an alcoholic and wanders around until he lands on the yacht of Lancaster Dodd, otherwise known as The Master. The Master is the harbinger of a new cult that is based on beliefs of reincarnation and hypnotism. The Master takes Freddie under his wing and begins a series of psycho-analytical tests to convert Freddie. Freddie's beliefs in The Cause are ambiguous. He attacks anyone who opposes the master but whether he himself is a true believer is questionable. Dodd's wife Peggy (wonderfully portrayed by Amy Adams) seems to be a silent controller of the Master himself. His teenage son does not seem to believe his father's preaching and his daughter and son-in-law seem to be 'Yes' men. In the midst of all this, The Master is a great orator, often holding gatherings in private houses and releasing books about 'The Cause'. His attempts to change Freddie's violent behavior are futile and Freddie escapes him to return to his hometown of Massachusetts.

I have multiple problems with this movie. The biggest one of them is that there are way too many loose threads. Why does Dodd go to the middle of a desert to recover a box that 'seemed' to be his unpublished works? What is the purpose of Dodd's daughter trying to seduce Freddie?  What was the necessity to show the sexual hallucinations of Freddie? Why does Peggy not have a voice in front of the gathering? And many more.

I know that some people might think that meaningless cinema is brilliantly creative , but I think that it is greatly idiotic. The Master seems to fall in the latter category.

Review of Beasts of the Southern Wild

There is a scene in 'Beasts of the SouthernWild' in which six-year-old  Hush Puppy says ‘When you’re small, you gotta fix what you can.' and that pretty much summarizes what this movie is about.'Interesting' is the adjective you would use to describe the adventures of six-year-old Hush Puppy who lives in 'The Bathtub' along with her father. You would also wonder if Hush Puppy is the modern day Scout  and her father Atticus? Pretty soon you realize that they are not. 

 Hush Puppy, along with her father, belongs to a small community who refuse to embrace civilization even if it means that diseases are left untreated and their land disappears under water.  Their dilapidated house has filthy livestock but Hush Puppy revels in it. She bonds with them by listening to the heartbeat of animals and fish and believes that they speak to her. Her father Wink, is suffering from a deadly disease but teaches Hush Puppy to be self-sufficient both physically and emotionally. Crying is frowned upon and fearlessness is encouraged. She is also taught how to fend for herself in case the world ends. 

There are parts of this collage which do not make sense ; the huge boar-like creatures could have been allegorical but they actually come charging towards the six year old and she stops them with her courage. But you can forgive these misgivings looking at the various layers it presents. On one level this appears to be the story of a little kid who is missing her mother and tries to be strong and does not want her father to die. Another layer is the stubbornness of social groups who are resistant to change. But ultimately it is a joy to see the six year old's smile in the poor, dirty, deteriorated land. 

The kid who plays Hush Puppy has a wonderful knack for expressing through her eyes.Her magical view of everyday things and her struggle to be brave in the face of adversity are definitely Oscar-worthy.But you must remember that this is definitely an unusual and exotic fare in the midst of typical American films like ‘The Dark Knight Rises’.

I'm much too busy seeing that you don't lose any of the money I married you for. - The Thin Man

Can you imagine any movie in the last five years that would be appreciated after nearly eighty years. I cannot think of one!

The Thin Man, made in 1934, is timeless and does not make you feel antiquated. The credit for it must go to the fun and witty dialogue of the husband-wife duo, Nick (William Powell) and Nora Charles (Myrna Loy) along with their chuckle-inducing dog, Asta. Nick Charles , a retired private investigator, is approached by Dorothy (Maureen O'Sullivan) to locate her missing father, Clyde Wynant . Nick is not too eager to take up this assignment.This is what he says to his rich wife Nora :

" I haven't the time. I'm much too busy seeing that you don't lose any of the money I married you for." 

With the murder of Wynant's girlfriend, Julia, Wynant is the prime suspect and members of the Wynant clan plead Nick Charles to help them.Nick is too busy enjoying a drink too many and still refuses to get involved in the case. Nora wants some excitement and eggs Nick to start the investigation. Their light banter edged with sarcasm seems like a good camouflage for their romance.

Nora Charles: Pretty girl. (about Dorothy)
Nick Charles: Yes. She's a very nice type.
Nora Charles: You got types?
Nick Charles: Only you, darling. Lanky brunettes with wicked jaws.

When Nick narrowly escapes getting shot at, he decided to plunge into the case. Nora, although, fearful for Nick, enjoys the thrill of the investigation.The case takes a turn like a good who-dun-it when Nick invites the murderer to a fun dinner party, which includes policemen dressed as stewards waiting to serve fish.
 
 Although The Thin Man continued to be a successful series of films, it is unclear who the actual Thin Man is. Internet sources reveal that Wynant was alluded to as the Thin Man in the movie but it seems to have stuck to the detective, Nick Charles. Maybe my viewings of the other Thin Man series would reveal more.

A fun movie to watch on a sultry summer afternoon when you wish to see something that is cross between an Agatha Christie mystery and an Alfred Hitchcock thriller.

(PS: I was very impressed by the dress worn by Myrna Loy in the Christmas party scene. Another reason to believe that this movie does not feel like 1934. Enclosing a picture of it below)

Review of the movie To Rome with Love

How do you write a non-tribute to your favorite director? By being candid, I guess.

Woody Allen , one of my favorite directors, has disappointed me with a tedious, errant and contrived movie called 'To Rome with Love'.

The scenes where Woody Allen, playing Jerry, a retired music director, seem to have the best laughs. But sadly Woody Allen doesn't stick to those scenes. There are four disjointed stories and what point they all serve is best understood only by the makers of the movie.

The opening scene introduces us to the chaotic Roman streets where Hayley(Alison Pill) , an American tourist , meets the handsome Italian Michelangelo. Hayley invites her parents, Jerry(Woody Allen) and Phyllis (Judy Davis), to meet her in-laws.During the visit, Jerry discovers the natural singing talent of Michelangelo's mortician father and launches him as an opera-singer. The best of the guffaws are part of this story :

Jerry: "The kid's a communist, the father's a mortician, does the mother run a leper colony?"

Elsewhere, we are introduced to an architect John (Alec Baldwin) who bumps into a young architectural student Jack (Jesse Eisenberg). In a series of surreal imagination, John hovers around Jack like a guardian angel. Sometimes whacky, sometimes didactic, John tries to steer Jack away from the mistakes of the young  like warning him against women like Monica. Woody's obsession with the pseudo-intellectual woman, is  brought to screen by Monica (Ellen Page) who waxes eloquent of Dostoevsky and Ozymandian melancholy.

Monica: "I would do anything to spend one night with Howard Roark."


Scenario three is about a newly-wedded couple who are separated and is laden with the cliched 'call-girl pretending to be wife' . Even Penelope Cruz in a sexy red dress, fails to save this one. 

The last tale is the one depicting that the famous become 'famous' for no apparent reason. Except as a tribute to Fellini and Roberto Benigni (Life is Beautiful) , this is the most tiring of all . 

The movie might have worked decently well if the story of  the newly-weds and that of a 'schmuck' becoming famous were avoided.For those who are not familiar with Woody Allen's  work, this is not the best place to start familiarizing with his oeuvre.But if, like myself, you are a Woody Allen fan, then you must definitely check it out just so that you can go back to appreciating Annie Hall or Manhattan more than ever.

Review of Moonrise Kingdom

      Nostalgic moments of childhood are funny when we wonder how strongly we believed in stories like the stork bringing babies or how people actually lived inside television sets.

       In ‘Moonrise Kingdom’, Wes Anderson does an amazing job of taking us back to this world. Our heroes are 12 year olds –Sam Shakusky(Jared Gilman) and Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward), who start as pen pals, fall in love and escape to a forest in an idyllic island. Set in 1960s New England, this sepia tinted movie has a fairy-tale feeling.

      Sam attending ’Khaki Scouts’ summer camp is an orphan and is troubled with foster families, who do not need him. He finds solace in Suzy Bishop, who is unhappy with her constantly bickering parents - Laura (Frances McDormand) and Walt (Bill Murray) Bishop. They decide to elope.

    Sam Shakusky: Dear Suzy, walk four hundred yards due north from your house to the dirt path which has not got any name on it. Turn right and follow to the end. I will meet you in the meadow.

      Together they discover the joys of fishing, hiking the hills and woods, reading, camping and lo and behold, kissing!  Their adventure is threatened by multiple search parties .Camp master Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton) launches a search party with the other boy scouts. Meanwhile, the sheriff of the island, Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) also tries to rescue the kids.

    Sam Shakusky : What do you want to be when you grow up?
    Suzy Bishop    :  I don't know...I want to go on adventures I think; not get stuck in one place.

          Camouflaged in this story, is the unhappy troubled story of the adults. Captain Sharp and Laura Bishop’s affair as well as the life of Walt Bishop are melancholic. All of them want to do the right thing and hence put up with unhappiness.

           Two actors who make the movie worthwhile are Jared Gilman as Sam Shakusky and Bruce Willis as Captain Sharp. Jared Gilman as Sam, adds the right element of naughty glint in the eyes along with enough innocence to make audiences want to hug him.  You are also impressed by the transformation of ‘Die-Hard’ Bruce Willis, who, as a melancholic middle-aged sheriff in a small island evokes strong sympathy.

         Captain Sharp :  Let's face it. You're probably a much more intelligent person than I am. In fact, I guarantee it. But even smart kids stick their fingers in electrical sockets sometimes. It takes time to figure things out. It's been proven by history; all mankind makes mistakes...

      There are multiple chuckle-inducing scenes not because they are laugh out loud funny but because they are reminders of the innocence of kids and the awkwardness of 12 year olds.

       Sam Shakusky : Watch out for turtles. They'll bite you if you stick your finger in their mouths.

     The music, composed by Benjamin Britten, is soothing to the soul and adds an ethereal element.

     Moonrise Kingdom will take you back to the time when you first read ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ and if like me, imagined yourself to be Becky Thatcher enjoying the adventures with Tom Sawyer.

     For today’s digital era kids, it is a wonderful story of creativity, ingenuity of surviving in the woods, enjoying nature, retreating to the wonders of reading and last of all, learning that one needn’t resort to cell phones and Facebook to have fun in life.

A Separation - Movie Review

Is 'A Separation' the modern day Rashomon?  is the first question that came to my mind.

Every couple of years there comes a movie that involves us beyond the screen. A few years back, it was The Reader and this year, 'A Separation' surpasses it in terms of it's simplicity of presentation along with depth of emotion.

The movie commences with a couple, Simin and Nader, in a divorce court. The reason for the divorce is  simple - Simin wants to move out of Iran for better prospects for their 12 year old daughter, Termeh.  Nader cannot leave the country since he is the sole care-taker of his Alzheimer-stricken father. The divorce is denied but Simin separates to live in her mother's house. A house-help, Razieh, is employed to look after the demented father during  the day. Razieh, along with her 4 year old daughter, struggles with the burden of managing  the household chores as well as the care of a forgetful and sick old man. She is caught between her religious beliefs (of a woman taking care of a man with no chaperone around) and the need to make ends meet.

At this point the movie could have easily become predictable - by either projecting the plight of Iran and why Simin wants to flee the country, or by focusing on religious beliefs and the way it affects common people. But 'A Separation' does neither. Instead it's sole focus is the intricacies of people's lives. We are drawn into the plight of Razieh that we forget about her religion but sympathize with her situation.

One day Nader and Termeh come home to see the old man fallen off the bed and his hands tied. This infuriates Nader, who wonders along with the audience where Razieh disappeared.
A distraught Razieh returns after some time and tries to explain that she only tied the old man to prevent him from wandering. A furious Nader pushes Razieh out of his house.What follows is a complaint by Razieh's husband against Nader for causing a miscarriage.

We feel deeply sympathetic to all characters. Nader is an amazing son and a fine father. We sense this when Nader, back from work, strikes a fine balance between looking after his father as well as his daughter.
Surely he must be on the right. But again, our heart reaches out to Razieh - pregnant and a good-for-nothing husband forcing her to take up a tiring job. Some of us might be angry with Simin for leaving her family and moving to her mother's house. We also weigh the options just like Termeh does. Like the self-righteousness of a 12 year old, she wants to support whoever is right.

Surprisingly, the judge is neither corrupt nor prejudiced.The questions asked by the judge not only confuse the 12 year old daughter but also the audience.Did Nader know that Razieh was pregnant? Where did Razieh disappear after tying the father?What caused the miscarriage?


If you peel the different layers of this intrinsic story, the heart of movie is the confusion between what is right and wrong? What does one do in a state of helplessness ? Does a parent teach a child what is right or what is convenient?  'A Separation' tries to balance it all as if it were an apple on the tip of the pencil.

Movies and books in march 2012

Movies

1. Boys don't cry - I was fooled at some point about Hillary Swank being born 'inter-sexed' but realizing that she is a woman made me sad. It also made me sad because of the stupidity of her character. I know it takes courage to fight an identity crisis especially a sexual one, but when met with barbaric boys, the woman in you should shout 'Run from danger'. At-least that is what I do!
2. Blue Valentine - I can't gush enough about Ryan Gosling. Add Michelle Williams to this eclectic mix and we have this amazingly beautiful sad story of a couple gone awry.
3. Howard's End (Abandoned) - Would blame it on the timing - when sleep beckons me, this is not the movie I should be watching.
4. Kahani - Nothing more to add to my review.
5. Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? - Yes, it is horrifying. Yes, Betty Davis makes a horrific villain. Yes, it reminded me of Rosemary's baby. But, there were points of time when it defied logic. I like a good movie to have all loose ends neatly tied.
6. Barefoot in the park -  My introduction to Niel Simon. Fun but a little over the top movie-shot- like-a-play(I do like them when done well like Rope but this was a whole different story).I like Robert Redford but he was the wrong choice for the husband. And I can't stop drooling over the dresses of Jane Fonda. I think I would like to see more of her.

 

 7. Young Adult  - Did not live up to it's review. Could have given it a miss.   

 8. A Separation (Iranian movie) - Totally worthy of the Oscar it won. I would like to write a full review of it at some point. This movie does an amazing job of portraying the subtle emotions of a family that is undergoing change in present day Iran. 

 9. Detective Dee and the mystery of the phantom flame (Chinese)  - Fun and colorful. I think it would have been a grand viewing on the big screen but I enjoyed watching the mystery unfold. Set in 618 AD, the first Empress of China orders the investigation of men exploding in flames before her coronation.It is a good DVD watch on a boring Friday night.

Books:

1.Bossy Pants - Tina Fey - Marks my foray into the world electronic readers. It introduced me to the world of 'Improvise' and definitely had a few good laughs.
2. The Hunger Games -  Suzanne Collins - A good story with a fast moving plot. I don't think I would be reading the other two books of the trilogy but will look forward to the movies.
3. Biography of Steve Jobs (Abandoned)- Maybe because I am not the biggest Apple fan on earth(and they are not missing me anyways). Also the entire India trip reeked of 'West finds India mystical' theme, that I find mildly annoying.

Audio Book :

The Coral Thief - Rebecca Scott

I used to consider those who say 'I heard the audio book' as not reading the book, which I still say, by the way. But my first brush with this audio book was good. I don't know if I would bury myself in voices instead of the pages, but they do make good companions on a long and lonely road trip.   

Movies and Books of Feb 2012

Looks like I'm making good progress on the reading front. Me happy :)
 
Books:

1.  By Blood Possessed -  Elena Santangelo : Wonderful read. Set in contemporary times, the story oscillates between the civil war period and present day. I was attracted to this writer who hails from a suburb about 2 miles from where I live and was the winner of the Agatha Award for 2010. Any writer who is affiliated to Agatha Christie has my attention~!
2.  Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell  : I am not much of a non-fiction reader but this book held my attention. Stories varied from 'How Hushpuppies became a fashion phenomenon' to 'How the crime in NYC during the '80s was curbed'. Gladwell definitely scores high on how to tell a good non-fiction story.
3.  Life itself : a memoir - Roger Ebert : Deserves a separate blog post. One thought though; although one is strong in life something from childhood always lingers on your head - in this case, Ebert's mother's indirect influence on the girls he dated made him marry late in life. I thought that was an interesting point to be noted.
4.  Tender is the Night - F Scott Fitzgerald (abandoned for lack of interest. Blasphemous, I know, but I never read a book I'm not interested in.) 
5.  The Valley of Fear - Sherlock Holmes (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)  : Need I say anything more than what millions haven't said before? A good murder mystery for a silent winter evening.

  Movies:

1.  Jazabel : I think Bette Davis deserved an Oscar for her performance in 'All about Eve' and not this one.
2.  Munich:  (abandoned because of too much violence) - A sad but true story of how the Israeli team were brutally killed at the 1972 Munich Olympics and how their death was avenged.
3.  Drive : I thought the plot was too contrived although Ryan Gosling was very good.
   
4.  Deconstructing Harry : Cookie, is the first African American woman featured in any of the Woody Allen movies I have seen so far. Movie is a hilarious riot of a writer whose writing has gone awry with twisted autobiographical incidents.
   
5.  Office Space : Is funny every time I watch it because of how close to truth the movie actually is.
6.  That obscure object of desire : One of Bunuel's famous works, I did not think much of it except that I liked the beginning- A man from a running train, pours a bucket of water on a woman's head, which piques the curiosity of the fellow passengers.
7.  I Don't Know How She Does It : Fun movie of a career woman balancing kids, husband and her project that needs her to travel. Kudos for making a woman respectably reject the boss who is interested in her and stick to her husband.
8.  Higher Ground : Surely everyone who watched 'Up in the air' were mesmerized by Vera Farmiga. So when I heard that she had directed this movie and had good reviews, I decided to pick it up. But it was not for me. A movie about religious zealots is not my cuppa tea. 

I plan to blog about all the books and movies for each month and would love to hear from you on your monthly viewing/reading.        
        

Kahaani - A movie review

When I called my friend to watch a Hindi movie, he was skeptical but played along. He did mention that he would rather watch 'A Separation'. I asked him not to insult my intelligence. I would never waste my time on a movie that is not worth my time. 'A Separation' is high on my list but I was in mood for some Indian fare.

How can one not like a movie that plays 'Tere bina jiya jaaye na'? Kahaani is all about such small details. It assumes that the viewer is intelligent, which is a big plus for Indian movies.

Kahaani is the story of a wife searching for her missing husband just like 'Roja'. But it doesn’t taper off as lamely as 'Roja' did. Vidya Bagchi (Vidya Balan) , a computer engineer from London, frantically searches for her husband, who comes on a two week assignment to India. No one has heard of her husband - Arnab Bagchi. Not the 'National Data Center' (the project he was working on) or the guest house where he stayed. The first place she starts her search is the usual one that any common man would go to - the police and earns the sympathy of a constable, Rana. Her search leads her into an intricate web of mystery and suspense of a look-alike of her husband. Her relentless pursuit of what looks like a lost cause, in spite of being heavily pregnant, makes us want to shout to her to be more considerate to her unborn baby.

The suspense here is not built by a car chase or a series of gun-fights. It is the slow unveiling of an intricate plot which revolves the 'Intelligence Beaureau' and an incident involving a terror attack in the Kolkatta metro.

The characters are flawless. You would hate the IB deputy chief Khan (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), whose commands are nothing but a string of swear words. You would love Rana(Parambrata Chatterjee), for being a simpleton, who takes the tram after work, telling his mother that he is on his way back home. And you are afraid when Bob , the contract killer who masquerades as a lazy insurance agent, is going to kill next.

Of course Kolkatta is an important central character. The simple beauty of the Howrah bridge as seen from the tram, the traffic, the chai chops, the yellow taxi cabs, the Chinese street food stalls, the preparation for puja and the ever beautiful Bong women (if you notice the receptionist at NDC).

Vidya is excellent - as a forlorn wife, as a frantic and pregnant woman, as an NRI who is returning back to homeland, as a South Indian adjusting to being called 'Bidya' and lastly as a beautiful actress who portrays emotions through a subtle glint in her eyes.

Every year I think there is atleast one Hindi movie that I love. Last year, it was Dhobhi Ghaat and this year Kahaani usurped it.  If all this is not enough, the throws-off-your-seat ending makes it a must-watch. 

All things are new before they become old - My own

A stroll through a used book store on a lazy Sunday afternoon introduced me to an amazing writer - Beverley Nichols. The world knows him as a famous writer of gardening books but 'Verdict on India' is anything but that. Published in 1944, it is an autobiographical account of the writer's observations of India. As my fingers turn over the yellow, dog-eared pages, I'm amazed at how much India is still the same except maybe the 'Untouchables'.

In the foreword, the author is apologetic about his book. I think that is very humble of him. Why should anyone apologize to reveal the impressions that India leaves you with?

He also stuns us with his words. In one of the opening paragraphs he writes :

"I stared over the valley. Thirty miles away the white robes of Kinchinjunga were spread against the sky of immaculate blue; they looked like a sort of celestial laundry waiting to be gathered into gigantic baskets by industrious angels. The angels would have to hurry up, for the sun was falling swiftly ; already the divine draperies were being stained with gold and crimson and that strange acid green that is the secret of the Indian twilight'

Like most writers those days, Nichols was a versatile writer. He has published novels, mysteries, short stories, essays and children's books.He wrote a number of non-fiction books on travel, politics, religion, cats, parapsychology, and autobiography. Not to mention his  famous books on gardening.

I'm looking forward to picking more of his books. Discovering this writer is like finding an uncut diamond in a mound of pebbles.

His book of Ballads is featured on Project Gutenberg. I'm sure you would find him as pleasurable to read as I do.