Gone baby gone and inner city decay

This has got to be one of the best movies I've seen in recent times. An earlier non-existent respect for Ben Affleck is now at a high. (Although to be fair, I should also state my admiration for his and Matt Damon's Oscar-winning original script for the brilliant "Good Will hunting").

Casey Affleck's performance took some time to get used to during the movie, mainly because you're expecting so much more emotion from someone in his role. Rather than waste words, I'll just quote Manohla Dargis

Most actors want you to love them, but Casey Affleck doesn’t seem to know that, or maybe he doesn’t care. Patrick doesn’t cuddle or kiss up. He takes the job Bea offers despite the reluctance of his live-in girlfriend and partner, Angie (a solid Michelle Monaghan), but he doesn’t look like anyone’s idea of a savior. With his sneakers and jeans and small-man’s swagger, he comes off like one of those toughs who never leave the neighborhood and would sooner swing a bat at your head than at a ball.

Old reliables Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman's deliver predictably strong performances. On the ratings front, no surprise then that the movie gets a 93% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes

But leave aside all that. I loved the movie for the beauty of the camera work. And this, expectedly as the DVD features showed, was a key element of the movie. From the first frame to the last, city and community form the vivid canvas for the movie. Some scenes of decay reminded me of HBO's path-breaking and recently concluded "The Wire" (whose depiction of inner city decay was of course on a totally different and deeper level).

Also, if you are going to see the movie look out for the opening and closing lines. Haunting lines of dialogue. I haven't read the book, but if I eventually do, I'll write that down as one of the rare cases of a movie making me want to read the book.

Inner city decay on film has always been an issue close to my heart and I wish it was delved into depth more often in India. And no, despite it's alluring title, I do not include the tepid "Life in a Metro" because that movie was more characters and not city. And no that Irrrffann Khan line of "Ye shehar bahut deta hai aur usse jyaada leta hai" left me unmoved. Yawn.

Still, I shouldn't crib because there's still so much better cinema with Bombay as an integral, even central, character. This theme was explored on this blog in the Reel Life Bombay series where fellow bloggers Filmiholic and Punds were kind enough to pen some fine posts on Bombay in movies. Do read and let me know if you've seen any movie where you also remember the city it was shot in.

[Disclaimer: For those expecting racy, exciting, detective, murder-mystery kinda stuff that makes you fall from your chair every 10 seconds and leaves you bum sore, please don't see this movie.]

Looking for comedy in the Indian world

Before “Flop Show”, there was “Yeh jo hai zindagi” and before both of them, there was “Baban Prabhu and Yakub Sayed” in the Doordarshan days. There was also “Chaal Nawachi vaachal vasti” and a whole lot of Marathi TV serials and legendary Marathi humorists like PuLa, that half of Raj Thackeray’s party members couldn’t even remember. Just like brothers-with-arms, the Samajwadi Party, wouldn’t know Kaka Hathrasi and Ashok Chakradhar. But I digress.

This post is simply about “What makes you LOL?” I’m talking old-fashioned laugh-out-loud. Not a smile, snicker, or heh, but a hearty laugh. Here’s what made me LOL over the years.

First there was..
The earliest stuff made me LOL were all those TV serials mentioned above. I loved them for the simple, situational comedy of everyday life. In movies, “Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro” and “Chashme Buddoor” had me in complete splits. Video was still new and staple viewing included “Mind Your Language”, the “Lemon Popsicle” and “Carry On” movie series. In comics, I was a huge fan of Beetle Bailey, Graffiti, Hagar the Horrible, The Lockhorns and Moose & Molly. (This was obviously before Mid-day in Bombay started my all-time fav “Calvin and Hobbes”)

I discovered the joys of PG when I enrolled at the British Council Library. Other than Mr. Wodehouse, I read magazines Punch and Private Eye and admired the way the Brits tear their politicians apart. In those cable-less days, we were also lucky to see Brit TV series like the legendary "Yes Minister" and "Yes Prime Minister", “Spitting Image”, “Drop the Dead Donkey” and “Fawlty Towers” on good ol’ Doordarshan. There was also “Different Strokes” but give me those Brit comedies any day.

..Then the nineties
With cable coming in the early nineties, Star TV, in its original avatar, showed some excellent stuff like “MASH”, “Home Improvement” and “The Simpsons”. There was also the brilliant improv show “Whose line is it anyway”. The few days that NBC aired in India, I looked forward to “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno and then “Late night with Conan O’Brien” – quickly coming to prefer Conan to Leno. But NBC shut shop soon deciding that there was no market for an English TV channel in India. It took time for Star TV to agree. (Since then Star has come back with a dedicated English channel, but not NBC).

Later in the 90s, I liked “Friends” for some time but got bored quickly of their self-obsession and sex obsession. An accusation that holds true for just about any American TV series, so it’s only a question of what you can take. So, I took on to “Seinfeld” like crazy. I think it’s the best comedy TV series ever for me. In movies, anything by Zucker-Abrahams was totally LOL’able( “Airplane”, “The Naked Gun” and “Hot Shots” series) and two other landmark comedies of the 90s were “My Cousin Vinny” and “There’s something about Mary”.

The here and now
Cut to present day. I don't think I’m enough. But then, comedy ain’t what it used to be. Political correctness is the order of the day and we take things too seriously. (That’s one reason I enjoy “Curb Your Enthusiasm” – if that’s daily life in the US then it’s more reality than comedy.)

No media house dare make a (comedy) TV series or movie on politics, bureaucracy or the system. Can’t blame them, who’d want their effigies and posters burnt? That sucks so much (just for that hats off to Cyrus Broacha on The Week that Wasn’t). And that’s why I’m a huge fan of “Real Time with Bill Maher”. For the love of God I can’t imagine anyone in Mumbai making fun of either Balu T or Raju T (both of them, ironically, being cartoonists). And I doubt that day would ever come. For example, why has stand-up comedy never taken off in Bombay?

Which means we have to rely mostly on slapstick, parody and risqué humor to run our “Laughter Challenges”. Not that I’ve disliked them. In the past, I’ve enjoyed Raju Srivastav and Sunil Pal much more than any Priyadarshan comedy (barring the first “Hera Pheri”). And I also think Munna-bhai took comedy to a completely different level. But still. There’s only so much that we can come up with. All the laughter shows have become photocopies of each other and I could never stand seeing Sidhu, Shekhar Suman, Mandira Bedi, et al with their over-the-top fake ear-to-ear laughs. The only comedy I enjoy on the Hindi TV channels today is the priceless "Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai". Whoever thought a clash between elitism and middle class-ism could be so hilarious. Ironically, the series has already closed a long time back and what I'm seeing today are re-runs - which are still very funny. 

Finally, the internet. From emails, the fore bearers of the tech funnies, to Facebook wall posts, Orkut scraps and youtube videos, I’ve seen barely a handful of really funny stuff. And now there’s blogs. Even here, I’ve stopped following most of the blogs I found funny for a variety of reasons (Gawker being an exception because he's a class apart).

Hm. Funny. When I want it, it does become difficult to find comedy in my current world.

So, what makes you LOL?

Recommendations invited

For DVD viewing, movie and TV series included. After the wonderful recommendations by everyone in this post here, we saw the following

(1) Lost - Awesome. Loved it. We watched all 3 seasons in the span of a month, and just freaked on the series. Mind-boggling, mind-bending and I still can't get myself to like Michael for killing Ana Lucia and Libby. Just like I can't stop catching all those tags that Sawyer keeps throwing around. I'd do anything to find out whose funeral it was that Jack (in the future) almost attends, but I'm willing to wait till season #4 begins out here in India.

(2) The 4400 - Very good, but somehow it didn't engage me as much as Heroes. Seemed to be just a bit slow, although the concept was brilliant. Or perhaps I'm getting weary of the save-the-world thing. But I will surely watch Season #3 and 4 whenever it's out here on DVD. Bit surprising that the series was canceled after that.

Now, these are the series recommended (to me in the comments of that post) that make my DVD library-wallahs go all "Duh?" when I ask him for them

(a) Dexter
(b) McGoohan's The Prisoner
(c) Veronica Mars

As far as movies go, I haven't seen even one DVD that I can recall as excellent or even just damn good. The last one was Mr. Brooks.

So, whoever is out there, please let me know if you've seen something good, TV series or movie. Thank you.

Happy Holidays

A term that I couldn't get when I first heard it. "Happy Holidays"? What's the deal with "Happy Holidays"? Sure I got that people go home for Diwali and stuff. And for me going home meant staying in Bombay itself. But "Happy Holidays"?

I mean I haven't seen anyone take more than two days off for Diwali. But since Diwali is on two separate days, more often than not it becomes a long weekend. You know, leave for home on Tuesday night, Weds is off (i.e. public holiday for Lakshmi Pooja), take Thursday off and since Friday would also be chutti (public hol #2 for Diwali), you land up taking almost the whole week off. Fresh back to work on Monday morning. That's the holidays that I know here.

But to think of going home from say, 23rd (Dec) night all the way to 1st (Jan)..that's 10 days. Man, that is a lot of leave. Yet, each time I see people greet each other, or signboards and ads everywhere (all this of course when I'm watching a an American serial) which go "Happy Holidays", I can't help but wonder, what would happen if I tell someone "Hey, Happy Diwali and Happy Holidays". Yeah, yeah, I know that look.

And since you're waiting for the point of this post, it is in fact - Happy Holidays. At least to me, because this blog is now off for..um..holidays. I will see you on the other side of the New Year 2008. Oh ok, I now I've been lax in my posting. And yes, I know that posts should logically have increased since I'm on break. But well, it's not happened and I'm sorry. I am because I know I want to post more. And I won't BS by saying "My New Year resolution is to post more", because that lies next to the "I will lose 20kgs this year". I mean if you believe that you'd believe that it's gonna be Ron Paul v/s John Edwards next year in the USA. Oh I kid the Americans (talking of which, does anyone know when Bill Maher's new season begins?)

Finally, wrapping up 2007.

1. My movies of the year are The Bourne Ultimatum (English), Chak De India and I'm now adding Khoya Khoya Chand.

2. On DVD, I can't recall one single movie that I went ga-ga over, because this, for me, was the year of TV series on DVD. And therefore, my DVD of the year would have to be "The Sopranos".

3. My song of the year is Vaari Vaari (Hindi). English song would have to be Speed of Sound (I know it's not from 2007, but I heard it so many times this year that it just eclipses anything else I heard).

4. Since I didn't read any book this year, I don't have a book of the year like I did last year. But I can point you to NYT's list of The 10 Best Books of 2007 and Books of the Year 2007 at The Guardian. What a fine line-up of books. Maybe I'll even read one of them next year.

So, what were your fav movies, music and books for the 2007? Love to know.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and yes, Happy Holidays.

Born Bourne

If this was for Hindi, this below is my choice for movie of the year, English.


Relentless. Brutal.

I think those two words come top-of-mind, besides the usual stuff like thrilling, gripping, etc. These guys (Doug Liman for "Identity" and the absolutely top-notch Paul Greengrass for "Supremacy" and now "Ultimatum") have set the standard so far above that all the so-called "new, new" James Bonds and all the other crap that passes under the genre of "Thriller" is just light years behind.

Last night I watched the first two parts and today I saw the third. All three movies are cutting edge. Its just madness. The stunts, the car chases, the hand-to-hand fights, the sheer pace of the movie. And then the man himself. Or actually human weapon? Matt Damon is so comfortable in his skin doing Jason Bourne. His physique, his blank stare and his personna just brings the character alive.

For a man who can kill with such ease, its tough to call him vulnerable. He's not. He's the "man-against-the-world" in the new - how the Americans call it - post 9/11 world. Where Operation Blackbriar has taken over from Operation Treadstone.

In particular, I think the ending in "Ultimatum" was the best in the series so far. That one minute exchange between Bourne and his assassin, when Bourne says "Look at what they make you give" was the killer line of the movie (and also a nice punch at the believers of the "Whatever it takes" theory or should I just say right-wingers?).

And the music. This is the one thriller franchise that has thrilled me with the way they use music to take the overall cinematic experience to another level. I'd half-expected Paul Greengrass to dump a background score, but wow. Percussion (bhangra beats) and electronica (Oakenfold's "Ready-steady-go" in..I think "Supremacy") remain an integral part of the score throughout the series.

And I am just so glad they retained Moby's "Extreme Ways" in all three parts as the song played in the end titles. (For e.g. watch it in the "Supremacy" here). Just goes to show how you don't necessarily need a big band or a big singer to sing a title track in a big brand movie franchise, like - yes - how Bond does.

See the movie. Visit the website too. Do both really.

And if you've not had enough, watch their DVDs and look out for the goodies (for e.g. the making of the Moscow car chase in "Supremacy". Their stunt co-ordinators and producers go "Well, the chase in "Identity" was great and we knew we had to go a level up"...how do these guys do it.)

Definitely my picture of the year and I can say without doubt that I'm looking forward to the next Bourne instalment.

Three months to go

But still...

Here's my movie of the year 2007.



Magnificent. You've either seen it or..well. "Ye le Preeti, dekha de woh launde ko" and "Acha hai, apne desh mein hi swaagat kar rahe hain aap" were among my favourite lines. I'd love anything that Jaideep Sahni's written but he went one level up with this. I'm looking forward to seeing it again - if only for those superb Delhi shots.

I seriously doubt anything in the coming three months will come even a mile close to this one movie. And here I count OD master Bhansali's "Saawariya" and Farha Khan's "Om Shanti Om". Promos for both movies are already out, i.e. two months before launch (same day - Nov 9th). They might be blockbuster stuff, but honestly, just for pure fun, spirit and emotion, Chak De towers.

I also have my song of the year.

I thought "Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd." was probably among the most under-rated movies in recent times. I enjoy "Vaari vaari" simply because it sounds so fresh every time I hear it, unlike any of the chart-busters this year. The picturisation of the song was brilliant and probably adds to the overall experience. I'm a fan of K. K. Menon and as you'd see above he was just mad, mad, mad in this song.

And before I go - Amit Paul for Indian Idol.

Songs stuck

...in my head. Both from Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (oh Shaad Ali, don't you dare disappoint..after Bunty Babli and Saathiya, don't you dare disappoint)

1. "Jhoom Barabar, Jhoom Barabar, Jhoom Barabar Jhoooooooom, Jhoom Barabar, Jhoom Barabar, Jhoom Barabar Jhoooooooom"

Out damned song, out. No, ok, it's a pretty decent song. Not blockbuster material, but very, very catchy. They (Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy..talking of which, don't you all disappoint either) seem to have combined quite a few nice instruments to make a very catchy number. Somehow it could've sounded better, but I'm just nit-picking. Jhooooooooom. Rabaa.

2. "Ticket to Hollywood, ticket to Hollywood"

Does the guy say "chaniya choli" after that?. And just what is "No no Moo-see-air, no no itna simple nahin.." Moo-see-air? Moo-see-air? Moo what? Duh? Ah..Monsieur. Hilarious. As long as its Preity who's saying that, I'm cool. If Lara can pull that off, bully for her.

My line from the trailer of the movie? Abhishek blurting out to Preity something which goes something like "To tum log ka sex ho gaya?"

The story is here, but I am not going to read it.

Oh, Shaad Ali, don't you dare disappoint.

On super-heroes and Spidey 3

I'm a big Spidey fan. Right from this first version in 1977, (trivia - did you know Nicholas Hammond also starred as that Von Trapp-ing German lad in Sound of Music?) to the 2002 Sam Raimi blockbuster, to his 2004 sequel.

Gotta love Spidey. He's the most human among all the superheroes. That's why I also love Daredevil. I'm not a big Superman fan, he's got it it all too easy. Batman's too rich. I mean come on, the dude's got a huge car, a cave, a mansion and a butler. No way. The Hulk..well, he's huge so he's got size on his side. The Fantastic Four (come on, you're already thinking Jessica Alba) are good, but well, they're four of them including the Thing. I loved the X-Men though. Mutants are cool..and rejects too - which is their whole appeal. Mandrake's a magician plus he's got Lothar and two bikini clad hotties. Phantom never dies (and he's got Devil). And so on and so forth. Wonder Woman?...get outta here. Super hero or childhood fantasy? Uh huh...now you know why they never made a movie on her.

But Spidey, he's human. He carries a past. He's burdened. He's a geek, a loser. He doesn't get the chicks, he doesn't have a career, he's got a loud-mouthed, foul, rude boss. But he still goes about doing his web-slinging. And he's also got a sense of humor. He is believable. And, he's Spider-man. Does whatever a spider can. Spins a web, any size, catches thieves......

I've held these views since I was a kid, as I maintain them now. I'm a pretty simple guy. I believe super heroes are meant to kick ass. That's why they have powers, right? They're supposed to finish the baddies. I root and rah-rah for the super heroes because good wins over evil. It's gotta. I mean these are comics and movies and stuff, right? Gimme a place I can escape to from real life.

So, because I believe in the simpler stories of good overcoming evil, of super heroes killing villains and such like, I was completely disappointed with the new, new Superman in Superman Returns. Man, was he a wuss or what. Big let-down from one of my favorite directors - Bryan Singer (interestingly enough, the same guy behind the first two X-Men movies). Superman's not supposed to have complexes and depressions, he's not supposed to go on sabbaticals, he's not supposed to see his girl with some other man with his kid. No way Jose. What next? Superman on Prozac?

I completely took to Batman Begins because I'm too big a fan of Chris Nolan. More so if he's got Christian Bale. Call me forgiving (yes, I know Katie Holmes starred in the movie too), but that's it. I was never a big fan of the earlier Batman movies, because somehow, I never caught on to Tim Burton's style. For example, in the first Batman movie , I thought it was the Joker playing Jack Nicholson and not the other way round. Too much star power, too many special effects, too little story, too little fun.

For similar reasons, I didn't quite like the new James Bond in Casino Royale. But then this new 007 was such a huge success everywhere, I figured movie-goers now want their heroes to connect with their inner-selves. You know, lose their mojo every once in a while, discover for themselves that, well, life ain't simple, even if you have double oh's after your name.

Suddenly everything's become complex for the hero. The world, the girl next door, the villain. Everything's different. So, the hero needs to introspect, discover his inner strengths. It's not as simple as melting the red wire on the time bomb with your laser beam vision, after hearing the clock tick with the super hearing, after bending the baddie's gun with your bare hands.

But coming back to Spidey and Spidey 3...I'm seeing it tomorrow night. And today, I read, with a heavy-heart that Spidey 3's already getting some negative reviews. Sample the New Yorker review below..

If “Spider-Man 3” is a shambles, that’s because it makes the rules up as it goes along. By the end, for instance, Sandman has become the size of an office block, each swinging fist as big as a truck, his personality reduced to brutishness. I half expected him to come after Spider-Man and Mary Jane carrying a gigantic bucket and spade. By what criterion did he grow so mountainous? Is he like a Transformer, or more like a genie? The fact is that if the fantastical is to flourish it must lay down the conditions of its magic and abide by them; otherwise, we feel cheated. (Tolkien knew this better than anyone.)

And this is just the first para of Manohla Dargis' review at the NYT...

If ever a movie had a case of the blues and the blahs, it’s “Spider-Man 3,” the third and what feels like the end of Sam Raimi’s big-screen comic-book adaptations. (Ready or not, the studio is talking about a fourth.) Aesthetically and conceptually wrung out, fizzled rather than fizzy, this latest installment in the spider-bites-boy adventure story shoots high, swings low and every so often hits the sweet spot, but mostly just plods and plods along, as if its heart were pumping tired radioactive blood.

Now I am aware that the tag line of the film is "The greatest battle lies within" (and man, do I love that line) - which obviously means that Spidey's gonna have a lot of inner turmoil to deal with....but I'm hoping that that black substance covering him (and his new outfit) ain't his inferiority complex or something. I mean I'd forgive Spidey going all bad for some time but please...I don't need him to become a manic depressive, or the Thinker or something. Come on.

Good part is he's also got three villains to deal with, i.e. a lot of mean ass to kick. That's something to look forward to. And so it is, that despite all these trepidations, I'm still looking forward to the movie.

Meanwhile, do you have a favorite super-hero? which one? and why? Love to know..

That Jerry Maguire Moment

Those who've seen - and loved - Jerry Maguire would recall Tom Cruise's face, when he gets a brutal reply to his "it-would-take-a-tank-to-stop-your-dad".

This leads him to the path of, um, greatness and his mission statement, titled "The Things We Think And Do Not Say (The Future of our Business)"

Mr. Maguire's face when the Kinko's guy (making photo-copies of his statement) tells him "That's how you become great man. You hang your balls out there", is a study in horror. But I digress.

Since I'm in a...well, certain frame of mind that I'd rather not write more about, I'm reproducing the text of the tank scene below (taken from here)

EXT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY -- NIGHT

Remo's 14 year-old SON (JESSE) confronts Jerry outside the
hospital room. He's a hulking kid, a Pop Warner football
player himself. His voice is in the process of changing.



SON
This is his fourth concussion.
Shouldn't somebody get him to stop?

As he talks, Jerry's cellular phone rings in his bag.

JERRY
(glib, easy)
Come on -- it'd take a tank to
stop your dad. It would take all
five Super Trooper VR Warriors,
right?

The kid stares at Maguire. It feels as if the kid is peering
into his soul... and all he sees is trash.

SON
Fuck you.

The kid turns and exits in disgust. He leaves Jerry standing
in the hallway. Devastated. Music.

You can also see this scene here (video quality is sad)


Now, the Kinko's scene (which starts from the middle of the Mission Statement)...

SHOT OF SENTENCE: We must embrace what is still virginal
about our own enthusiasm, we must crack open the tightly
clenched fist and give back a little for the common good, we
must simply be the best versions of ourselves... that
goodness will be unbeatable and the money will appear.

He pauses, and wipes his eyes, still considering the sentence.

JERRY'S VOICE
(continuing)
Hey, I'll be the first to admit
it. What I was writing was
somewhat "touchy feely."

He deletes it. And then -- zip -- he restores it and
continues on, boldly.


JERRY'S VOICE
(continuing)
I didn't care. I had lost the
ability to bullshit. It was the
me I'd always wanted to be.

INT. KINKO'S COPIES -- NIGHT

Jerry in T-shirt stands proudly watching copies pumped out.
Wired college students, band guys, other Copy People of the
Night nearby.

JERRY'S VOICE
I printed it up in the middle of
the night, before I could re-think
it.

Industrial, multi-pierced Kinko's copy guy examines the first
printed copy of the Mission Statement. He nods approvingly,
taps his heart in tribute. He slides a copy across the
counter, for Jerry's approval.

THE THINGS WE THINK AND DO NOT SAY
(The Future of Our Business)

KINKO'S GUY
That's how you become great, man.
You hang your ba11s out there.

Jerry nods. It's 3 AM, and this guy sounds and looks like a
prophet. In fact, everyone in Kinko's at 3 AM does.

JERRY
(self-effacing)
Thanks.

This is Jerry Maguire's Mission Statement, which never gets read in the movie, beyond its original title.

And finally...Tom Petty's "Free Falling". Ho boy. Now we're talking.

On Bambai Nagariya

Laakh Roz Aake Bas Jaate Hai
Iss Sheher Se Is Dil Laga Ke Phas Jaate Hai
Sone Ki Raahon Mein Soone Ko Jagah Nahi
Shola Hai Ya Hai Bijuriya Dil Ki Bajariya Bambai Nagariya
Utar Jaaye Ragon Mein Jo Toh Teh Nasha Hai
Iski Aadat Jo Pad Gayi Toh Yeh Saza Hai
Aise Bhar De Ke Khaali Kar De

(lyrics from the song “Bambai Nagariya” sung by Bappi Lahiri in the movie Taxi No. 9211)

I said it then and I say it now. I’m addicted to this mad city.

The thought for this post came when I was watching Taxi No. 9211 for the x-th time on TV. What a super Bombay movie. Besides a lovely soundtrack, I really liked the way the characters were etched, the performances, and of course Bombay in the movie.

Taxi No. 9211 also takes me back to this comment by the good Filmiholic,

One other thing.... have you noticed the central role that the city itself plays in some recent Hindi movies? Bluffmaster, Taxi No 9211, Sarkar, just to name a few.

In the "Making Of" segment on the DVD of Bluffmaster, Rohan Sippy said that they saw Bombay as another character in the movie.

That comment led to the “Reel life Bombay” series, where Filmiholic and Punds were kind enough to guest. That was one of the most fun series I’ve had on this blog.

But, coming back to Bombay, love and addiction…

See, I'm addicted to Bombay. Which is a bit different from loving Bombay, because loving Bombay can get a bit dicey. I mean, sample these oft-read, oft-heard p.o.v.s -

The outraged view – how dare you say this about a city where a woman can go home at three in the night and be assured that she’d reach home safe? a city whose cab and rickshaw drivers are so honest? a city that is so efficient and quick? with such a vibrant night-life?

Or, the are-you-a-dimwit defense - how you can love a city where traffic is so miserable, politicians are corrupt, real estate end rentals are a joke, infrastructure collapsing everyday.

Or, the “Hi-I’m-from-Fortune” move – Bombay is a city of contradictions. Skyscrapers brush shoulders with slums. Mercedes engines talk with bullock-carts. Cows walk along-side Chihuahuas.

And finally, the I-will-always-love-you gambit – oh, I’d die for a vada-pav on a rain-soaked evening at Marine Drive. Or have bhel on Chowpatty with the waves touching my feet. The hazaar, yummy, road-side food joints.

Here’s the thing. Bombay is all of that and then some. But then you already knew that.

Is that enough to declare undying love - or for that matter disgust - for this city? I don't know.

And is there a truth about Bombay? I don't think so.

So, for the record, I’ll say it again. This city is a drug and I’m an addict.

Utar Jaaye Ragon Mein Jo Toh Teh Nasha Hai
Iski Aadat Jo Pad Gayi Toh Yeh Saza Hai

Karo na...pyaar

That's my nominee for movie of the year 2006.

Want to choose yours ? Be my guest. Here is the full Filmfare awards ad (TOI, 3rd Jan 2007, Wed), which contains all the movies released in 2006.



And you thought you'd seen everything in 2006. Did you see these?

- Bajrang – He-Man (Ladies, beware)
- Bheega Badan (ah, those waterfalls, those rivers. Thank you Raj Kapoor)
- Bipasha – The Black Beauty (Bip-who?)
- Chumban – The Kiss (in case you were wondering)
- Ek se mera kya hoga (was he really referring to Pan Paraag?)
- Free Entry (‘No entry’ part 2?)
- Galtiyan – The mistake (Hai, hai mein lut gayi, barbaad ho gayi)
- Haseena – Smart, sexy and dangerous (what more could you ask for?)
- Hot Girl (keep it simple stupid)
- Hot Malaika (it’s getting hot in here)
- Hot Money (international thriller, stock-market scam?)
- Item Girl (a.k.a.Hot Girl the prequel)
- Jaana – let’s fall in love (inspired by K Jo?)
- Kaamwaali (no comment)
- Karo Na….Pyaar (brilliant. My vote for picture of the year)
- Mast Chalak Chhokri (or is this is the Hindi version of Haseena?)
- Men not allowed (Free Entry part 2?)
- Mr 100% - The Real Player (related to Bajrang?)
- Naughty Boy (tease me baby till I lose control)
- No Parking (So we got No entry and No parking..what’s next? No Speeding?)
- Sandwich (no, I can’t even imagine)
- Shaitan ki premika (Revenge of the Ramsays)

Casino Royale - a review

Saw Casino Royale. Very ordinary, very forgettable. Daniel Craig is quite good, but I couldn't stop wondering if Clive Owen (who was also reportedly in the race for the new Bond) would've been better.

The movie also got me thinking as to what Bond used to be, and what it is now.

Then: edge-of-the-seat, scintillating opening sequence with Bond extricating himself from absolutely impossible situations that only he can get out of. That's why he's Bond
Now: B&W sequence where we learn how Bond got promoted to Double-O status - i.e. by shooting off a baddie sitting opposite him in a bar (they're the only two people there), prior to which Bond had bashed up a goon in the loo. However, to be fair, this was followed by a breath-taking, edge-of-seat chase between Bond and Sebastien Foucan, the free-running master. Thank God for that - it was true Bond

Then: Opening title sequence with loads of silhouettes of seductive women with the title track of the movie. (remember Tina Turner's Goldeneye ? or even Duran Duran's View to kill?)
Now: Some card-based shadowy title sequence with caterwauling by Chris Cornell (who he ?) going "I know who you are". Uninspiring.

Then: Q and loads and loads of gadgets. Damn. Those cars, those pens, those watches and assorted paraphernalia were quintessential Bond. Any self-respecting gadget freak would swoon over them. Bond-Q dialogues were also quite fun.
Now: No Q, no gadgets. Loads of Sony Ericsson phones (remember Sony made the movie?) and one fancy car whose most technologically-advanced gadget is a defribillator. Why ? Just in case, you know, Bond has a heart attack, he can calmly, very Bondly, get into the car, strap it to his chest and and zap himself back to life. And yes, this does happen in the movie, only it's the girl doing the needful zapping.

Then: Gangster molls and bimbettes. Pussy Galore, Octopussy, Xenia Onatopp and of course, Honey Ryder, have all been legends. For example, remember the climax of "The Man with the Golden Gun" ? when Mary Goodnight touched off a laser gun with her bikini-clad butt ?
Now: One babe, admittedly hot, but who lasted all of 3 minutes before being conveniently tortured and killed after she reveals some secrets to Bond. Oh and we have the famous love angle for Bond with Vesper Lynd (I'm not sure how funny that name is). Yes well, whatever. This is supposed to be the big thing about the movie. Left me unmoved, except for the conversation in the train between Bond and Lynd.

Then: Risque closing sequences. Bond typically in bed with above-mentioned girl comes up with some witty one-liner when his bosses call him in the end. Sample, the closing lines of "Moonraker" - Bosses: "What are you doing Bond?" (Bond's in bed with some hottie). Bond, calmly: "Keeping the British end up".
Now: Bond gets the villain, shoots him in the leg and goes "Bond. James Bond". Er, ok.

Then: Simple plots, predictable turns and deceptions.
Now: Card games, a few side-villains, one big betrayal that is explained away by M in one sentence and a villain that is seen for all of 1.1 minutes. Give me Scaramanga and Blofeld anyday.

I don't get it. Why a new Bond ? And hang on, I want to make a broader point here.

Are the times of our lives changing so much that we need to find out the origins and complications of every famous movie character ? Or get involved in his personal anguish, introspections, etc ? What ? now we need the movies to get in touch with our inner-selves ?

Take for example - a wuss of a Superman (in the recent disaster - Superman Returns, a.k.a. - "The Perils of a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist: Do you know how many 'c's in a catastrophe?"), an exiled Batman (in Chris Nolan's brilliant Batman Begins) and now "How Bond Got His Double-Ohs". What next ? Jaws: The true story ? (or how Jaws ate all the people on the beach because he was a victim of sexual abuse as a kid ?)

Is this is some kinda reflection on the times we live in ? That hey, you know, we don't always know what is good from bad. Life is not a box of chocolates, Forrest, life is grey and complicated. You even get lemons. Even our super-heroes can get their asses kicked.

I'll tell you what. I don't care a damn about these introspections and these sensitive, reluctant heroes. Give me simple, kick-ass rockstars who wipe the floor with villains asses, who get the best girls, the best lines and the best gadgets. I go to the movies to be entertained. I don't need slow, self-indulgent, soap-opera stuff.

There is a reason why Hollywood's most famous characters are its most famous brands. Bond, Indiana Jones, comic book super-heroes, hell, even Austin Powers. There's a reason why plain, old-fashion entertainment works. That's what I go to the movies for. That's why I remember Ursula Andress, Sean Connery, Roger Moore and even Pierce Brosnan. Add Christopher Reeve, Harrison Ford and God knows how many more to that list.

But I guess that list is probably over because they don't make movies, and heroes, like they used to.

On the old Don

So the other day, I was reading something somewhere. All I can remember for now was this bit alluding to people not knowing that the old “Don” was not a good movie. And I went “whoa, what was that about?”. But then, as always, work beckoned and I didn’t read further. Maybe I got the context wrong, maybe I should’ve read more. Whatever.

So, last night SET Max was showing the old 1971 1978 "Don" and I saw a bit of the movie. I've seen it before and remain a loyal fan. (Aside - I'd also love to have this poster. Appreciate help if you know where I can get it from.)



So, the bit I saw last night was the sequence of Roma extricating the recuperating Don (i.e. the fake one) from the cops.

In the new “Don”, this was done by the yummylicious Piggy Chops dressed in all whites (tribute to the old one?) lifting the ambulance straight off the road with a crane and zipping away, as the smiling, all-knowing Inspector (Boman Irani - yuck) looks on.

In the old “Don”, this takes place inside the hospital. Zeenat Aman dressed in all whites, as a nurse, goes to Don’s room. She then tells the cop in the room that she has to give Don a sponge bath (!), so the cop goes out. Next, she ties herself with ropes, puts a gag on her mouth, opens the window in the room and leaves a rope hanging out. Then she hops to the door and starts kicking on it so the cops outside know there’s trouble. When they come in, they find her tied and gagged and assume that the Don has escaped.


So where’s he ? She’s hidden him in the loo. She then puts a fake beard on him and gets him out on the wheelchair, strolls it out of the hospital and into the ambulance, which is full of Don’s goons, incl. Narang and Mac. (Aside – I just loved the attention given to side characters in both the Dons). And they’re away. Don’s escaped.

But not yet. By then, the cops have alerted everyone that Don’s escaped. So, the cops at the gate stop the ambulance and question Narang, “Peeche kya hai?” and he goes “Dead body”. So the cops open the back and lift the white cloth over the body. Only to reveal Mac. And the entire episode ends with a shot of Don’s feet sticking out from below the stretcher as the cops close the door of the ambulance.

In my opinion, that entire sequence was brilliant. There are plenty of other clever scenes that I remain in love with. A dead Don in the car with Iftikhar (what a performance!) who doesn’t even realise he’s dead – why didn’t they do this scene in the new version ? And Iftikhar asking Pran – who’s captured him inside a room..

Iftikhar: Kya chahiye tumhe ?
Pran: Aap ki maut. Agar aap ko aitraaz na ho to.

Smooth. So smooth. And so, so Pran. That voice, that look.

In my books, the old "Don" was up there in 1971 1978 and it’s even up there now, in 2006. I thought it was a really good edge-of-the-seat thriller, with twists and turns that seem good even now. And I’m not even talking Helen or Zeenat Aman or whatever. That's stuff for more posts, but then you probably knew it anyway. I thought the old "Don" was a fantastic movie. I try and catch each time it comes on. They don't make 'em like that any more.

PS – turns out what I’d read was on Desipundit and the line was "Btw, I hope people realize that the original Don was actually a pretty bad movie." I don’t agree with that at all.

Don - review

Bad is the new good. See it.

Yes
- Shahrukh
- Piggy Chops
- Pawan Malhotra
- Kareena
- Malaysia
- Bombay skyline
- Morya, morya, morya re
- Music

No
- Boman Irani
- Length
- UMD

Movie lists from the other side

Our man from the USofA, Purush, adds some movies of his own. I've copy/pasted from his earlier comments below. They fall under..well..all categories.

Disclaimer - Please note, his list, as well as my ongoing series, is not a list of all-time greats. As I've said before, the path to a good weekend movie is strewn with many a lemon.

Over to Purush (views expressed entirely his own, but I'd agree to most of them anyways)

The Pink Panther: Disappointing. Steve Martin is quite reliable, and his Shopgirl, below, is wonderful. But he’s not at his best here...at all. BTW, if you haven’t, “Bowfinger” which is an older movie of his, is a hilarious must-see. (Tomato Meter Reading: 21%)

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: Some very witty and snappy dialogue, in a ludicrous, slight plot. Some lines in it make it worthwhile, plus Robert Downey Jr. is quite good. (TMR: 83%)

The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys: 2002 movie about 2 rebellious teen boys in a strict Catholic school. Well-made and acted. Kieran Culkin has a creepy, but absolutely magnetic, presence. (TMR: 76%)

Junebug: Probably the best comedy I’ve seen this year. Not strictly a comedy, actually…but a simple story that follows a big city girl into her boyfriend’s small-town America family, with their differing lives and attitudes. (TMR: 87%)

The Family Stone: Strictly okay. Watchable for some of the big-name stars like Rachel McAdams, Claire Danes, Sarah J. Parker, Luke Wilson…otherwise quite predictable. (TMR: 54%)

Shopgirl: Up there, amongst the best movies of this year (though was released in 2005). Funny, contemplative, bittersweet…Claire Danes is luminous in the movie! (TMR: 62%)

Rumor Has It: A dud. Because it’s directed by Rob Reiner, it’s 2005s’ biggest disappointment for me. (TMR: 18%)

Anchorman: Will Ferrell playing a cocky, misogynistic, non-PC anchorman from the 70s…what’s there not to love?!! Guilty pleasure. (TMR: 65%)

Broken Flowers: Love Bill Murray, hence liked this, it’s got Murray doing his minimalist brand of comedy as he traverses the US looking up his ex-girlfriends. But I can see why non-Murray fans would not like it all. (TMR: 87%)

Mean Girls: Very smart, bright comedy. Hip and funny – Tiny Fey’s script writing debut about the pressures faced by teen-girls in high school. (TMR: 86%)

Saved!: Another 2004 movie about teenage girls, that’s anything but a chick flick. Very good, though it looks a mite too simplistic in lampooning the evangelical movement. (TMR: 61%)

Roger Dodger: Well made movie, and loved Campbell Scotts’ world-weary act of a jaded Lothario shepherding his young nephew into the NY scene of clubs, girls and all things subterranean about NY city. (TMR: 87%)

Trees Lounge: Older Steve Buscemi movie, and absolutely pitch perfect in its’ depiction of a small-town drunk just shuffling through life. Buscemi directed it himself, hence it’s got double the oddball quotient that his movies usually have! (TMR: 80%)

Match Point: Over-rated. Very linear, mechanical story line. Woody Allen movie, though and not a comedy either, so you might want to check it out. (TMR: 79%)

Igby Goes Down: Older movie, but awesome, in a watching-a-train wreck kinda way. Dysfunctional New Yorkers have rarely been shown better. Reminds me of the old "Sunscreen" song line: "Live for a while in New York, but not too long that it makes you too hard". (TMR: 76%)

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: Beautiful, small movie. Unpretentious, heart-breaking and yet uplifting. Really liked it. (TMR: 58%)

The Squid and the Whale: Blah. NYC does seem to have some very unlikable, self-obsessed people. (TMR: 94% !!)

P.S.: Liked it, it grows on you. And if you like Laura Linney and Topher Grace, it's a no-brainer. V. good and complex performances by them. (TMR: 56%)

House of D: Duchonvy's directorial feature debut(?), and shows some likeable New Yorkers, for a change. Decent, and if you're still a Duchonvy fan, you'll like it. (TMR: 10% whoo-ho!)

My Summer of Love: Dark flick, the anti-teen movie about emotionally damaged teenagers flirting with their sexual power and innocence. Powerful. (TMR: 91%)

The Dreamers: Some in-your-face nudity and attitude but extremely watchable, otherwise, too. Bertolucci masterfully shows, in the actions of his young protagonists, the different idea that is France as compared to the USA. (TMR: 58%)

War of the Worlds: If u can get past the fact that Cruise could actually be from another world, this is a pretty good movie. Suspension of disbelief, though, majorly required. (TMR: 72%)

My earlier movie lists
Part 1 - Drama
Part 2 - Comedies
Part 3 - Thrillers (to be updated)
Part 4 - World Cinema (to be updated)

Technorati tags: Entertainment, movies, film, DVD, hollywood.

Movie lists continue. Part 2 - comedies

This picks up from the earlier list on comedies linked here. As you will see here, most of the movies range from so-so to so-no. The path to a good weekend movie is indeed strewn with lemons. Here we go..

Part 2 - Comedies
Christmas with the Kranks: Ok, so I saw it only because of Tim Allen (And boo to Star World for not restarting Home Improvement at a better time) and it turned out to be a damp squib. (TMR: 4%. Eeesh, wish I'd known that.)

The Brothers Grimm: Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Monica Bellucci. And the director of 12 Monkeys. And you can still go wrong. Disappointing and a big let-down. You have been warned. (TMR: 39%, and I do not agree with the good reviews there).

The Pacifier: After renting movies like above, movies like this look good. No pretensions, no expectations, nothing. Put Vin Diesel in the middle of a bunch of kids..and well, at least you won't get bored. Or angry that you expected anything. Fun pic really. (TMR: 21%. Oh come on now..)

The Wedding Date: Your very average weekend rom-com type, of which there have been better. Nothing great, unless you're a huge Debra Messing/Dermot Mulroney fan, which I'm clearly not. (TMR: 10%).

Monster-in-law: Saas-bahu steal most of the show in this passable, and at times funny, fare. With J Lo and J Fo on virtually every scene of the movie, the hero appeared rightfully lost. Fits the "time-pass" bill. (TMR: 17%)

Lucky Numbers: Yet again goes to show that big stars (John Travolta, Lisa Kudrow) and big directors (Nora Ephron) do not guarantee anything. Insipid stuff. Totally missable. (TMR: 22%)

Hitch: You've already seen it. Will Smith pulls it off with all the right lines, the moves, and of course the girls - drool, drool Eva Mendes and drool Amber Valletta. (TMR: 69%. Yes.)

Just like heaven: Surprise package. Very mushy, very sweet, very there. Reese W just fits in these roles so well. You also have Mark Ruffalo, so eye candy all around and makes for a nice post candle-lit dinner fare. (TMR: 56%. Yes)

The Ice Harvest: Oh how I fell for this crap hook, line and sinker. Or rather John Cusack, BB Thornton and Harold Ramis. Tedious, unfunny and a drag. Also, what was Oliver Platt thinking when he agreed for a role that the movie clearly didn't need?. (TMR: 46%. Still too high. I like that the hot pick quote - "woefully miscalculated, distressingly unfunny dark comedy...)

Yours, mines and ours: Remake of the 1968 classic and fairly funny family fare (!) with two stars I like - Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo. (TMR: 5%. Disagree).

Fun with Dick & Jane: Another remake (see..apna film industry is not the only one on a remake high). Decent stuff and nothing spectacular. Loved the closing scene where Jim Carrey's ex-colleague (who was out of a job after their company collapsed) is telling Jim about this new job he just got - in a hot, fast-growing energy trading company. And when Jim Carrey asks him which company, this guy replies "Enron". Ha. (TMR: 28%)

The Princess Bride: I don't know how I missed seeing this excellent old movie earlier. Actually, I saw it because of this which I noticed here. Hilarious entertainer even if its not Rob Reiner at his best. And yes, that is a killer line in the movie. Let me say it once for the record "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!. " Also watch out for the cameos. (TMR: 100%).

Wedding crashers: Between "Time-pass" and "good" thanks to the lead duo's antics and some really funny lines. Where the movie scores is when you root for the lead duo's ass getting kicked and their eventual come-uppance. Hollywood remains a sucker for true love and redemption. (TMR: 75%..what for ?)

Coming up next - Part 3 - Thrillers and Part 4 - Foreign movies.

Movie list time again

Its time to add the movies I've seen on DVD since I 'd last posted.

Part 1 - Drama (earlier drama list here)

Good night and good luck: Brilliant. Black and white can be so damn effective. Loved seeing what broadcast journalism was, isn't and should be. David Straitharn was so good that he over-shadowed his director. Read the wiki on Ed Murrow here. (Tomato-meter reading of 95%)

Pride and Prejudice: Hmph. I've never been a big Jane Austen fan, but yet every once in a while one has to see these movies. This was so-so. And I can't take Keira Knightley's smile any more, please. (TMR: 85%)

Jarhead: I'd see anything of Sam Mendes anyways. While this one had it all I thought it was a bit long. Yet definitely worth a watch. (TMR: 60%)

The Constant Gardener: Hard-hitting, superb, must-watch. So much for happy endings, this was one movie that left me feeling utterly miserable, and not just for the cinematography. Unmissable. An Oscar well-deserved for Ms. Weisz. (TMR: 83%)

Two for the money: This is to football what Devil's Advocate was to law. I thought you can't go wrong with Al Pacino and Mathew McConaughey. But you can. Overall a very ok movie. (TMR: 21%. Hehe.)

All the Presidents men: Must, must, must watch. I knew it'd be good but not so damn good. Woodward, Bernstein, Watergate, Deep Throat. All of it real life. My favourite line was said..or rather yelled at..by Jack Warden to Jason Robards: "They're hungry! Don't you remember when you were hungry?". Want a perfect weekend ? Rent this with Good night and good luck. (TMR: 100% !)

As before, I will continue this later with Part 2 - Comedies, Part 3 - Thrillers and Part 4 - World Cinema.

Hrishida, RIP

Hrishikesh Mukherjee (1922-2006). RIP

Thank you Hrishida.

For Anand
For Chupke Chupke
For Abhimaan
For Gol Maal
For....
For....

For leaving a mark in Hindi Film Cinema that can never be matched by anyone. And thank God for that.

For proving the truth in the adage that old is indeed gold.

For celebrating the brilliance of simplicity. Yes, life is lived in those utterly ordinary moments, and not in Hindi movies. Thank you for bridging that gap.

For the laughs, for those tears. They came from our hearts, as did your movies from yours.

For each moment of your movies that we will keep enjoying on TV, till they keep showing them.

For each of those moments will remind us of the joy that a movie can be.

Go well, sir. You will be missed.


PS - do read Oz's post here, where's he also linked to his superb write-up on Hrishida's masterpieces. Oz - you rock.

Reel life Bombay. Part 6

Punds wraps up the series with his write-up on Basu-da's "Piya ka ghar". Basuda was among the few directors who could portray middle class Bombay in a way that the audience could connect with.

Over to Punds, for his take on "Piya ka ghar", in his usual inimitable style.



Piya ka ghar (1972): My idea about Mumbai in the movies was not about showing heroes dancing on the road of Mumbai but showing the "never say die" spirit of Mumbai in the movie. Before Sai Paranjpe's "Katha", Basu Chatterjee "Piya ka ghar" in 1972 tried to capture the life of the common Mumbai folks. The movie told the story of Mumbai that every Mumbaikar would identify with.

Mumbai is big and I mean really big but still space always has been the biggest problem. A city where the middle class lived in a 10 x 10 feet house, privacy was literally non-existent. "Piya ka ghar" explores this very issue of privacy. While "Katha" explored the chawl life, PKG explored the problems of a family living in a chawl.

Jaya Bhaduri plays a village gal Malti, who lives in a big house in her native village. She gets married to Anil Dhawan, Ram, coming from a good family in Bombay only to find out the whole family lives in a small house further divided into smaller cubicles to accommodate everybody. The kitchen of the house becomes the bedroom of the newly-wed.

Malti finds it difficult to adjust to the reduced space but surprisingly finds the rest of the family members living a happy existence. The efforts of the couple to find privacy, intimacy and love in that cramped space forms the rest of the story.

Its been a long time since I have seen the movie but I always remember the one character in the movie. I don't know the name of the actress but she plays Anil Dhawan's sister-in-law. She is the ever smiling woman who teases, makes fun and at the same time supports the newly-wed. Married to Ram's brother for a long time she had made the small house her home with ease and still keeps the romance alive with her husband stealing intimate moments with him.

She represents the true spirit of Mumbai. Sure we have problems and sure life is not easy but we learn to smile in troubles and we try to be happy.

The song of the movie summaries every thing about Mumbai -
Yeh Jeevan Hai, Is Jeevan Ka
Yahi Hai - Yahi Hai - Yahi Hai Rungroop
Thode Ghum Hain, Thodi Khushiyan
Yahi Hai - Yahi Hai - Yahi Hai Chaon Dhoop


Recap - Reel Life Bombay was a free-wheeling series on Bombay in movies and life in Bombay, as seen by my guest writers (Filmiholic, Macushla and Punds) and myself. Here are the earlier posts

Part 1 - Filmiholic on "Salaam Bombay"
Part 2 - My take on "Satya"
Part 3 - Macushla on "Main Madhuri Dixit banna chahti hoon"
Part 4 - Punds on "Katha"
Part 5 - Macushla on "Bhoot"