Pi - A very obscure movie, yet manages to make you think. Most of the movie doesn't make much sense but it is necessary in order to understand the nuances of the story. The underlying question is, whether there is a number which dictates the patterns behind one's life and actions? Is there order within the chaos?
"Hold on. You have to slow down. You're losing it. You have to take a breath. Listen to yourself. You're connecting a computer bug I had with a computer bug you might have had and some religious hogwash. You want to find the number 216 in the world, you will be able to find it everywhere. 216 steps from a mere street corner to your front door. 216 seconds you spend riding on the elevator. When your mind becomes obsessed with anything, you will filter everything else out and find that thing everywhere."
The similar theme is seen in the movie 23 which falls way below my bench mark of a watchable movie. I would not recommend 23 to anyone. Pi, however, is a dark and grim movie. It seems to be just about to get boring and monotonous and something happens which makes you go "WOW!" or "GROSS". On the whole decent movie, but i wouldn recommend it to anyone who does not like obscure and/or a person who thinks spiderman was a good movie.
And Justice For All is a brilliant movie and is a must watch for any law student who wishes to inculcate some amount of moral integrity to their work. The story revolves around Al Pacino blackmailed to take up a case and ending up defending a judge he does not respect and does not like. The ending was quite brilliantly handled and Al Pacino shines through the entire movie. If only, all lawyers were like Mr. Arthur Kirkland. Very gripping movie and pretty arty at times.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Hostel
I watch a lot of movies and normally write a lil abt those i like. But sometimes, i end up watching a movie that is SO brilliant, that i just HAVE to write abt it. One such spectacular and amazing movies is hostel (I am being sarcastic. It's easily the worst movie i have ever seen in my life).
I ask the guy at the video rental for an "action" movie. He offers zodiac, but i figure its probably boring. Then he asks me if i liked Saw (its probably the best movie i have seen - its my favourite at any rate). So i answer with an emphatic yes and he says hostel is of the same type. So excited as i was i get to watching it and surprise, surprise. I see a mental image of Lee killing himself for "Saw" just bein compared to Eli Roth's outstanding "Hostel". I mean, come on! Honestly. Roth probably thought up 10 mins of violent scenes (cutting off a person's ankles at the back so he falls off his feet when he stands or burning a person alive and then cutting off the eye which was hanging out after the fire or maybe the classic chainsaw used to cut off some fingers), 20 mins of sex (ya. theres a lot of this) and tried to write another 60 mins of story into it. The movie takes 40 mins and a lot of sex to actually start having a semblance of a plot. Then its mindless violence and a lot of running. Its far from scary. Its actually not only boring, gory, sickening, disgusting and painful to watch, but also makes u want to look up Eli Roth. So thats exactly wat i did. I've even attached a photo of Eli Roth for all those dying to see him. I see that hes a brilliant young man with a promising future. With movies like hostel u wudn expect any different would u? :)
If u want a watch a movie where u have the protagonist escaping because the person trying to kill him slips on the fingers he had just cut off using the chain saw, then Hostel is perfect for u. If u are sane, however, please stay away from the movie. Oh, btw, theres a hostel 2 as well. Maybe ul wnna watch tht too while ur at it. :) I attached some photos from the movie. Hope u can stomach it.
Some problem with the net connection. ill put up the pphotos in a couple of days.
I ask the guy at the video rental for an "action" movie. He offers zodiac, but i figure its probably boring. Then he asks me if i liked Saw (its probably the best movie i have seen - its my favourite at any rate). So i answer with an emphatic yes and he says hostel is of the same type. So excited as i was i get to watching it and surprise, surprise. I see a mental image of Lee killing himself for "Saw" just bein compared to Eli Roth's outstanding "Hostel". I mean, come on! Honestly. Roth probably thought up 10 mins of violent scenes (cutting off a person's ankles at the back so he falls off his feet when he stands or burning a person alive and then cutting off the eye which was hanging out after the fire or maybe the classic chainsaw used to cut off some fingers), 20 mins of sex (ya. theres a lot of this) and tried to write another 60 mins of story into it. The movie takes 40 mins and a lot of sex to actually start having a semblance of a plot. Then its mindless violence and a lot of running. Its far from scary. Its actually not only boring, gory, sickening, disgusting and painful to watch, but also makes u want to look up Eli Roth. So thats exactly wat i did. I've even attached a photo of Eli Roth for all those dying to see him. I see that hes a brilliant young man with a promising future. With movies like hostel u wudn expect any different would u? :)
If u want a watch a movie where u have the protagonist escaping because the person trying to kill him slips on the fingers he had just cut off using the chain saw, then Hostel is perfect for u. If u are sane, however, please stay away from the movie. Oh, btw, theres a hostel 2 as well. Maybe ul wnna watch tht too while ur at it. :) I attached some photos from the movie. Hope u can stomach it.
Some problem with the net connection. ill put up the pphotos in a couple of days.
Runaway Jury
Brilliant movie. Very thought provoking. Can unethical means be used to get over other unethical practices? Is fighting fire with fire to ensure that there is no fire anymore morally acceptable? The movie is excellent and very gripping. I would say a lot abt it, but the story is very intricately woven and i would not want to ruin it for someone who hasn seen it.
I also saw "to kill a mockingbird". Granted Gregory Peck is a brilliant actor and the story is very good, i still found the movie very dragged and downright boring in some parts. I dont know why it is that people actually feel this movie is so brilliant. I have seen better movies by far which are gripping throughout.
I have decided to watch some war movies now (i had been avoiding them till now due to their length and their extremely slow moving and boring nature). I guess "No Man's Land" changed my mind abt war movies. So here i am shivering as i press the play button and Downfall starts off. This movie would probably hold the key to my continuing watching war movies. :)
I also have to watch Judgement at Nuremberg. The Nuemberg trials as far as i see is a clear case of the winner writing history. It is akin to the dishonourable discharge of the two accused in "A few good men". Enough said for now. i need to know a lot more before i can comment on the trials themselves.
I also saw "to kill a mockingbird". Granted Gregory Peck is a brilliant actor and the story is very good, i still found the movie very dragged and downright boring in some parts. I dont know why it is that people actually feel this movie is so brilliant. I have seen better movies by far which are gripping throughout.
I have decided to watch some war movies now (i had been avoiding them till now due to their length and their extremely slow moving and boring nature). I guess "No Man's Land" changed my mind abt war movies. So here i am shivering as i press the play button and Downfall starts off. This movie would probably hold the key to my continuing watching war movies. :)
I also have to watch Judgement at Nuremberg. The Nuemberg trials as far as i see is a clear case of the winner writing history. It is akin to the dishonourable discharge of the two accused in "A few good men". Enough said for now. i need to know a lot more before i can comment on the trials themselves.
The Green Mile
"He kill them wi' their love. Wi' their love fo' each other. That's how it is, every day, all over the world."
The movie's abt the prison gurad on death row and the story of E Block in Cold Mountain Penitentiary. It is easily one of the most moving movies i have ever seen. By the end of the movie, i was on the verge of tears. It is kinda long and stretched at times, but its gripping and at no point would you feel like taking a break. The movie is abt death and abt how ev1 has to die sooner or later. Its abt takin care of those ppl who are slated to die by the electric chair and suddenly u meet a man who's innocent. What happens then? No. This is not some amazing jail break story. Its a down to earth and simple story. It is pretty unbelievable and fantastic at times, but ignoring the miracle parts of the movie, the msg the movie delivers is strong and it stays with u for ages.
I was told of 3 deaths in the span of 1 week. A murder, an accident at home and a heart failure. I do not claim to know any of the three personally. They are only people i know of. A friend's father, another's mother and a senior. The fact is there are thousands of deaths everyday all around the world. You hear of it and u say "oh" and not give it a second thought. As a wise friend of mine had once said, he always said oh and never cared abt the many murders in Patna until one day his uncle was killed. You never think its a big deal until it actually affects you. I realise this as all three people i did not know. It was a another ocassion for me to say "oh". But, it was somehow different this time. Very different. The finality in death. Theres no comin back from it. I've been privy to many threats. 4 suicide threats as well (one wasn exactly a threat, it only seemed like one. and of the four 2 were by the same person). I never took them seriously and with good reason. No one can take his own life so easily. Apart from the fact that it needs guts, it also needs the person to be in such a pathetic state and with absolutely no one to turn to. No parents, no family and no friends. None of the four were therefore credible. But thats far from what i am tryin to say. I only feel that everyone should realise how lucky they actually are before turnin around and making a mountain of a mole hill and threatenin to commit suicide over nothing substantial.
The movie's abt the prison gurad on death row and the story of E Block in Cold Mountain Penitentiary. It is easily one of the most moving movies i have ever seen. By the end of the movie, i was on the verge of tears. It is kinda long and stretched at times, but its gripping and at no point would you feel like taking a break. The movie is abt death and abt how ev1 has to die sooner or later. Its abt takin care of those ppl who are slated to die by the electric chair and suddenly u meet a man who's innocent. What happens then? No. This is not some amazing jail break story. Its a down to earth and simple story. It is pretty unbelievable and fantastic at times, but ignoring the miracle parts of the movie, the msg the movie delivers is strong and it stays with u for ages.
I was told of 3 deaths in the span of 1 week. A murder, an accident at home and a heart failure. I do not claim to know any of the three personally. They are only people i know of. A friend's father, another's mother and a senior. The fact is there are thousands of deaths everyday all around the world. You hear of it and u say "oh" and not give it a second thought. As a wise friend of mine had once said, he always said oh and never cared abt the many murders in Patna until one day his uncle was killed. You never think its a big deal until it actually affects you. I realise this as all three people i did not know. It was a another ocassion for me to say "oh". But, it was somehow different this time. Very different. The finality in death. Theres no comin back from it. I've been privy to many threats. 4 suicide threats as well (one wasn exactly a threat, it only seemed like one. and of the four 2 were by the same person). I never took them seriously and with good reason. No one can take his own life so easily. Apart from the fact that it needs guts, it also needs the person to be in such a pathetic state and with absolutely no one to turn to. No parents, no family and no friends. None of the four were therefore credible. But thats far from what i am tryin to say. I only feel that everyone should realise how lucky they actually are before turnin around and making a mountain of a mole hill and threatenin to commit suicide over nothing substantial.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Unity in Diversity
"Hate is baggage. Life's too short to be pissed off all the time. It's just not worth it."
After the Indian victory over Pakistan in the Twenty20 final, there was a roar in the tv room. All people, whether North Indian, Kannadiga, Tamilian or Khasi were screaming alongside each other. Side by Side. For a brief moment everything was forgotten. Caste, communal, racial, all divides non-existent. No matter what had happened in the past, no matter what one had put the other through or vice versa, there was a feeling of oneness. There was a feeling of UNITY. There was pretty much no reason to doubt that everone in that room was a loyal Indian. Nothing else mattered. A game of cricket is all it takes to unite Indians. It was perfect. India beat their arch rivals Pakistan, AND won the first ever world cup. It was an all round victory.
The point here is there are differences between people. Most people tolerate the differences. This is the safe alternative, yet does not speak very highly of transparency of the people. Others emphasise these differences proving their own way of life is right by adopting a distinct and extreme way of life which would completely oppose the other way of life. I am ashamed to say that over the past few months, i got converted into this vile way of thinking. This was clearly wrong, but the situation and the company at the time made it essential for me to devolve into such a person. But the fact is i cannot blame the situation. I let it happen. Even if it was unwittingly. The situation is never at fault because it is YOU who puts yourself in such a situation. Anyway, i am not placing blame. There are no bad people. Its always a combination of yin and yang. Maybe the people i have been associated with have not had a perfect balance of the two. Or maybe its just with a jaundiced eye that i am seeing these people. Whatever the case may be, there have been numerous misunderstandings and miscommunications which always end in shit. But im digressing. What i wanted to say was that there is a third kind of people. This is certainly a rare breed and i can actually count the number of people who i have met in my life and who come under this category. These people learn to respect the differences between people. It sounds very easy and straight forward, but it definitely is not. People who think they come under this category, definitely do not. I can elaborate, but its not worth the trouble. After all, heaven only knows what people would twist the truth into to get attention.
This occured to me after watching American History X. This movie really spoke to me. The protagonist does what he does because he is pissed off. Misguided rage. It never actually makes any difference to who you are. It only maes you do things u would regret as long as u live. There is no call for anger. Even in the face of betrayal, disloyalty and plain ol' bein stabbed in the back, anger has no place. I learnt this the hard way. Anger solves nothing. It only worsens the situation. There is a call to be angry, but it is not advised. Decisions taken in anger would not be the right ones. I have made many decisions in my anger. I continue with what i have decided solely because i do not wish to swing like a pendulum (a quality that is important in itself). However, it is necessary to reach a balance. To cut ones losses. Had i known this earlier, the last few months of my life would not have been the mistake that it was. Going along with an impulsive decision solves nothing. When u knw the decision was the wrong one, remedial measures should be taken (kinda like the stoploss function in stock trading :) ). Again, i digress. The point i am trying to make is a simple one. It is disheartening that only an external common enemy should make us feel the unity. Why cant the unity be present in everyday life? The unity is blurred by the various things done which, most of the time, shudn be done. So is there a solution?
The movie 300 portrays the Greek situation very well. Athens, Sparta and the various other city states were constantly at war, but when faced with an external threat, they all united and normally won. So where does that leave us? As the protagonist tells his brother in American History X, end an essay with a quote because someone else would have said it better already. This is perfectly true. So ill end this post with a quote. The situation is never to blame. Only the weak blame the situation and say that "circumstances" MADE them do things. It is from Julius Caesar as written by Shakespeare (Act I Scene ii, Cassius)
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves..."
After the Indian victory over Pakistan in the Twenty20 final, there was a roar in the tv room. All people, whether North Indian, Kannadiga, Tamilian or Khasi were screaming alongside each other. Side by Side. For a brief moment everything was forgotten. Caste, communal, racial, all divides non-existent. No matter what had happened in the past, no matter what one had put the other through or vice versa, there was a feeling of oneness. There was a feeling of UNITY. There was pretty much no reason to doubt that everone in that room was a loyal Indian. Nothing else mattered. A game of cricket is all it takes to unite Indians. It was perfect. India beat their arch rivals Pakistan, AND won the first ever world cup. It was an all round victory.
The point here is there are differences between people. Most people tolerate the differences. This is the safe alternative, yet does not speak very highly of transparency of the people. Others emphasise these differences proving their own way of life is right by adopting a distinct and extreme way of life which would completely oppose the other way of life. I am ashamed to say that over the past few months, i got converted into this vile way of thinking. This was clearly wrong, but the situation and the company at the time made it essential for me to devolve into such a person. But the fact is i cannot blame the situation. I let it happen. Even if it was unwittingly. The situation is never at fault because it is YOU who puts yourself in such a situation. Anyway, i am not placing blame. There are no bad people. Its always a combination of yin and yang. Maybe the people i have been associated with have not had a perfect balance of the two. Or maybe its just with a jaundiced eye that i am seeing these people. Whatever the case may be, there have been numerous misunderstandings and miscommunications which always end in shit. But im digressing. What i wanted to say was that there is a third kind of people. This is certainly a rare breed and i can actually count the number of people who i have met in my life and who come under this category. These people learn to respect the differences between people. It sounds very easy and straight forward, but it definitely is not. People who think they come under this category, definitely do not. I can elaborate, but its not worth the trouble. After all, heaven only knows what people would twist the truth into to get attention.
This occured to me after watching American History X. This movie really spoke to me. The protagonist does what he does because he is pissed off. Misguided rage. It never actually makes any difference to who you are. It only maes you do things u would regret as long as u live. There is no call for anger. Even in the face of betrayal, disloyalty and plain ol' bein stabbed in the back, anger has no place. I learnt this the hard way. Anger solves nothing. It only worsens the situation. There is a call to be angry, but it is not advised. Decisions taken in anger would not be the right ones. I have made many decisions in my anger. I continue with what i have decided solely because i do not wish to swing like a pendulum (a quality that is important in itself). However, it is necessary to reach a balance. To cut ones losses. Had i known this earlier, the last few months of my life would not have been the mistake that it was. Going along with an impulsive decision solves nothing. When u knw the decision was the wrong one, remedial measures should be taken (kinda like the stoploss function in stock trading :) ). Again, i digress. The point i am trying to make is a simple one. It is disheartening that only an external common enemy should make us feel the unity. Why cant the unity be present in everyday life? The unity is blurred by the various things done which, most of the time, shudn be done. So is there a solution?
The movie 300 portrays the Greek situation very well. Athens, Sparta and the various other city states were constantly at war, but when faced with an external threat, they all united and normally won. So where does that leave us? As the protagonist tells his brother in American History X, end an essay with a quote because someone else would have said it better already. This is perfectly true. So ill end this post with a quote. The situation is never to blame. Only the weak blame the situation and say that "circumstances" MADE them do things. It is from Julius Caesar as written by Shakespeare (Act I Scene ii, Cassius)
"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves..."
12 Angry Men
First of all, BRILLIANT movie. I haven actually sat down and updated my blog in ages. I had a lot to actually write over the last few days, but i guess its all old news now and not exactly interesting.
Anyway, the movie is easily one of the best i have seen. It deals with the jury in a murder trial. It is a brilliant character sketch of the various biases and prejudices of the jury and how they operate. The movie has an all male cast with probably only 13 actors or so.
This movie got me thinking. The various prejudices and biases of people who evaluate us. The brilliant teachers who have complete autnomy over our grades, and our lives. So what about their biases? Is it right to give such great autonomy to teachers when they can hide the basis for their evaluation and decide to either mark arbitrarily or keeping the name list next to them. There was once a teacher who specifically told us he would let the "class participation" decide the marks in projects and vivas. Another announces in open class that he keeps the names next to papers while correcting them. Maybe someone should sit down with these teachers and tell them exactly in what ways their past affects our futures.
Anyway, the movie is easily one of the best i have seen. It deals with the jury in a murder trial. It is a brilliant character sketch of the various biases and prejudices of the jury and how they operate. The movie has an all male cast with probably only 13 actors or so.
This movie got me thinking. The various prejudices and biases of people who evaluate us. The brilliant teachers who have complete autnomy over our grades, and our lives. So what about their biases? Is it right to give such great autonomy to teachers when they can hide the basis for their evaluation and decide to either mark arbitrarily or keeping the name list next to them. There was once a teacher who specifically told us he would let the "class participation" decide the marks in projects and vivas. Another announces in open class that he keeps the names next to papers while correcting them. Maybe someone should sit down with these teachers and tell them exactly in what ways their past affects our futures.
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