Monday, January 28, 2013

MARRIAGE


The hymns they sing
The vows they take
I don’t see a meaning
They seem to fake
I am wrong in perception, I hear
I believe they are living in fear

The salutes they do
The blessings they seek
I feel it’s all untrue
They seem to be too meek
I am wrong in thought, they say
I think they are living in dismay

They made the marriage
They made it with a purpose unknown
They performed it since ages
Seems, world is a circus and most people clowns
I must not survive they yell now, for I preach
Wrong things and do the righteous breach

Sunday, January 27, 2013

WHAT IS LIFE?


All day through, all night long
A thought that I got kept along
What is Life? 
I asked my parent’s cousins and aunts
It’s a game, game of chance they said
I wasn’t convinced
As we play games a lot with balls and some without
It’s a dream we are having in some other world
I heard this too but wasn’t satisfied
As many of us dream in peace or in doubt
I thought of it, all through the day
My phone rang at the dinner time
It was a friend’s call, I asked him the same
What is life?
Is it an act of a play or that like a mime?
He smiled over just to say
Life is nothing but the filling of time

Thursday, January 24, 2013

तगाफुल

हमने माना कि तगाफुल न करोगे
खाक हो जायेंगे तुम्हे खबर होने तक
दफ्न होने के बाद कभी तुम तडपोगे
तोह लौट आयेंगे तेरा रोना ख़तम होने तक

The first two lines are of "Mirza Ghalib"

तेरी सौगात

तेरी सौगात इतनी खूबसूरत है, उसे देखकर होगया तुझपे फ़िदा
जो बहार लायी हो ज़िन्दगी में, अब कहना मत मुझको अलविदा

बात निकली

तेरी होठों  से जो बात निकली कर दिया वो मुझे पागल
अब न दूर जाना मुझसे और न करना मेरे दिल को घायल

SEETAMMA VAAKITLO SIRIMALLE CHETTU (2013) - TELUGU



I wish it was less commercialised, it would have made a great film from a good film.

It's a good film to begin with, it kept me interested and despite the misgivings in terms of bad song placements, I liked it. I is not a a story that has a point, a proper destiny, a simple man becoming hero being someone who does something for himself and even others, it's no one man army, it's a life of a family. Father is the teacher of values, mother is the giver of food and love, sons or daughters are the heirs of values and good tastes, and that grandma is a good entertainment channel herself. Of all these, there is a girl who lives in the same house, and is extrovert and yet nice and she is none other than Sita (Anjali).

Of all the performances I like the performance of Anjali. That one scene near the end where she says "Nannu Okka Cinemaki Teesukellakapoyinaa parledu" is just a glimpse of the variation this actress is capable of. I wish, we see more of her, she has potential to become a good actress. The next best was Mahesh Babu, he has given his routine looks, similar diction of dialogues, the one liners are now known. Yet, Mahesh's expression and the enunciation, his voice modulation, make him a good actor, he is growing with each film and it's appreciated. In this film itself, Mahesh delivered comic dialogues with such an ease that there is no need for a comedian. Also, a mention of Rao Ramesh who has emulated the diction of the yesteryear's actor "Rao Gopal Rao" and has done a good job. For Venkatesh, most of the scenes are like Bread and Butter for him and has done it aptly, except that he touches his collar too many times. All others have done well too.

Now, music was a big let down, the placement of songs hampered the flow of the film itself. Cinematography was good, sound design was not so good as dubbing is low at few places. Editing should have been better, just cut out the songs and in that inconsequential chase of 'Goodu Raja', and few more scenes, and that will make this film more interesting. 

I accepted the film as it is and on a whole, it's a good film nevertheless, also happy that two big actors have agreed to come together for such a script. But what I am unhappy with is the producer, who wanted to make business and that too big business in a script that can be more beautifully taken. Director has done a great job in fleshing out the script and convincing the cast for the film. But coming to his direction, he must now learn a lot and take this success forward.  

A 3/5 for a good family entertainer. Watch it out for Mahesh and Anjali's performances and for the emotions that we like to follow, but indeed are not following so much. It's a bit preachy in climax, but it's OK. 

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

तेरे खयालों में

जब तू है मेरे साथ तो न जाने इस दिल को क्या होजाता है
जब नही है तू मेरे पास, तो भी येह दिल तेरे खयालों में खोजाता है

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975) - ENGLISH


Most of the times, a film that's rebellious has brought joy to me, and this was a great rebellion movie.

R.P. McMurphy (Fondly regarded as Mac or Randall) has to fight a nurse in a mental institution and before he fails he brought one man, freedom. The Chief got free and indeed freed Mac too. Death can be such a relief in a painful world It's better to die than to go through monstrous pain that shall make us fall one day so much painfully Jack Nicholson as R P McMurphy gave us one the best anti authoritarian, anti establishment, recidivist, performances that we have rarely seen. Look at home, giving the commentary of baseball match, explaining in great detail each intricacy of the game, or the way he brings the patients on one platform by playing a basketball game. He does so many things from fishing to partying, to make those poor sick people happy but succumbs to the torture and is let free by The Chief (Will Sampson). 

Miss Ratched (Louise Fletcher) is the authoritarian nurse who feels that she is doing a world of good, by listening to the patients  giving them medication and controlling them by her henchmen, she is not all evil  but most of her certainly is evil. We don't like dictators for one reason, because we want to dictate our own terms, we want to free ourselves from the bondage set by anyone else and bind ourselves by our own will to something. Ratched was hated because she set the terms, irrespective of the amount of pain she was going to transpire within those poor souls.And thus, R P McMurphy, who was till then a sane man, got wild, weird and mad.

Watch the movie for performances more than anything. The writing was good but I can't say great as it is mostly confined within the premises of the mental institution where patients stammer, mutter, scream, yell and even be silent. So how they act is more engrossing than what was written. The Chief's stoned emotions  Cheswick's fight for cigarettes, Billy's plea not to tell his mother. All are acted out extremely well. For extracting such great acting from the cast, I give Milos Forman, the director complete credit and he has done an outstanding job indeed. He stood out as the watchman, the captain, watched each emotion and molded them wonderfully to make us see what this film stands today.

The lighting, sound and cinematography are good. The music was great, it was not that creepy, or sad music, it was just as required for a scene. I'd rate this a great movie, as it brings alive the spirit of rebellion and I love to control my own life, even if I have to rebel for it. 

This is a 5/5 movie and one of the finest pictures known for acting, it's a triumph even in tragedy.

Monday, January 21, 2013

फरमाइश

देने की फरमाइश की आपने,
हमने दिल-ओ-जान दे गये
मरगये आपके खातिर,
पर आपने रुसवाई का इनाम दे गये

प्यार के रास्ते

प्यार के रास्ते में कांटे ज्यादा होते है और फूल कम
जो चलते है उस रास्ते में उन्हें मिलता है थोड़ा प्यार और बाक़ी घम

ख़याल तेरे

ख़याल तेरे ले जाती है हमे इस दुनिया से दूर
दुनिया में हूँ तो भी तेरे ख़याल करने को हम है मजबूर

दूरी में एहसास

दूर हो निगाहों से पर नज़दीक हो दिल के
दूरी में एहसास हुआ प्यार पर डरता हूँ कहने को खुल के

कुछ और

अपना माना था मैंने तुझे मगर तू ने मुझे गैर ही समझा
मैं तो सिर्फ़ प्यार करता था तुझसे, तू ने उसे कुछ और ही समझा

वजह दिल दर्द का

वजह है तू दिल दर्द के लिए 
मगर मैं तुम्हे मुजरिम नही मानता 
चाहे जितना भी ज़ख्म दे हमें 
फिर भी तुम्हे सच्चे दिल से चाहता

चमन जिंदगी की

चमन जिंदगी की सजायी गयी है खूबसूरत चीज़ों से
ये चमन भी बनेगी कफ़न जब दर्द मिले अपने ही अज़ीज़ों से

मेरा काम

दिले में तेरी आहटें, मन में मुस्कुराहट
जुबान पे तेरी नाम, दोहराना ही है मेरा काम

खेल है जुआ

ज़ख्मी दिल के लिए दवा है, खुदा से दुआ
खुदा भी खेल रहा इस से जैसे ये खेल है जुआ

तेज़ धड़क रहा

मेहक रहे है चारो ओर खुशबू जो तेरी छागयी है
खिल रहे है फूल सभी नज़र जो तेरी आगयी है
हमारा दिल भी तेज़ धड़क रहा है जबसे आप युन्ही शरमागयी है

सच्चा प्यार

सच्चा प्यार जो करता है वो कभी हारता नही
अगर वो हारगया तो वो सच्चा प्यार करता नही

कायम रहे कमाल

मुस्कान तेरी लाजवाब है और निगाहें बेमिसाल
हमारी बस यही ख्वाहिश है की, कायम रहे इनका कमाल

कौन वो हसीना

मेहकती हवा से लगता है दिन सुहाना है
ये दिन से लगता है रुत मस्ताना है
समा ऐसे जो सजाई मेरे आँगन मैं
न जाने कौन वो हसीना है

सतरंगी आयेगा

बारिश आज फिर आएगी, यह आलम निखर अयेगा
नशा जो छाया बादलों का, सतरंगी आज बिखर आयेगा

खुदा का मंज़र

खुदा का मंज़र मैं हाज़िर हुआ खुशियों को पाने
न मिला खुशी है जो वहा हर दम घम के आशियाने

पी रहा

वो हसीन ख्वाब वो हुस्न का शबाब
हर नज़ारा जो था लाजवाब
करते जो थे लोग हमे हर मोड़ पे आदाब
हर कोई लगता था हसीन जनाब
गुज़र चुका सफर मैं वो ख्वाब
याद करके उन्हें, पी रहा बेजान शराब

DREAM

Alone I sleep,
In the dream, I do a lot with you
To begin with,
I have a glance at your wonderful face and then,
A soft and deft touch on your hands
Kiss is inevitable on your eyes,
Eyelashes and cheeks
But how could I lock your lips with mine?
For, I fear their wear and tear
Yet, I do that for purest honey
How much fame can bring such peace
And how much money
Then the bosoms mighty
And shallow navel’s beauty
Should I move down dear?
The words would be filthy
So I'd better stop here

THIS NIGHT


This night lets dream together
Let’s light the night with our love light
This night, let’s unite for love
And be in each other arms
This night dear, just this night
I ask and plead for this is what I crave
After this night, I'd ask you nothing
Your arms I wish, would be my grave

Thursday, January 17, 2013

KING KONG (2005) - ENGLISH

This is a tale that's heart wrenching for any sensitive human. 

Something terrible happens and the King Kong dies. But I wished so much each time I watched that may he not die. It's a real tough task to be sitting through a long emphatic and hugely opulent climax. Each time I saw this movie, I felt against the tragedy of King Kong and wish we had more beasts like King Kong which are humane to scare off these inhuman beings.

King Kong seems to be more compassionate than many humans. But, Alas! this is a film and King Kong is an animated character. It goes to supreme extents for his love that are humanly impossible. Be it fighting with a dinosaur or holding the girl tenderly so that she does not get hurt in the epic climax fight done on the Empire Estate building.

Peter jackson who adapted LORD OF THE RINGS magnificently, remade this 1930s classic of King Kong. He did it so very wonderfully that the technology was aptly used to make this film enthralling, spine-chilling and tear-jerking. 

Naomi Watts played as Ann Darrow, the vulnerable love of King Kong. She showed fear and compassion beautifully. Jack Black was very good and so was Adrien Brody. But it's the monster King Kong whose performance that has, the thumping of the chest, the growling in the air, jumping on the cliffs, falling from the tower is what makes this a wonderful film. It's hard to forget this film long after we have seen. I just saw it again and I am left with the same feeling, as I did when I saw it the first time. 

Peter Jackson remade a masterpiece into a better one, by using technology. The fight with dinosaur is just one heck of it that is loved. I am happy that I have the Blu-Ray. It's a 4/5 for a movie that I wish to see in IMAX one day. It deserves a big screen viewing.

O MY LOVE

“O My Love” shall I call you this
Is there a better word in here?
Love is so small for you dear
I shall write something for you now
Something unknown may be a sonnet would be apt
A beautiful poem or a novel would be perfect
Choices many and hard to select
Who has made you such as this?
Paper and words would not be enough and
So will my age, in describing you
O my Love, I will call you “O My Love”

MY PLAY

On your bosom, I lay
Kicking your waist, I play
On your lap, for hours I stay
I grow as you grow
Our love on each other grows too
I crawl to reach your mellowed hug
I then walk, though too slow
To catch you and then follow
For I never want to miss you
And even if I, for a moment I cry
I know no one and do not want to
I want you to be with me forever
Your guess is right; I am your only child

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009) - ENGLISH



Seldom, you will see a War period film that's completely fictionalised and extremely interesting.

It's a film that is in ENGLISH/FRENCH/GERMAN/ITALIAN, but just gave ENGLISH coz it's directed by an English Director, Quentin Tarantino.

War films are mostly dramatic or even melodramatic and in parts boring, coz we know that a War hero either survived a great war, or dies with great glory. But here, Basterds do neither, they live with great glory and kill the enemies (Nazis) including Hitler Just see, how they did that and that makes a great film. Had a girl not got theatre, had there not been any films in 1940's, this film would not have been made.

Tarantino the great and a uniquely gifted director brought so many elements in his story telling, that it's not easy to simply put a finger one thing and say "I liked this one more than the other" Performances by the whole ensemble cast is super. Christoph Waltz shines as the cold blooded "Jew Hunter" Hans Landa. Brad Pitt does Aldo Raine with a niche that his his own, be it uttering American accent or killing Nazis with guns. Melanie Laurent as Shosanna Dreyfus is vulnerable and shrewd. All others, just right for their roles. So casting director and Quentin Tarantino pulled off a great cast and all did extremely well.

The cinematography, art direction, production design and even the sound, the music, be it Ennio Morricone's touch of "Fur Elise" or Dmitri Tiomkins "Green Leaves of Summer" or David Bowie's "Gasoline". Wow, what a sound all that was apart from the heavy explosions and Hitler's "Nai, nai, nai, nai, nai"  squeals. So to put it simply its is technically brilliant and dramatically terrific.

Now, let me get to Quentin Tarantino, this man has given us a film like Pulp Fiction that is in any sense cannot be considered less than the most influential film in last 20 years. Now, with Inglourious, he took the writing to a very new level, where anything can be done, said, preached, and even followed. So just do what we believe and make it interesting, something that you as audience would love to see and it will work. Inglourious is a prime example of that.

The writing is so very exemplary here that the script itself is enough to be read many times, lot many characters, few plots all gathering for one big climax. Too much of happening in too little, and yet we have to figure what happens when. It's based in Chapter based narration and that too non-linear, so it's a kind of puzzle where we must figure out what happens when.

I am not sure how many times, I would have watched it in last 2-3 years, but each time I learn a new thing, a new dialogue, a new camera angle, a new emotion and I still can't get enough of this. But 2 and half hour now started to seem so much longer than it originally was. So, cutting this down to 4/5, a great movie and a must watch movie for all the movie lovers. Post Pulp Fiction, I rate this as best movie of Tarantino. Though this is inspired hugely from the 1978 film "The Inglorious Bastards", I still love this version.

A 4/5 movie, that is just great in every way except the length.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

रूठ

जीवन की राहों में फूल थे, जब तक मैं मिला तुझसे
फूल भी कांटे बनकर छुब रहे है, जब से तू रूठ गई मुझसे

शक्स अक्स

मकसत जो था, वो तुम्हे देखते है ही भूलगया
ऐसी ताकत तेरी शक्स में है
अब तो ज़िन्दगी थम गयी, फिर भी खुश हूँ
ऐसी राहत तेरी अक्स में है

तुझे पाने की कल

सिमट गयी तू दिल में नही, पर रूह में
अब रहेगी तेरा साथ मेरी हर जनम में
इतना गहरा है मेरा प्यार
तू ही याद आती है हर पल में
देखा था तुझे, चाहा था आज
और अब जी रहा हूँ, तुझे पाने की कल में

A WORLD WHERE


In the world where sanity has lost to insanity
Where the mavericks rule and corrupt speak
Where there is no such thing called sanctity
Where to sleep in peace, the chance is bleak
in the world of restlessness and despair
Where life seems so uncertain
Where even a murder of innocent is fair
where happiness is hard to sustain
in the same world, there is only one dream I see
that someday, it would be the best place to be

ARTIST'S DEATH


An artist is dying,
Unpublished, unrecognized and unknown
Born for a true value, love
He is dying in the world of false values

A world that seeks money, respect and power
Power, to stamp someone down
Respect, to feel their might
Money, to buy rich lands of the town

He is dying, unable to smell the reeks
For this world has such filthy seeks
Oh, what a day has come and what a night?
Fading is now, which was once a refulgent light

Nascent and naïve his works are
Beautiful and pure his thoughts are
None knows that he wrote beautiful lines
Neither his neighbors nor his parents
And those who knew never approved it

Yet he wrote for love, with love, about love
What a fool he is? The world uttered at his back
For his thoughts are their dirty minds beyond

Notice his art, at least on his deathbed
For that, it would let your forget many bothers
The pale face that wrote about the romance
Romance of the lover, the son, and the mothers
Notice him, for this, is the final chance

He gave so much and never got it back
Forgot, he had one truth in this world
It takes whatever we give and never gives back

ME AND ORSON WELLES (2008) - ENGLISH


A great cast and superb performances, make this film a great treat for acting.

A film on Orson Welles the great himself is bound to be something interesting. Now, this film treats Orson in a way that we dare to have known him. The film is based on Robert Kaplow's novel of the same name. And here, our Orson is a psychopath who is hell bent on deriving what he needs from anyone. He uses everyone and to us them , he goes to any extent. Wow, what an acting by Christian McKay as Orson Welles. McKay breathes life into a great character and makes it his own by a stellar performance. Zac Efron, the blue eyed boy plays Richard who is finds his real self, and learns that if he believes in something, he can do it.   

Now, the writing and screenplay are do well here. And most of all, the art direction is superb, it's clean with hardly any showiness, that is I mean, here the world seems real like the one in 1937. Look at the zooming out final shot from the steps, where we see that it's so very fine and good looking from above. Wish to be at such places in such an era where life was slow paced and more lovely than now. 

Richard Linklater has given us different kind of movie, from Dazed and Confused to now, and he simply continues to surprise us with this one too. Since I have seen it for first time, I was amused by the ending, coz it simply stops with nothing much happening. Richard has found the True Orson and it end there, no more taking it forward. Yeah, if this had to be the ending, I wish it was more cut down and less in time. 

As the title line says, "All is fair in Love and Theatre", I say, all is fair for Orson and for his theatre. He is devilishly passionate about his work. He is extremely shrewd and exquisitely specific about everything he does, here he does a play Julius Caesar. He demands respect and he never forgets to ask that either. A complete narcissist you see at times, who loves himself and his job, and yes even a secretary at times. 

Now, editing would have been more crispier and had the subject been more focussed on the objectivity of Orson rather than on how Richard was being treated, this would have been a finer film. Having said that, I like how Richard Linklater and I give it a 4/5 rating. It's kind of a coming of new age feel good film that is set in 1930's,

Though it's for you to decide, do see it please for Chrsitian McKay's performance alone.




मतलबी ज़माना

लोग यहाँ पर मतलबी है, पर मैं तो था मतलब से अंजाना
हैरान होगया था जब जाना की ऐसा ही है सारा ज़माना

गहरी वजह हर अदा में

उतरता हुआ सूरज की धूप में जो गर्मी
पूनम की चांदनी छाँव  में जो नरमी
ऐसे कितने कमाल कुदरत के, छुपाये तुमने
गहरी वजह है कुछ तेरी हर अदा में
वजह को जान ने की कोशिश में, सदा में

ELEPHANT (2003) - ENGLISH


A sad film about a sad event. It's preferable not to watch this.

It's a film about a High School Massacre, which in recent times has become a kind of one per year news item in the United States. 

Directed by Gus Van Sant, this is a depiction of a real incident in a fictional way. The real incident is a Columbine High School Massacre. Two guys killed 12 guys and did a suicide. Now, this is psychotic and indeed very disturbing. But, Gus Van Sant, who is a good filmmaker, does not indulge into the massacre much and rather the psychology. Scenes where they see Hitler and get their guns, or those where these two guys kiss each other are indeed disturbing and rather we do not watch them. 

But since, I watched this movie not once but twice, it's a very disturbing movie, in a sense that even 75 minutes so much longer. Look at the scene in which Piano is played, that gets into the psyche and it aches something. Never felt "Fur Elise" too can be very disturbing. 

Now, I am not sure if I can call it badly edited, coz it has too many slow walking sequences and shots are taken from the back. As if they have beautiful backs. It's a kind of manipulative movie that manipulates the audience and makes him succumb to the big bang at the climax. For the first time, I was taken aback by the surprise. But next time this all seemed very manipulative and now I do not like it much. 

Though few things are good in this very lowly produced (around 3 million) budget film I say, the pace kills everything for this. The cinematography, editing, and even the setup are lethargic and tests our patience. The dialogue at seems erratic and indeed there is no point in any of such dialogues. 

If abstraction is loved and embraced it is for you, I did not like it as much as I did love in first viewing. So from a 4 the rating goes down to 3/5. It's a good movie nonetheless but no where being great. 

Please watch it at your own risk, it's highly avoidable good film.

Monday, January 14, 2013

DEATH


Thinking of death now, so much more
Never thought like this any time before
Willing to die and lie forever to know
What’s there in the death store?

Take me with you O death winged bird
Make me like you O singed dirt
Let me too see for once now
Is death a truth or myth?

Each morning I wake,
Not knowing when I’d die
Making a big fuss of life
Laughing at times and at times I cry

Cannot take it anymore this messed up life
Come dear O death make me your friend
And show me that yet unseen end
If not willing to kill then at least gives me a try

HOPE HAS COME

A hope has come not to just one
But to many over here
Who have read and by far have gone
To other ways so to bear
Their fruits of work alone
But this would be there
This verse was written now and done
As long as they breathe in here
They would sing of skills they own
In merry and not fear

THE 400 BLOWS (FRENCH) - 1959


Sometimes, we like to be surprised, and this indeed is a pleasant surprise. 

The 400 Blows is a very odd name and intact bears no real meaning with respect to content of the movie. But, The 400 Blows is a great film in a way that very few films are. There is a climax scene in which Antoine Doniel (Jean-Pierre Léaud) just runs to the ocean. There is a reason and it is that he just wanted to see the ocean. So, this film is not one that has a great story and is not even a deeply moving film. It's a film that most of us relate to as this is a film that has a child's tormented and troubled childhood. 

The film is more like a fictional documentary and a journey of a 12 year old boy, who is tormented by his teacher, plans to leave home, find that his father is not the original one. It's a great concocted film and a very deeply layered one. And all kudos to the director Francois Truffaut who is given us a very typically French film that has lot many subtexts and reflects the turmoil of an era and also speaks volumes about the sensitive minds of kids. 

Acting by Jean-Pierre Léaud is outstanding and even by other kids is superb. But it's Jean who steals the show all the way by making the audience sympathise, empathise and move with him. Francois Truffaut gave us one of the finest films on Kids and he must be saluted for that. 

The good things are the cinematography, the costumes and the art direction. Wow, they all were supreme and the cinematography specifically, built up a mood that even I felt related to the child and he seemed so close to me. 

Easily one of the best French Films, I rate this 5/5 and a must watch for all those who are into some serious film making. A film is not typically about a story, a beginning, a end and the interval bang, it's a poem or a journey and it can be anything. Some like it, some will not but good stories are bound to get some serious appreciation. I thank Truffaut for giving me this wonderful Film.

Friday, January 11, 2013

मौत जियेंगे

हैरान मत होना अगर मेरी मौत की ख़बर मिली तो
न आसुओं को आने देना तेरी प्यारी पलकों में 
मैं जब जा रहा तेरी दोस्ती लेकर तो क्या घम है?
जिया तो खूब है ज़िन्दगी, अब मौत जियेंगे तेरी यादों में

तेरी मुस्कान

तेरी मुस्कान देखने के लिए, हम आज तक ज़िन्दा है 
तुझे मुस्कुरानेवाला, न जाने कौन वो बन्दा है

MY WIFE


It’s the decline of the light
Yet, I see the bright sunshine
Not so far away is the night
Where we rest in its dark shrine
Stars, moon the sky glitzy we’d have a look
It would not be as bright as the day
Yet we can write about it a book
Where stargazers and poets had their say
Now it’s time I have my own
The night keeps alive the romance
The insanity though unlike circus clown
The stars are candles for a pleasing dance
Though dark for most, I see life
Coz, the moon is my wife

REALIZE


How many would love in silence?
Without a word or a touch, to show love
How many would love with patience?
Not an attack from their side to blow love
How many would love every nuance?
For every moment is special in love
How many would live in romance?
For that’s the way to express love
How many, how many would realize this?
We are born to love and die for love

THE GOLD RUSH (1925) - ENGLISH


Sir Charlie Chaplin, wrote many poems on celluloid that were moving with a smile. And here is one of them, that is hilarious and equally good as his other great films. 

This indeed, is great Chaplin Film that has many moments of comedy and it's situational, believable and slapstick. Chaplin had great stories to tell and indeed he mostly told great stories only. Based on the Klondike Gold Rush of 1890's Chaplin wrote this and made a phenomenal film. Undoubtedly, this was one of the landmark films in terms of setting and cinematography. The climax scene in house, is a treat to watch and is worth the wait till the end of it. I just loved it. But my favourite scene would be the "roll dance" with his girl amidst many people. 

This film boasts of the heroism in the Tramp and at times makes us sympathetic with the Tramp (Charlie Chaplin).  If in one scene he is a super dancer, the next one is smart escapist. All along, this film has only one thing and that's Chaplin. Well, I must say he was greatly supported by the cast. 

The art direction is something that is always great in Chaplin films and here again, it is superb. The set on the top of a snow hill, the falling off of the house, or anything you take it, it's great considering it was in 1925, the film happened. The next best thing is costume design. Now, what we are watching is a 1942 version of the film that was re-edited as Chaplin wanted it to be more precise and focused on the  Gold rush itself.

There was a Gold Rush, that is rushing for Gold in the snow cold mountains of Alaska, so many Americans rushed there to find gold and indeed, a few found gold too. So this is a film that tells us that story in a way, only Chaplin could do. This is a great film and one the finest films that stood the test of time from 1920's till 2010's.

Charlie Chaplin has given us so many remarkable and memorable films that this too stands right up there. A 5/5 for this Chaplin Film too. 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

MEANING

Wish I could, each night sleep with you,
What the garments mean, when we are naked?
Kissing like birds and fishes each other’s skin
What’d pores on skin mean when each is love soaked?
The tiny pleasures we have in physical romance
What’d the dances of fingers mean on the waist that’s sacked?
How much ever I tell, these hypocrites would give a damn
What’d my words mean when in each thought they have a censor,
The dances, the garments, the pores alike
What examples I took? A good question you asked
The mellowed breeze touches me
The yellow room lamp tells me this
The lakes and the meadows sing with me in unison
What’d their songs meant when ears hear just of passion?

REMEMBERING ROMANCE


In the suns of May and moons of November
The romance we had, do you remember?
By the beaches, in the sand
The kisses we had, the touches we had
By the lakes woodlands
The looks we had, the books we read
In the tides of the sea
The bath we had in the noon
In the grass, by the river
The path we made under the moon
Remember, I hope you do every small thing
These nuances still make me live and sing

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

LIFE OF BRIAN (1979) - ENGLISH


Few films are funny, few satirical and few religious and a few more political. This is religious, political, funny satire.

Set in the backdrop of B.C when Jesus Christ was born and the same day when Brian was born. He says same as Jesus Christ said and is even crucified like Jesus Christ. So we have a whole life of a man who is made a Messiah in completely funny way. The best was when the the Roman king says dialogues where "R" becomes "W". You must listen them and they are utterly hilarious. 

It's good because it's whimsical, witty and wonderful. There are lot many subtexts that question faith and even our way of following faith, though not mine, but many others. No wonder, if it was accused or even banned by the Christian communities for it's depiction of religion and customs. But, this a whole hearted and fun filled film that would be enjoyable if we leave out our prejudices and  beliefs and see it. There are high chances that you ail like it. 

There are many funny things to begin with, Brian's mother is acted by a man, I felt that funny. The quarrel about a nose, the revelation of being Roman and even the organised crucifixion. Ah, those are not those typical laugh out loud moments but sure there is inherent comedy in them. 

Technically, this has good production values, good art direction, good costumes, great acting, fine editing and sound design and superb lines. Now, I thank Terry Gilliam for starting Monty Python series and to Terry Jones for directing this film. It's totally stupid and even maniacal and a must watch film.

Watch if you like out and out fun films. No brainer this, but long detailed and funny scenes make this a 4/5 movie for me.

Monday, January 7, 2013

GABBAR SINGH (2012) - TELUGU


The blockbuster of 2012 has to be remake of another blockbuster "Dabanng" just with Telugu Nativity.

Now, it is considered to be remake of the Salman Khan starrer "Dabanng" and now we have similar recipe for the Telugu food loving people. Yet, except the plot line, I am not sure if there are any similarities. Now, I have not seen "Dabanng" and I did not want to see this film either coz this does not work for my sensibilities. I was said that this the best film of Pawan Kalyan after "Khushi", that came nearly 10 years ago. I was also told that there are few scenes that are brazenly original and highly comical like Antakshari scene etc. So I watched it one day in Sandhya Theatre, nearby my home. I was disappointed and started arguing with all those so called Pawan Kalyan fans. 

Now, what is original, the movie is something that we know, the title itself is a name of villain in "Sholay" and that Antakshari scene was done very well in a good original film "Aithe". So now, I was wondering what is original, yet this turns out to be super duper hit and indeed a blockbuster. Last year too we had a similar case, where "Dookudu" was a Telugu inspiration of the German Film "Goodbye Lenin". So this is where we stand, we embrace crap and more shit we are offered, more is what we love to eat. 

Gabbar Singh belongs to that very crap again, just that here Pawan Kalyan who tried experiments but failed like "Johnny" gets back a slice to have his meal and now I suppose, he is satisfied with this dish. 
Having said that, there are few plus points and that is Music, Devisri Prasad has given some tunes and lyrics that are worth listening for many number of times, till we again delete them from collection. Atleast "Mandubaabulam" is one song and "Pilla" is another that will stick with for long time to come.

I can't say much of this mediocre film in which we get to see same thing over and over and over again, and more worse is we never to have better films, we loved the crap before, now we are addicted to crap. Except few dialogues, I did not like anything in this, acting is stereotypical and the setup is age-old. If not for Pawan Kalyan, I dare say this film would have been a dud, but he brought something called "Pawan style" and that's what sold the film is what I believe. 

A standard 2/5 for an average film. Don't except anything ever please and you will be happy at the end.  

DEATH ON A FULL MOON


Life so dumb, so lousy and drowsy
Waiting for death to meet me
For I have the wish, to sleep forever
Hope to live with purpose has died in me
Hope to meet, greet and kiss you on the bubbly cheeks
A little glance, just one chance that hope has died in me
I know that this does not have a rhythm or rhyme
Yet O my full moon, I would die soon
On a bright full moon

DEATH OF FRAGRANCE


I blossom with fragrance
I blossom, though I am wood
I blossom with grace and nonchalance
Then, came the butcher of wood
To chop me off with a knife, for his own good
Tears drown my mother trunk
And I am drowned in the poison
That the butcher drunk
At times in his casket, at times in his basket
I travel through the forests and land up in streets
Where the master of death meets and greets
He takes me to the grave,
Which may be his house or a factory
Where I reside for some angel to save
None comes to rescue, I await in death queue
Crush in a machine to tinge forehead or skin
Serve the gods and demons as they were my kith and kin
Whether I wither in the air or drown in waters
Who cares?
For, I am Sandalwood meant to die for others good

Sunday, January 6, 2013

SAMSARA (2011) - SILENT


Visual imagery to great perfection and detail. The whole experience is spirit lifting.

There is no dialogue, no story, no characters and nothing is indeed defined. It's a collaboration of images and great images I must say. Wow, it's one of the best blu-ray's to be released in recent times. The perfection in each frame and the details captured beautifully make this one a great compilation of visuals. But, I doubt if anyone would undertake an ordeal of near 100 minutes with emptiness so to say, there is no word spoken and we have is fragmented images of scenes ranging from Buddhist monasteries to the skyscrapers to so many elements of nature, be it a volcano or a forest.

So, it's a kind of complete focus on what we see and completely devoid of any dialogue but music plays a pivotal role in helping us a great deal. If we close our eyes and listening it's like listening to trance music that varies from slow serene music of Chinese to the chaos of the traffic, everything is amalgamated and shown how is our world "SAMSARA".

The interesting aspect that drove me to this is the title SAMSARA itself. It is derived from Sanskrit word SAMSARA meaning, the Universe. And after tying up myself to the chair to have a juice as company and to see this 100 minute visual poem was indeed an overwhelming and great experience.
It reminded me of "The Man With the Movie Camera" that is another film of 1929 based on images purely.

Now, since this is great visual imagery, I will give 5/5 for cinematography and there it goes, coz there is nothing but cinematography here. But since it's not everyone's cup of tea, coz it's completely devoid of any movie genre, I will make it a 4/5. It worked for my eyes and try it with huge amount of time and patience and it may work for you too.   

So a 4/5 for this. This film is not for all though.

FLOWERY PATH


My lilies and jasmines have wept in your absence
All through the night, in a melancholy sense
They wept and slept beside me in grief
You gave no chance for them to sleep in relief
They are still lying at the same place
As corpses do, with a pale face
They are dead, dear o dear in your wait
Wish they could’ve died under your gait
Weeping, I am so much in their wrath
Hope you walk one day in their flowery path

About Me

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I firstly declare here that all the content written in the blog is exclusively written by me and I hold the copyrights of each and everything. Be it a poem or a movie review. Also, the videos or photographs I upload or attach are exclusively owned by me. This declaration is important in a world that seems so worried of piracy. The prime purpose of these blogs is to put my writings and photographs on the net. and well to start with.... I live in my mind, and existence is the attempt to bring my thoughts into physical reality, I celebrate myself, sing myself and I am always happy in my own company.....I am not the best in the world but I strive for excellence and thats what keeps me alive... Talking much about oneself can also be a means to conceal oneself--Friedrich Nietzsche