झूंड - zhund [Hindi] (7/10) 2022

zhund has been shot in and around Nagpur, mainly its poorer areas and slums. That will help maintaining Nagpur’s hidden secret of livability. The movie is more a message rather than concentrating on a single person’s story. But it has been done without preachiness, or a holier than thou attitude anywhere. In fact most characters stand out for not overacting even when they are playing stereotypical roles of a minister or of a police inspector. The story of privilege (and its absence) is there for everyone to see.

Photo courtesy: The Indian Express 

Because it is not a story of a single hero out there to solve a single problem, some people may not much like the arc - after all, it is something that you see around you all the time - if your eyes are open. It has many subtle references to behavior that is considered normal (when not), and hence not acted upon. In short, of normalized behavior. Especially the baggage one carries, and often needs to leave behind for a fresh start (either for yourself or for someone else).

There are other subtle aspects like the scene where an idol needs to be uprooted and moved to another location. I loved it.

It touches upon practical problems of the downtrodden who have not had a way to get out, if only because they haven’t realized there is a way. I hope more of them see the movie as a positive and try to get out of it, or at least help their children do so. After all, a majority from the privileged class may choose to try to increase the divide rather than reduce it.

The story is based on real incidents that happened a few decades back. I do not know if that included the rivalry shown. That definitely seemed a bit far-fetched, just as the love angle seemed a bit premature.

Amitabh is stellar as usual. He is 80, and yet has done the role of a just about retiring teacher very well. I am glad he did this role.

Nagraj Manjule has shown once again that he is a director to continue looking out for not just for his Marathi movies, but also for his Hindi movies.

In some sequence (and in the credits) the camera focus/sharpness leaves a bit to be desired …

Among real life connections, I would like to call out Ganesh Birajdar who is currently working along with his team to educate children from Nagpur and surrounding areas through the Learning Companions initiative.

झूंड - zhund [Hindi] (7/10) 2022

OK Computer (8/10) (2021)

My current favorite series is the Hindi tongue-in-cheek sci-fi comedy set in India of 10 years from now. It is very nerdy, and low budget, so not for everybody. But think of ‘District 9’. In fact, I will put it closer to ‘Love, Death, and Robots’ but with a more extensive social commentary through comedy. In fact it starts with a self-driving car smashing a person into pav-bhaji. 

Writers include Anand Gandhi, and actors include Vijay Verma and Radhika Apte who have played their roles well, but the highlight is Kani Kusruti who has an interesting background (Kusruti means mischievous in Malayalam, a name she took for her board exams), and it almost seems as if some aspects of her real life, twisted for the story, are intertwined. Jackie Shroff features in half the episodes, and there are cameo’s by the likes of Tanmay Bhat, Kunal Kamra, and hell, even one of my science idols V S Ramachandran! It has not-so-hidden references to organizations in the US,  and aspects from Three Body Problem and or Ready Player One. It would almost seem like a spoof, and yet it is not given the subject it is tackling.

It is like one of those special series that have become a popular format these days, with the first season being 6 episodes. All 6 episodes were released in Mar 2021 on Disney/Hotstar. IMDB mentions Season 2, but I have not seen any details …

I have not finished the series yet, and may update the review later.

OK Computer (8/10) (2021)

Star*Men (2015) (7/10)

I had the pleasure of watching the movie directed by Alison Rose at Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, followed by Q&A with two of the stars Donald Lynden-Bell and Nick Woolf, and the director. These two along with Roger Griffin and Wallace Sargent formed a quartet of British astronomers in their mid-twenties who found themselves together at Caltech in Pasadena the 1960s as postdocs and went on to become shining astronomers, through, what Wal would call hard work. Their passion for astronomy and travel saw them do many road-trips then. Fifty years later they decided to revisit some of those places, and Star*Men is a documentation of that.

Watching it at Caltech with fellow-astronomers was special. It was good to see Donald Lynden-Bell on stage answering questions about what he would do today and what he thought of space explorations and humanity and all that. I first met him about twenty years ago at IUCAA, India when I was a graduate student myself, and he does not seem to have aged a bit. That is what is also reflected in the movie as they travel and talk about some of their thoughts about, well, the life, the universe, and everything. I had the privilege of interacting with Pandit Wal at Caltech with whom I could chat about quasars as well as cricket. While there are many great astronomers, as also other professionals in different fields, the story shows how the bond of friendship between these four and the world outside astronomy - if connected by astronomy - stayed strong for five decades. Though they do not discuss much science, I hope it conveys to the young watchers their fascination for it and perhaps helps them gravitate to it. 

Star*Men  (2015) (7/10)

The Game (1997) (7/10)

Riveting, compelling at the start. Then for a little bit it seems a bit like those internet puzzles where all you are supposed to do is to figure out going to the next step. But this is not exactly like that since the next step comes to you. Its too elaborate, and has too much confidence in the deductive and follow-up powers of the victim. The initial seduction to the idea is of course based on curiosity, and the ability to be sucked in no matter how aloof you consider yourself to be. A few twists, but again a bit too elaborate and big and too realistic. One wrong turn and poof. But no, everything seems well executed. The victim does not realize whats happening at all.

The Game (1997) (7/10)

The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015) (7/10)

A biopic about Srinivas Ramanujan (born 1887), the story had to mostly stick to facts. But there was enough drama in Ramanujan's life, not to mention the dramatic mathematical formulae he conjured one after another. Liberties have been taken about relative ages of people involved but that seems to help in keeping the focus on his life and mathematics. Only a little discussion of actual mathematics ensures that people will not get repelled by it. There is enough broad-stroke discussion to try to give the general audience a rough understanding of what Ramanujan managed despite troubling conditions.

At one point Hardy says: 'We can not converse in Tamil', to which Ramanujan replies: 'But you would want me to converse in English'. All the characters do use English in the movie, and the retort is ironic because Dev Patel playing Ramanujan does not speak Tamil.

The balance of proof (necessity of) and intuition comes out nicely. Ramanujan wants to run away with intuition but Hardy would like to reign him for the sake of concrete progress within Ramanujan's life-time. Intuition, or drawing together diverse facts subconsciously, happens best when you are at ease. Ramanujan though, seems to have managed it despite troubles of all colors. I guess it is the focus that he could muster would have played a large part.

Its a pity that a journey through the lost notebook can not be shown to all like Indiana Jones going after the lost arc. But I did feel after seeing the movie that it would be fun to dabble again a bit in Pure Maths. The abstract joy of even rediscovering connections known for a long time is unparalleled.

The recent - and continuing - story of Mochizuki's work on the abc conjecture tells us how the world has drawn away from purely intuition based works. Clearly Mochizuki would have had intuitions about his Frobenioids, but he had to also put together a proof for his solution. No more isolated romanticism as the world is too connected. Or is it?

The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015) (7/10)

Dharm (2007) (6/10)

The movie is set in Varanasi, the point which connects heaven and hell through Earth, a place that transcends the three worlds. It is a place of highest religious ordeals on the one hand, and a place with dense hindu and muslim localities with not infrequent skirmishes on the other (and the Buddhist Sarnath is not too far off). The city (a town really) is junk if you are not looking at it from Pauranik goggles. I have personally talked to priests there who speak nothing but Sanskrit, and I have seen dead rats on narrow alleys, and calfs tied to one of the umpteen Shivlingas that the city is home to.

The story is about a Brahmin who is staunch and genteel. His life is somewhat changed when an infant is left at their doorstep and they have to take care of him. It changes even further when the mother shows up a few years later to reclaim the child. Without leaving his dharm, his stringent vows he learns to transcend the narrow interpretation of some of the scriptures he has been following. For him its a journey which justifies the change in his behavior. For some others its not so obvious.

The acting of the main actors is great, and the story line is timely. Worth a look. 

Delhi Belly (2011) (7/10)

The Delhi, The Belly. I hate you like I love you. Many people may find it a bit crass due to its language (really?) or perhaps due to the anatomy figuring - no, not raw, just figuratively, and, yes, a bit audibly. But its a fast paced, well acted, case with some simple but interesting twists. It has all the interesting parts - smugglers, airlines, hotels, guns, love, break-up, blackmail, policemen, burquas, diamonds and a few other things that are needed for a twisty, fast, irrelevant movie. There is Amir Khan thrown in the end as well. Hate him, or love him, you can't ignore him.

Shaun of the Dead (2004) (6/10)

A British comedy about ordinary folk in extra-ordinary conditions viz. surrounded by zombies. Some parts are funny, most others are mundane. But its different. Sometimes it is difficult to tell apart the zombies, and that is one of the points. Its only 99 minutes and would have been a drag had it dragged on. The romance aspect is what keeps the world together, whether you are alive, half-alive, about to be zombified, or actually a zombie. And Shaun is no exception ...

Prometheus (I) (2012) (5/10)

A thoughtless movie about alleged origin of humans (or human DNA to be precise) seeded from "far flung dark part of the universe" which is of course a constellation within our own Galaxy. The journey to this place is actually completely uneventful with a wealthy geriatric, a commander, two scientists, two engineers, three people running the ship and an obviously HALsque persona.

On the distant planet (or its moon actually) which they reach without encountering anyone else, they meet strange things which I will not go into to save the suspense except for saying that advanced species are unlikely to do that (they may, no, will, have wars, but this wasn't war - it seemed to have no purpose). The good thing was that they do not conjure up additional people who will get killed when the time comes (like in 'Lost').

Clearly there is to be  a sequel. Saying that all will be revealed there is equally senseless if the first movie is simply meant as an intro to the characters and ill-posing the question itself. Overall, a blot in the name of sci-fi (or even sci-fantasy). What, you say its just about aliens? May be so, but apart from a different location, and an alleged different purpose, what is the difference? 

Looper (2012) (5/10)

The movie has an interesting premise - sending unneeded people back in time to be killed by hired guns. The people sent back are sent back with payment for the "job". Sometimes you have to have this killers killed and that is precisely where the problem begins - as one would expect.

If they had restricted themselves to the loops and created as many paradoxes and complexities as they wanted, it would have been fine. But they bring in the supernatural in terms of telekinesis which takes the plot for a ride and makes the movie passe from potentially good.

The Thirteenth Floor (1999) (7/10)

It starts with an intriguing concept of building a simulation of the past with lifelike beings. It naturally shifts to allowing the programmers to interact with this unreal world. So far nothing out of the ordinary. But then there are hints of the beings in the simulated world realizing that they may not be real. The fun starts there with one such being in particular wanting to climb into the real world.

The way the consciousnesses are exchanged between the two worlds, it makes interesting things possible, and the story is built around that with many loops, seeming exceptions, and a good handling of the concept. The simulation part is in a vague way like that in 'matrix', but the mechanism bears a closer resemblance to  'Being John Malkovich' and definitely to many aspects in 'The Mind's I'. How do I know I am not someone's dream.

talaash तलाश (2012) (5/10)

talaash तलाश is a Aamir Khan movie in which he seems to hang the principles people seem to suppose he possesses. Some spoilers after this sentence completes, so don't read beyond the fullstop if you plan to watch the movie but just be warned that it is not worth watching anyway. The acting is good, the story seems good initially but then it starts clinging to supernatural stuff, the last thing the Indian masses need from someone like Aamir. The movie is slow in the middle though it keeps moving. Some inexplicable bits are interspersed and some mysterious ones, essentially deliberate wrong leads.

The dog right at the start suggests something supernatural but it seemed more alien like - but I guess that is a bit too much to expect. Mediums, and ghosts, and opening car doors inside water despite the large pressure. This is not what one has come to expect from Aamir. But he is a showman, said someone. Really? Isn't he in idol? The review may be a bit misdirected, but somewhat on purpose. तलाश - द लाश.

Sound of Heaven: The Story of Balgandharva (2011) (6/10)

The film is somewhere between a documentary and a movie. Upto the interval it moves connectedly, building a picture, and then the director is in a hurry to show all the remaining important bits in the life of the great singer 'Balgandharva' mostly through the actions of others, especially in the later part of his life.

The story of the inseparableness of males roles of females in the plays is brought out, but many other aspects are inexplicable. While Balgandharva's sticking to his guns (lavishness on the stage, not accepting gift money) may seem principled on the one hand, his manner of throwing away the money is again strange. I am not sure which part of it is the directorial license. Same is true with his scene with his wife. It has to have bene imagined by the director since there is no way it could have been communicated to anyone, or through anyone.

Most of the songs are good as are many of the performances, but the jumpy nature of the story ensures that you will not remember many of the performers.

Gladiator (2000) (6/10)

After a journey to Rome recently I gathered enough courage to watch Gladiator. Or rather felt obliged to watch it. Not unexpectedly, it did not turn out to be the grand movie. The sets and the settings are good, and so is the acting. The complex character of Commodus is brought out rather well. But the other characters, including Maximus often seem undecided, and hence human. May be that was intended. Not much of Rome shown, not much of the senators shown. That makes it a rather one-track story-line. Sure, there are a couple of twists, but these are trivially overcome - at least in the movie.

Why don't slaves revolt? Why don't people revolt? Why don't we revolt?

Gladiator (2000) (6/10)

The Maiden Heist (2009) (5/10)

An attempted comedy involving three guards in an art museum who are in love with an art piece each. When they learn that those pieces are among the ones to be moved to Denmark, and that this was decided without consulting them, they decide to take things in their own hands. Of course the plan goes a little awry. Not too many complications or twists. The Maiden Heist (2009) (5/10)

Just Go with It (2011) (6/10)

A fun comedy, where you go along just as the title says. One white lie leading to another, just compounded by the forced accomplices also wanting their share of the white lies. As usual things don't turn out the way they are supposed to be, one thing leads to another. It all start with a rich person wooing a young woman. She thinks he is married and he has to convince her that he is going to get divorced. And then he has to convince her. Just Go with It (2011) (6/10)

Being There (1979) (8/10)

A fabulous movie starring Peter Sellers with a very straight face and absolutely no intensions save some gardening perhaps. A man who has not stepped outside his house until he is a man is asked to do so, and he does. Chance takes him(self) to meet many different people. He is so blank that he unknowingly gets mistaken for a mirror with people getting the vibes they want. For that reason alone it does not seem farfetched. One metaphor can apply to so many situations. There are a few twists and the suspense almost kills. The power of few words is apparent. If only people could shut up they could reach so much higher. Being there is important, not saying it. Eve, and Bobby, and the attorney, and the doctor all play their roles. The transformation in Ben is amazing. And it really comes from the inside. Life is indeed a state of mind.

Being There (1979) (8/10)

The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (6/10) (1995)

A feel good movie about the war times when a Welsh village is about to lose their latest asset owing to two Englishmen just doing their job. The towns folk set about the task of convincing (or is it duping? or is it just transmitting their point of view?) the duo about "reconsidering" their execution of their job. They do it in a perfectly Gandhian way - non-cooperation. Romance is thrown in, and some rules to the air. Making a mountain out of a mole? You have come to the right spot.

The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (6/10) (1995)

Eyes Wide Shut (1999) (6/10)

A nonlinear story about an individuals moral issues with extramarital sex. Good performances and suspenseful stuff of secret societies keep it intriguing. An individuals foray into an area where he does not belong. He seems to realize that, and yet keeps on getting drawn. And then there are the pangs of having endangered a few lives in the process. Stanley Kubrick.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999) (6/10)

Of Gods and Men AKA Des hommes et des dieux (6/10) (2010)

A group of missionaries (monks of Tibhirine) living in Atlas mountains in Algeria peacefully near a muslim village in the 1990s when terrorists threaten the well being in general, and perhaps the Christian priests in particular. Its a slow moving movie as the situation warrants - with the priests deliberating whether they should leave and thinking what their mission is, what they are headed for and so on. There is always the possibility of their being kidnapped or killed. Some of them go through phases of wanting to leave, but a couple are steadfast that they won't including the medic priest.

The encounters are a bit documentary like because they are real but the acting is superb, and the icing is the bit during their "last supper" when they have all decided to stay - a piece from Tchaikovsky's ballet, Swan Lake (10th movement, the first from Act II: Scene: Moderato).

While the discussions of the priests are shown in fair detail, the other side is shown just in sketches, and their encounters have no discussion as such (perhaps as is likely to happen in a real-life situation when at least one side has its views fixed). I would have liked to see more on those lines though.

Of Gods and Men AKA
Des hommes et des dieux (6/10) (2010)