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)

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.

The Fifth Element (1997) (7/10)

A fun movie. Sci-fi with the usual space ships, evil, aliens, magic antidote and so on, but also humour. In fact on one level it seems like a parody of many other serious counterparts to itself. The fifth element needs to be combined with the other four. But the fifth element happens to be alive. I do not know if it is fair to say, but Bruce Willis seems a lot like Indiana Jones but for the background. Not too much acting is needed as there is enough action. Many things about the evil and the aliens go unexplained as usual.

The Fifth Element (1997) (7/10)

Æon Flux (2005) (6/10)

A futuristic sci-fi movie where a dying world was saved by a scientist and all the saved people are living in a huge city separated from nature. This continues for 400 years but something has been brewing. The action is too fantastic as is often the case when anything is dubbed futuristic, and so are some of the gimmicks. Its always the right people with the right implements. Including the magnetic balls, in-brain communication, the non-distributed master database.

What I did like about the movie was its premise, which is plausible, but also mainly the solution that comes about. Many times time is a very good solution to many problems provided no destructive interference is being brought about.

Æon Flux (2005) (6/10)

Inception (2010) (8/10)

A cool idea executed pretty well. People believe dreams are ways to let your brain rest, recuperate, relearn. Some people even believe that they tell you the future. But could they be used for ulterior motives? By someone else? It is said that you should share your dreams. The movie takes it to a whole new level. Or 3. Leaves us wondering if we are ourselves in a dream. You need to have an ally to know. Wink, wink. ME TOTally.

But it does not stop there. How about it if besides learning from shared dreams we could use them to actually change the future? The concept is not unheard of, but here it is shown using technology somewhat ala matrix. Elements of Stalker (1979) are also seen. So also is a reflection of Douglas Hofstadter's 'Little Harmonic Labyrinth' (in 'Godel, Escher, Bach', the conversation before Chapter 5). It is hear that the concept of Tumbolia is introduced (a land where cartoon character live when no one is reading the cartoons). What is dreamland if not a version of Tumbolia in some other space. How different is limbo? The concept of GOD (=GOD Over Djinn) is also introduced there. The name comes from Bach's composition called 'Kleines harmonisches Labyrinth.' And labyrinths play an important role in the movie. It is interesting that Penrose is mentioned in the movie but Godel and Escher (and Bach) are not.

But making a movie that seems sensible on such a topic is far from easy. One thing I do not like in such movies though is that a lot relies (in terms of making sense) on the first and last few minutes. I am guilty of it myself in some short stories (all Marathi so far) but in my defense they are not feature length.

What will happen if the inception of dreams fail? Can there be time-like loops? Closed or open? What if it reverses? I would not want to actually say what is in the movie so that I do not end up spoiling it for you. I am sure you will enjoy it though.

Oh, BTW, parts of the movie have been shot in Pasadena and LA.

Inception (2010) (8/10)

Moon (2009) (8/10)

A difficult story in terms of the number of actors which is approximately one. But it is fairly well handled. A mission on the moon for mining. A single person needed to keep the mines working. A thankless job. Three year terms for the humans. Love and hope keep him going. For many cycles. Then something unusual happens, unraveling the plan.

As there tend to be, there are some loopholes e.g. if they could have so advanced automation, why did they need the sole human? But I guess it does not matter.

Moon (2009) (8/10)

Minority Report (2002) (8/10)

One reason I may have liked it more was because it got mentioned in context of the sixth sense device the demo of which I had already seen and because I work on large datasets myself. Yet, it was not just the showyness, nor the futuristicness that struck me, but the ability to carve an interesting story within such a far flung possibility, and have enough twists within it, some so obvious that only later you ask yourself why you did not anticipate them. Using precognition to see future murders and to stop them come what may (have happened in the future). The innocence and the cunningness, the dutifulness and the ruthlessness all counterbalance each other well. Timetravel movies can become a bit cliched since you know that different timelines would get resolved in most stories. Here it is not really different timelines though apparently there may be a choice. Or, if you are to believe in minority reports, may be more than a choice.

I own a book or two by Philip K Dick, but have not read them. May be it is time to do so.

Minority Report (2002) (8/10)

Star Trek : The Future Begins (2009) (8/10)

It is a difficult job to insert a story into the collective memory of the collective and not make many errors. That has been done reasonably well. The rather handy time travel trick has been used in a fairly complex way - at least complex enough for the viewers to not understand what's going on. But then the action is fast enough so that she does not have time to think. And who wants to think anyway while your heroes are evolving into the heroes they will be. I am not our father. Or may be we are. Whatever.

Star Trek : The Future Begins (2009) (8/10)

Batteries not included (1987) (7/10)

Several complex issues are handled in this fairy tale. On one level its about metal elves, but on the other it is about several real-life issues. Some elements of encounters of the third kind (Spielberg effect?) are seen when different people look at the same situation from their own perspective (but how else can that be?). I think the difference is that they do that without coming across as egotists. Of course many things e.g. supply of raw material to name a very minor one, are swept under the carpet as they should be in any good fantasy. Otherwise, what is the viewers imagination for? The story outline is simplistic, won't necessarily keep you glued to the screen, but has a few twists and the perceived complexities can take you through.

Batteries not included (1987) (7/10)

Dune (1984) (5/10)

Its a very sketchy movie. The first time I saw it was soon after reading the book and I thought it fell way short of the quality of the book, perhaps because you have to fit it in to a movie's length. A few years later, now, many of the original mental images are not as sharp. Though the sight of the spaceships, and the Baron etc. are still jarring, it is somewhat easier to pardon. Will the 2010 movie be better? All we can do now is wait and watch. Do read the book though. That allows more vivid imagination, especially in the context of events currently unfolding on the world-stage.

Dune (1984) (5/10)

Children of Men (2006) (6/10)

One of the dark possible future. A very mysterious infertility syndrome has the entire Earth in its grip. War ravages the planet and people are being driven out of their minds. The story is then about a beacon in the darkness. Can humanity come out of the imminent wiping out? There is the alleged Human project which will help people out. That is the hope. Personally I feel that they are the ones who caused the mass infertility. Too many mysteries. Good acting though.

Children of Men (2006) (6/10)

Manchurian candidate (2004) (7/10)

Sci-fi on steroids. Good theme and storyline, and acting if you ignore the rather fantastic matching of "memories" depicted across a whole group. in some sense the fantasy goes even beyond James Bond's devices, only that it is not fast.

Manchurian candidate (2004) (7/10)

K-PAX (2001) (7/10)

A very crafty movie. Gentle too. And effective. No ultimate suspense, yet keeps you guessing. An alien from K-PAX? Well, that is not what the doctors think, medical or otherwise. But ask the patients! They know. They who you think are just furballs. In the end however, the mystery is not unfolded completely for everyone. You have to put pieces together to make it make sense. And it does.

Some scientific liberties taken, but then some science is explained well e.g. soap- and celestial-spheres. And the humane touch never fails to raise the masses. The cynical me asks though if that is really how it is.

K-PAX (2001) (7/10)

Pi (1998) (6/10)

An interesting premise rather wasted by trying to combine too many abstract concepts making it into an abstraction. Is incompleteness applicable to humans is a question many have pondered (without there being a well understood connection). The absurd fascination for a 216 digit number and the bad health of the hero makes it worse. But by bringing in the Go connection and the Tora, some interest is retained. At times it is just like the 9 billion names of God, and at times its very Lem (in concept anyway), not to mention Indiana Jones. Pi is clearly a misnomer, and phi won't be correct either. Omega perhaps?

Pi (1998) (6/10)

The Lathe of Heaven (1980) (7/10)

Based on Ursula Le Guin's novel, this movie is about reality-changing dreams. And what can happen when dreams are forced. Since not all dreams are shown, the storyline seems a bit jumpy, but manages to sustain attention. George Orr's question about the possibility of there being others who could have such dreams is interesting. Unfortunately he couldn't control his dreams. In a way he was like Wowbagger - since he was not born with the ability, he could not cope with it.


The Lathe of Heaven (1980) (7/10)

Jigureul jikyeora! aka Save the Green Planet! (2003) (6/10)

A good Korean movie with many uncanny twists and crazy turns. Would have been much better if they had kept the explicit voilent parts out. The acting is good, and though I can't say that the twists keep you glued, you sure want to do that if you want to follow what is happening. The detective connections seem to fit in well. The acting is good and genuine. It has to be when you, or someone around you believes that strange creatures from Andromeda are going to destroy Earth, that they have already arrived, and you are in charge of Earth, practically. You may even want to wish that you had listened to what your mother said when you were small (about watching such movies). Not for the faint-hearted. Beware, the Andromeda prince is here!

Jigureul jikyeora! aka Save the Green Planet! (2003) (6/10)

La Invención de Cronos aka Cronos (1993) (5/10)

This movie from Mexico has a simple idea of a device that can prolong your life. As always, there is a catch. The storyline is fairly straightforward and does not have many twists and turns. A social cum psychological angle is explored rather a scientific one. Thus the inner workings of the device are not explained making it less interesting. Why some other people act the way they do is not clear at all.

La Invención de Cronos aka Cronos (1993) (5/10)