Young Victoria

Directed Jean Marc Vallee
Cast – Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Mark Strong, Harriet Walter

If someone says it is a costume drama, well I would not disagree completely, I would add that it’s also an Academy Award winning movie in that category. No doubt the movie will leave you spell bound by the vast sets, castles and the opulence. Beyond that I found the small sparks of brilliance in the screenplay and plot development…Well talking about the Academy Award for best costume design to Sandy Powell, I found her acceptance speech quite snobbish…

We were watching the last show in PVR, and as expected there were hardly any viewers. The real dampener was that the background music was completely screwed up, though the audio quality for the dialogs were intact.

Emily Blunt for me was able to emote the princess in distress poignantly.
Rupert Friend, lacked the finesse and charm of a prince, not sure if Prince Albert was actually like him 
Harriet Walter : enjoyed listening to her impeccable (my idea of a typical Brit) accent. I remember her from Sense and Sensibility, she was the conniving Fanny Dashwood, coming to think of it, she plays the role to perfection.…

In The Loop

Director: Armando Giovanni Iannucci
Cast: Peter Capaldi, Tom Hollander, Gina McKee, Anna Chlumsky


One of the selections for the Film Festival ‘From Blighty with Love’; I missed the first screening in Bangalore, and later the shows were cancelled in Bangalore because of poor viewership. I got a copy of the film from my local vendor, in my locality.

You can never forget Peter Capaldi, at least whatever he tries to say during the whole film. He firmly believes that if you do not use the expletives and that too innovate and improvise every time, you can hardly get things moving, anywhere wherever you are.
Gina McKee hardly feels any heat bcoz of the noise and din created by Peter at all, and carries on her duty w/o intermission.
Tom Hollander, is swarmed by so many and with so much, that he is lost. He has lost his touch with himself, and as he put ‘vacantly staring into space, as he has no thoughts’.
Anna Chlumsky – trying to keep a balance between work, her phone calls, her need to go up in her career, and some dose of fun along the way…

Nine

Directed by: Rob Marshall

Cast:

Daniel Day-Lewis as Guido Contini
Marion Cotillard as Luisa Contini
Penélope Cruz as Carla Albanese
Judi Dench as Lilli La Fleur
Nicole Kidman as Claudia Jenssen
Kate Hudson as Stephanie
Fergie as Saraghina
Sophia Loren as Mamma Contini


Visually captivating, backed up with an excellent screenplay. Fame Lido in Bangalore cancelled the shows of From Blighty with Love and screened Nine instead. I was quite disappointed of missing the ‘Easy Virtue’ never the less ‘Nine’ made up for it in more than one way…

S^x, Morality and Cens^ship - META Shortlisted Play

Director – Sunil Shanbhag
Cast : Nagesh Bhonsle, Gitanjali Kulkarni , Shubhrojyoti Barat , Ketaki Thatte Gulshan Devaiah
Script: Shanta Gokhale and Irawati Karnik

I walked into Rangashankara only to find a serpentine queue at the bottom of the stairs…I was unsure if I would get the tickets for the show, I did. Picked up a ‘nimboo paani’ and was in no hurry, as I am not very keen to grab a sea right in the center and in the front rows and all…I got a comfortable seat, and waited for the play to start. I had the book ‘The house on the Mall’ to keep me company…
Maybe 2 minutes after the scheduled, time, the representative from IFA introduces the play, and for a change, no bakwaas, no ‘nonsense jokes’, no attempt at being forcefully forgetful and stuff like that…A good intro for a grand play.
There was a ‘dholak’ – a kind of folk drum and a harmonium…Nagesh Bhonsle makes a huge impact with his entry, followed by Ketaki Thatte. Both of them bring so much of charm and intrigue to the whole set up. I would not divulge too much about the plot of the play, but would definitely want to put on record the Champa and Laxmi do an absolutely stunning performance. Nothing but outstanding. If the script has the fire, these two actors kindle the fire. The play is definitely without its sheen w/o them. And likewise the other actors, who shared the stage with them. What a voice, what a delivery and what confidence…
There were expletives used freely, there was violence and the subject was quite sensitive, but very well handled and delivered…It also uses the screen to screen some movie clips, some music compositions and other stuff, a good blend of different forms.
Then there were these pseudo intellectuals who more than asking genuine questions have a point or comment to make more than anything….I mean for once when would people ask questions and not just blabber about something they have read or their opinion…There was this lady who kind was on the verge of a emotional explosion, and felt it was an personal journey for her….Was it staged? Was it an extension of the play?

From Blighty with Love March 5-18 : Glorious 39

Directed by: Stephen Poliakoff
Cast: Ramola Garai, Bill Nighy, Charlie Cox

The are a series of movies being screened in India in association with the UK Film Council. In Bangalore they are being screened @ Fame, Lido…Now with the Metro work in progress, to reach Fame you have to take detour while coming from MG Road. The first film I saw as part of this, was Glorious 39.

There are two things which strikingly stand out in this film – the screenplay and the performance by Ramola Garai. I am surprised to notice that it is not an screenplay adaptation and instead an original one. While watching the film, I was almost convinced that it would have been an adaptation. Usually I tend a nothing before watching a film, so that I walk in w/o an unbiased mind…This would be the first work of Stephen Poliakoff, which I have seen.

The cinematography was breath taking, and so was the performance by Ramola. I vaguely remember seeing her in As You Like it and Atonement. Bill Nighy I remember from Love Actually and Charlie from Stardust.

I heard people walking out (there were hardly 10-15 people in the whole auditorium) saying it was a not long and the suspense was some blah blah….I mean for once people there are ways to appreciate a movie rather than criticizing and not liking a movie does in no way make you a better authority on films…Everyone has a taste, and everyone has a opinion - period.

Invictus

Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast : Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon
Academy Nominations: Best Actor in Leading Role and Best Actor in a Supporting Role

When Nelson is going for his morning jog, the day after he is elected the President, the newspapers carry the headline – ‘You have won the Election, but can you run a country?’. Nelson tells, ‘Yes it is a valid question’. This sets the pace for what is in store for us. Every moment, Nelson has to live up to the expectations of 43 million South African nationals, a rainbow nation with diversity in color and nationality. And Nelson is a shining example of an upright moral conscience, with the urge to make SA an leading nation on the world map.
When he invites Matt Damon for a discussion, he ask him a direct question, what is your philosophy of leadership?
Matt Damon is portrayed as a ordinary citizen, player and a captain. He does not suddenly become an unconquerable super hero out of the blue. Instead he feels the need to win, at any cost and inspire his team….

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Looking through the Glass

Pre Independence, Dadi’s ashes, the Freedom Fighter’s guilt, the SLR camera, the journey from Delhi to Banaras, the fall. Ammi, Ashrafi, Masroor, Amnesia, Parwana, East India C_____, Shimla, Banaras, Delhi, Nari Niketan.

Looking through glass meanders through the lives of many and gallops time zones.

Mukul Kesavan is an Old Stephanian.

An Education

Directed by Lone Sherfig
Screenplay Adaptation by Nick Hornby
Cast: Carrey Mulligan


Carey Mulligan indeed captures the naivety and spark of intelligence in what they call as ‘coming of age’ drama. She received a nominated for the Best Actress at the Academy for her role. The plot is no stunner, its not something being show cased for the first time. However the treatment, the subtlety and the impact are what Lone Sherfig has been able to bring out beautifully. Nick Hornby of High Fidelity fame has done the screenplay for this film and bagged an Academy Award nomination too. The film was also nominated in the Best Film category, which definitely is a huge recognition.