Half Nelson (2006)

Directed by: Ryan Fleck

Cast: Ryan Gosling,

Nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role – Academy Awards, Sundance Film Festival

I saw this a while ago. I forgot to write the review. I wanted to write then, but it slipped. Not only the movie but name of the movie as well. Later while searching for Ryan Reynolds, I found Ryan Gosling and the movie!!

See, over a period of time, you see how things/lives are interlinked. This whole networking stuff, sometimes is freaky and sometimes it is comforting as well. When it comes to movies, it’s exciting to see the interlinks. This could be the directors, actors, screenplay writers, anything. You remember a character from a movie. Much later you see another movie and you recollect, how you had seen this actor before. It creates a link. And then these links start growing. It creates huge mash-up. The bigger it grows, the exciting it gets.

Half Nelson. Questions conventional teaching and student-teacher relationship. Deals with personal indulgences, dependency, temptations, addictions, influences, fear, social stigma, failure, prison, hoodlum, bonding…

If you look these movies, which question the conventional education, the regular teachers are shown as quite ridiculous characters. So ridiculous, it’s very easy to take sides. In life it is not so. You have never such blacks and whites. More of greys. Half Nelson, School of Rock, Finding Forrester, Dead Poets Society, To Sir with Love, Taare Zameen Par, all fall into similar sketches.

Another thing, stories which appeal to the critics are stories of dysfunctional families, people. And if the storyline does touch-base on such areas, attention to that is bound to happen. So are the movies based on the Nazi-Jew themes.

Golden Globe Awards 2011

Do you feel like watching the Golden Globe Awards? I mean you can know the results the next day, why bother. But still the red carpet is tempting. It is a sensational event, it is grand to see the showbiz fraternity under one roof, w/o any re-takes. Spontaneity though cannot be guaranteed. I mean these guys are actors. They get paid for putting up things on screen, doing stuff which they have no clue about. So, I guess spontaneity is completely out of question. The nervousness, the hurried speeches, the frantic efforts to look as if they have not memorized, the attempts to read out from pieces of paper, attempts to create spontaneous humor, attempts to be completely moved, shocked, taken by surprise…I mean who are they taking for a ride. The audience. Well, we are here for a good show, and you do it well, we all know that. Period.

I mean the Hollywood is phony. Baring a few; the rest are. I guess if they were normal, they would be no charm in the showbiz. I mean is it true for all of us. No. I want my stars from show biz to be real. People who sweat it out, toil, struggle and make their work of art. Work needs human effort, nothing comes out of the blue. I mean I am talking about movies, which change lives, affect lives. Well that can’t be a phony effort. I want real stars. You are good at something does not make the work effortless…

Never the less, I still continue to watch the Academy religiously year after year. Why? Well simply because, there are some strokes of brilliance from these stars, which just makes your day. And moreover its great o catch them sans re-takes and with their spouses/ the teams huddled up together and all…It is really a sight. More than that, it’s a personal pleasure to see your favorite picks getting the critics votes too. I mean Academy has been a yard stick with which I usually measure, the minimum number of movies I need to see in a year. I at least try to see the nominations and the wins. And it is even more great to see the underdogs win. I am sucker for screenplays. More for the Original ones than the Adapted.

This year if you look at the acceptance speeches, personally, I feel some people really looked stupid up there. Robert De Niro to start with, and equally stupid was the Matt Damon trying to mimic him. If that was funny, well I am out of tune. Now let us look at the acceptance speech of, well I guess I have started to forget who said what. I felt the acceptance speech was also a forum to let the world know what their respective spouse/bf/gf are doing. My husband choreographed the dance for the movie. My husband won the Golden Globe in 1962. I mean look how many people are going to hear it. It ‘s mind boggling.

Does it mean I abhor the award nights, well not at all. These are some things which stand out. But the spirit of winning and the celebration supersedes everything.

Amidst all this brouhaha, history is written for posterity.

To Die For (1995)

Director: Gus Van Sant
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck, Matt Dillon

Nicole Kidman steals the show with her performance, undoubtedly. She fits the bill, and the manner in she pursues her dream, is sometimes scary. Young buds – Joaquin and Casey. Nicole bagged a Golden Globe for her performance.

Gus Van Sant: his name is so sexy. His works which I liked : Finding Forrester and Good Will Hunting.

Rules of Engagement (2000)

Director: William Friedkin

Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Samuel L Jackson, Guy Pearce, Ben Kingsley


Let me start with the cast first.

Guy Pearce : Immortal role in Memento, versatility at its best – Andy Warhol: Factory Girl, cop : LA Confidential. All these 3 movies in their own ways have affected me when I saw them first. I didn’t know Guy Pearce so well then, but now after Rules of Engagement and this blog, he is going to be on my mind for long.

Tommy Lee Jones: In the Valley of Elah, No Country for Old Men, Men in Black, Batman Forever, Natural Born Killers, The Fugitive. After seeing fugitive, I used think Pamela was married to this Tommy Lee. It’ s quite later I realized it was musician/drummer Tommy she was married once.

Samuel L Jackson: Iconic Role in Pulp Fiction, Another role I will never forget : Coach Carter.

Ben Kingsley : Iconic Role: MK Gandhi in Gandhi, Elegy and House of Sand and Fog. Such a huge presence on the screen, his face itself speaks so much, acting is optional for him I guess.

William Friedkin : Directed the acclaimed – French Connection and The Exorcist. I think with these two films he went down in the history of cinema.


Now when such big forces come together, you are bound to be moved. Rules of engagement, kept me glued to the box from start to finish. Reluctantly took some calls in between, with half my mind trying to read the subtitles. You will feel extremely moved when you hear Samuel recite the Rules of the Engagement, by heart. And when he is being but on record and accused of violating the same. Equally engaging is the performance from Guy Pearce and Tommy. Ben has a minor role to play.

Where I felt the movie and the script take plunge, is the lack of anything extraordinaire/hidden fact/climax which acquits Samuel. All the facts which were known are the ones which were known from the beginning. So, the climax per se fails to capture the imagination.

Ranarna (At Point Blank: English Title) (Swedish, 2003)

It revolves around the chase and the investigation undertaken by the cops for a series of bank robberies. The protagonist is Klara, new on the team, and with a dominating fellow partner. The dynamics f the story itself changes when Klara discovers that one of the prime suspect is her live-in mate. I mean it’s scary. Personally and professionally.

It was strange I saw two movies in quick succession, where a couple’s personal and professional lives overlap and that too for a crisis. The ability to manage both, can be one of the most traumatic experiences for a person.

Break ke Baad (2010)

Cast: Deepika, Imran Khan, Yudi

“Abbe Gulati tera dimaag kharab ho gaya hai”

“Itna sweet hai to mein kya karon? Kheer banaon?”

Letters to Juliet(2010)

Chick-flick, romantic, funny, light, countryside, tour of Italy, a wasted Gael, dignified Vanessa, beautiful country, lovely people, envious lifestyle…pretty Amanda.

Fair Game (2010)

Director : Doug Liman (Bourne Identity, Mrs. And Mr. Smith)
Cast : Naomi Watts, Sean Penn

Based on the memoirs published by ex CIA agent, Valerie Plame, this keeps you on the edge. Intricate, detailed, thought provoking it will leave with little time to fall complacent. There are so many different thoughts, opinions, insights, and subtle under currents that following the linear storyline, is just one of the options you have while watching the movie.

Apart from what the powerful people could do, it was for me a also how the couple survived the ordeal. In spite of being exactly opposite to each other in their approaches, opinions, beliefs, they gel well so well to survive the ordeal. Their lives allow, very little time for each other, still the ability to think beyond, and the love, sees them through. It’s is easiest to give up on your loved when things go wrong, that’s the easiest thing to do, But then your partner needs your support the most during such troubled times. Sean understood that.

Age is catching up on Naomi Watts, like any of us. It shows too.

Getting it Right Always

Things which I wish I could get it right always, but somehow can’t. Well, I will begin with the shower. There are few things about the shower which needs to be just right for it to qualify as a really grand one. First is the optimum temperature, then is the water pressure and the third is the continuity of the first and the second factors till the end of the shower. Getting the temperature right is a skill and also your luck. Water pressure, some days you need it mild, some days you need it more. For me, who cannot afford a Jacuzzi at home, what I need to control this are using two knobs for hot and cold. Well to get the right pressure and the temperature and to let it continue unhampered w/o any interference has been a want. It never so far has been satisfied.

The right pillow height every single night. Some nights I want it low, some medium, and some time high. Then start from high and then gradual through the night become low. Well, then it is quite complex for me, and end using two pillows, no pillow and sleep on my hand and so on.

Chicken Tikka Masala to taste the same always. It has to be the right mix always.

Bhel Puri/Gol Guppa/Pani Puri – Bhel most of the time I get it right outside St. Stephen’s College, Delhi. But the others, you need to pray hard to the ‘chaat gods’ so that you can have a good chaat.

Head Massage/Body Massage – you can very well imagine the complexity and hence the need to get it right…

Here the only thing which I get it right always, till date has been the French fries from Mc Donald’s. Nothing beats it ever.

Saraswati Park

Author – Anjali Joseph. Lived in India and England, shortlisted by Hindu for best Indian writing in 2010. She has a mixed feeling about herself, that of Indian roots and longing to write about India, but still feels very British when in Paris.

The novel, caught my attention because it was shortlisted by Hindu. My brother had shared his Crossword coupons worth 1500/- and that was good enough to buy me a lot of books which were on my mind. But it was after quite a bit of searching I found the books.

Those of you in Bangalore, who have been to the Crossword store, would find it a better than the Landmark, in Forum. However, the Crossword store at Shoppers Stop on Bannerghetta Road, has been a disappointment most of the times. Lack of choice and disinterested staff and loads of billing errors. I picked up like 5-6 books from the Crossword store at the Bangalore International Airport. The staff was quite helpful, took down the names of the books from me and got all of them from the shelves.

Saraswati Park is the second novel I am reading in succession which has a story based on the lives of people in Bombay. It also the second book which was nominated for the Hindu Literary Awards. There are occasional streaks of genius and creativity in the book. But it lacks the punch somewhere. It does not live up to the mystery and climax it builds up to. Some of the characters are unfinished. So from a character sketch point of view; I was not satisfied with anyone. But the description of events, city, emotions and the details daily activities were quite captivating. The ability to do so much, think so much, feel so much, accomplish so much from the bounds of limited spaces in crowded Mumbai, is simply amazing. But somewhere Bombay is still unexplored, it will continue to be. Else reading of Bombay will not be charming. Each one with his view.

The best chapter, in the book, the second last one. Especially the one where Ashish is taking the flight to California.

Sling Blade (1996)

Directed: Billy Bob Thornton
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton
Academy Nomination/Win : Nomination : Best Actor, Win : Adapted Screenplay


I remember vaguely a Academy Award ceremony where someone tried to mimic Karl Chiders from Sling Blade. At that time neither did I know the movie, nor did I know what was the context.
Later may be 3 years back I saw Sling Blade, and then saw it again yesterday. The best part since it was post midnight, there were no commercial breaks. Uninterrupted movie on TV, is a luxury, I am sure you too would agree.

Doyle – he is portrayed as a scoundrel, and the way how he behaves, there is hardly anything you can justify what he does. But then see, what I liked was the way how the boy justifies his mom’s feelings for him. He says, she sticks to him for the good times. I believe don’t we too give credibility to lot of people in our lives for the good times.

Vaughan – he looks funny or he is made to look funny, that you can decide. But he is sensible, rational and except being too early in passing judgment early, he does his role well.

Workshop Owner – apart from other things, he displays some traits of good Christian. Like a point where hands over the keys to Karl. The other instance where he informs the customer that strange are the ways of our Lord.

I am sure there are so many poignant moments between the boy and Karl, that there is no need to share them here again. Definitely the screenplay has the punch.