Toy Story 3

Now, what a scorcher this movie is! I happened to watch Toy Story 1,2 and 3 in succession, and it was an overwhelming ride all the way.

The below review posted on IMDB catches it all. Sorry for copying it without permission, but you speak for all of us here buddy....

How in the world did Pixar make adults CRY over TOYS??!

18 June 2010 | by interrealm (Utah) – See all my reviews

The best magic tricks in the world are ones that cannot be unraveled, reverse engineered or dissected to figure out exactly how they are pulled off. This philosophy is doubly applicable to Pixar's "Toy Story 3", the storyline-ending outro of the beloved Toy Story, uh, story.

I feel it relevant somehow to divulge my age, as it somehow validates the powerful emotions evoked throughout the film. I am a 28 year old male, who, fifteen years ago, was fresh into the teen years of supposed adolescence at the release of some weird, 3d animated movie (wait, they can animate with computers?) entitled "Toy Story". This was a pretty bold move, a calculated stroll to the edge of the cliff and a daring leap off into the thin air of creativity and innovation. And it was a hit, ensuring 3d animation a place right alongside (more or less) 2d animation. And naturally, Pixar would be at the forefront, leading the cavalry charge of digital animation ranging from great to gawd-awful.

"Toy Story 3" starts off as comfortably as possible, with our friends Woody and Buzz Lightyear doing what they do the best...playing with Andy in his world of make-believe adventure. We are then treated to some familiar Pixar progression, like abandonment, solidarity, coming back to friends, and the passing of the torch. Clearly, in the eleven years between this point and when "Toy Story 2" wrapped, a computer revolution or four has occurred, allowing a world of unsurpassed clarity, reality and imagination to shine through like never before. TS1's spark is TS2's candle, and that in turn is TS3's blazing sun.

Roll the last fifteen minutes of film. It became clearly obvious that the figurative tables have been turned, because a good number of the adults in the audience (including myself) were sniffling and teary-eyed, while the kids were looking up, likely thinking "jeez mom and dad, they're just toys, get over it".

Wasn't it conventional wisdom that just the kids get emotional over losing plastic playthings? With "Toy Story 3", Pixar has shown us one of the greatest magic tricks in modern showbiz history, likely not to be outdone or duplicated, that we all have very real and deep connections to our childhoods and to the things and people that allowed us as kids to be free, and innocent, and pure, and most importantly, to dream. This, to me, is a life lesson worth remembering, to infinity and beyond.

The Art of Movie-Watching

I have always wondered, why have movies become such a liberating soul for people worldwide, since its inception by Lumiere Brothers at Paris in 1896? It is just a non-real reel of 2/3 hours presented in money-raking way. So, why associate and believe in it? For me, it is more about the inner reflection that movies mirror to me all the time. I get lost, immersed in the screen with the characters, as if it were me out there. I become the movie, for all my wishes, desires, ambitions, grievances etc find their utterances there. So, it is a valuable duration of 2 hours for me, and I leave no stone unturned to make it worth it, for if I watch trash and turbid movies, my association in fact gets lost, which is a dearer price to pay.

First, I ensure that I watch the movies in absolutely good quality, soothing ambience, uncluttered mind, in effect, in a total Eden of conditions. Cinema halls/theatres provide such a typical environment, but not always. Moreover it is not possible to catch older movies there. So, a good-quality DVD print, even though downloaded, works perfect for me. The solitude of night, after my day-scheduled works are over, provide a great time, as my mind is content and relieved of the nagging guilt of preferring movies to the other important works, read studies.

Second, I try to get a briefing, just little, beforehand, about the movie I am about to watch. It could be a review or some comments on IMDB. That helps me to dive into the cinema’s background. I seamlessly flow into the characters then, and till the end of the movie, I am away from the earth zone. If I like the movie, I again review the movie, this time elaborate, in my mind. IMDB discussions also help me a lot there. Plus getting acquainted with the actors/actresses and their other movies augment my knowledge and understanding both. This way the movie sits in/with me for long, and I have often been able to recognize a movie by just watching a second of its scene.

Third, and which is a very recent phenomenon, I have tried to be selective in my choice. In my lifetime, I know, I will be able to watch only a limited number of movies. So, why not watch only the good ones? While the definition of good is very subjective and also temporal, one can reasonably make a list, if one has got enough discerning qualities.

For my selection, I employ my fourth and probably the most important rule. My solemn effort has been to bring variety to my movie-watching, as I believe, of all other factors, this is what brings interest towards a certain kind of movies for the people. A person, who has only watched mushy Bollywood movies, when exposed to real-life expedition movies of Hollywood, finds himself enamoured. Then after some time, he realizes these super-natural movies too are duds. For foreigners, who have some interest in music and drama, Bollywood movies are a soaring lift from reality. Sometimes, people like what they want to watch. So, movies centered on African Civil War, India’s poverty, Muslim countries female torture, Europe’s free-for-all society etc are hit worldwide. It is the ability of the movies to connect with minds of the viewers that makes them great. And for viewers, it comes from providing variety, in genre, language, location etc, to their movie-watching. Rest all talk about movie paragon-touch is drivel. No one can watch Ben Hur, Lawrence of Arabia, Gone with the Wind, and Forrest Gump in succession. It has to be interspersed with an Inception or an Ice Age or a Dark Knight.
If one can add global variety to one’s selection, then it is probably the apotheosis. Each country’s sensibilities are different, but great. And movies provide a great way to feel those. For this, one needs to get used to watching the foreign language movies in dubbed mother-language or with subtitles, though knowing the foreign language won’t do any harm either.

These all have been the key steps of my holy quest towards the art of movie-watching. These are neither universal nor uniform, but knowing me, I know, these are the best for me.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

It has been months since I watched Vicky Cristina Barcelona. But it has failed to get away from me. It still leaves me in knots, cerebrating about the characters and their realities. Seriously it is not such a thought-provoking movie, as has been taken in by me. It is rather landscape-filled, laidback-storied, amorously-laced, emotionally-turbulent tale of a philander and two swooning ladies over him. But the whole idea is very alien to me, may be, the reason why I am still disturbed by the movie.

I should get to the point straightaway. I despise all the characters in the movie, just for their casual and heretic outlook to love and sex in particular, and life in general. How can true love, if that is depicted in the movie, be so loosely attached to sex? Getting laid is not a part, but the be and end of love, as shown in the movie. An old lady, Judy (Patricia Clarkson) has been married with Mark (Kevin Dunn) for last 30 years, but is still shown osculating around with a younger guy. Reason: Mark has proved to be a dunce in emotionally charged love all these years. Vicky (Rebecca Hall) has been in love with Doug (Chris Messina) for the last few years and are about to get married, but one single sexual encounter with Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem) has made her question her earlier love and crave for that uninhibited fanciful love so greatly exhibited during that fling. And what to say about Cristina (Scarlet Johansson) who is not sure of her love and partners, and better say, life, and keeps offering them to everyone. Juan Antonio, for me, is the real despicable guy, treating women as bed spreads, and her wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz) is a true amazon, if you know what this word means. Oh God! They are so messed up and confused. Life can’t be so byzantine, surely.

Yet, I am telling you this, I covet them all. If I have to choose a character that I resemble most, it is Doug then- a simplified, straight-going, reason-believer lad who takes life on face value. But watching the movie also made me wonder about the other side. The uninhibited love is unsure but also unbound. I have not ever delved in an uncontrolled emotional flow, so I can’t fathom what it feels to be like. Isn’t life also or only about exploration and experimentation, of love, sex, life …. What piece of monotone is a straitjacketed life then, even if intellectual, idealistic and pious! It is not an easy question to answer, and has lingered on since man discovered himself. Probably, reason wins more often, but then is also constantly taunted and questioned, intermittently, by the charms of gay abandon.

And I believe, that is what Woody Allen wanted to show, overall, more so at the end, when all the characters moved in their directions in life, as if Barcelona never happened at all. Finally the realities of life hit them, and it was back to square one. What transpired in those flirtatious weeks of Barcelona was not just an occasional holiday sojourn, but a direct Q&A of our ‘mind and heart’s’ ever dueling propensities.

A surely, between the scenes, movie. And I know I won’t be able to stop wondering about it, soon.

A sabbatical of sorts

There could be nothing more frustrating or annoying than giving up on your one-of-the-most likened things. For the last 5-6 months, my blogging had to endure a test of wait amidst all the frentic and sapping schedule of my life. Even after putting a resolve every now and then to get back to it, I was unable to devote much or rather any time to it. And sorrily, I won’t be able to give any time in future too, for at least 4-5 months.

It is all for a greater cause only; but I hope, I will come back more learned, energized and focused then.

So, it is an official sabbatical till then. Hope life continues to cherish all of us!

3 Idiots to My Name is Khan

Oops! Such a long time. The hiatus owed to a lot to the recent activity in my life. So much so that I could watch just one movie in the last two months. Unsurprisingly, it was 3 idiots.

I need not sing hosannas how good the movie is. It has already been hawked to the stale limit now. But one aspect of the movie that has gone unmentioned is how the movie has elucidated the topic of education in such great and aesthetic detail. Earlier the heroes of the movies were all backbenchers and study-loathers, as if mocking studies imparted them the macho to attract the pretty damsels of the class. Nowhere there was an emphasis on how good education creates suave human beings. But 3 Idiots paints this with an added philosophy of how that good education should be like. It is an unfettered ride, evoking some wonderful moments of college life. Only Raju could have made such a film, and only Aamir could have enacted such a rule. Hallelujah.

Moving on, I believe ‘My Name is Khan’ is going to be the next stop. And what a delight it would be to watch it in a theatre in India again. It has been a bloody long time since I watched a Hindi movie on the big silver screen, with the augmented aura of grand landscape suffused with melodious songs. The movie percolates with the environs too inside you. Undoubtedly the movie will have that same bigger-than-life SRK rendition to sprout all feel-good vibes inside you.

The awe and answer of Saw

A great fan of Saw series! I am. Conspicuous it is, as there is an avowed pledge by me of not watching gore and pessimism. But Saw is an exception, and I solicit pardon here.

This infringement though has its roots from the germane fascination that Saw-I had cast on me. That single factor keeps me glued to the next versions. A great thriller Saw-I was, never mind its trend-setting portrayal of death contraptions and methods. I have always related, or tried to relate, the subsequent Saw movies with the first one. Because …. I believe the Saw series will end only by tying with the first movie.

My belied is shaken though as I watch the irrelevant plots in the sequels. Saw VI, in point, added nothing to the story, except extending the series by one more part. It was enjoyable, but certainly you expect more in the storyline.

I am not deflated though. I still believe the missing doctor, who had left the cell with one leg cut in Saw-I, holds definitive answers to the mystery of the story.

Avatar and 2012

Undoubtedly both these films are good. In fact, they are brilliant. I wanted to mention them in the same breath; not only because I watched them within a span of two consecutive days but also because they are the typical supernal ideas - heavily employed in Hollywood - converted into celluloid of mass appeal.

Avatar is more conspicuous of the two due to the return of James Cameron and his high-end use of technology. In the theatre with 3-D screening, the movie seemed to play right out of a real-life disposition –people and their movements, the forests and the strange creatures, the fights with guns and arrows etc. It looked very surreal, but also fulfilling. For the first time, I felt delving into the cinema rather than the opposite way around. To quote one of my friends, for the first time, we saw human beings going to an alien land and also being technologically superior to the aliens. In fact, many firsts coming from this film …. I can transpose it to feel what jig the novelty of Star Wars would have caused when it was released way back in 1977.

2012, on the other hand, is an aggrandized talk of people’s conspiratorial side. It delivers what people want to see. Mayan prophesy of earth’s destruction coming to reality in the most devastating way. People decide to build a ship to survive the last beings of human race; the similarity with Noah’s Ark is substantial. The earth is in shatters but still human treachery and nepotism are on play. The good guys are taken for a ride by the rich and resourceful. The President of the US though stays behind, as also quoted in the movie, as the Captain of the Sinking Ship. The protagonists, playing the commoners, get into the ship through the backdoor. The climax is reached with the literal countdown of the ship’s collision with Mt Everest, and the hero’s underwater effort to avert it. For a change, the Black Actors took the center stage. A perfect potpourri!

And I repeat; I liked them both. But again I repeat; they both had the same worn-out renditions of Hollywood. The aliens, earth’s doom, mass-scale rescue effort, the brewed love in between etc – how many times have we seen them. It is another matter that the above two films defied the monotony, and shaped up as great in the end. But how long will the directors keep mashing the same stuff? Just my concern – as I am fearful of again drifting away from these movies if they are dished in plenty. Sounding cynical amidst the riches, but it is justified if you too look beyond the obvious.