Everybody at some stage in their life will go through a very bad period where things go really really really bad for them. Sometimes we just give up. Well when we think of Nick Vujicic, a 24-year old australian who was born without limps, and now travels across the world with his team to preach strength, we should really take example. Hallo scriptwriters, if you are looking for a truly unique story, come here:
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Slumdog millionaire
The movie was brilliant. Fullstop. The horror of poverty was depicted so clearly that it was impossible to tolerate. Even as a viewer -let alone a bystander, but that's another story. However, this is not where the movie brilliancy was. Poverty has been shown in many movies many times and if one has to gain top prize for it, this must be the brazilian movie 'The City of God'.
In Slumdog millionaire, the brilliancy had a name. Danny Boyle. What a remarkable work has this man given us!! The story of modern India, this great country with this remarkable culture who suffers its dark side. For poverty is worse when it takes place into the world's most racist environment - the cast society. That part of it, although never directly addressed it was present throughout the movie as an accepted part of life. Every time Jamal answered correctly, the game host would remind him what a low life he is by reminding everybody his low-paying blue collar job. The cast society would not expect a slumdog (a better term would be a teenager from the slums) to know the answers of the game and he was taken to the police for interrogation. That's when the other two stories unfold. That of India's nightmare and of Jamal's destiny to happiness. At the same time relationships unfold and grow and make destiny.
Despite the fact that the film was filmed and the story was all about India, it shouted out besides British humor (the autograph scene) the kingdom's aesthetics. Of the alternative kind. Of the kind of innovation in art that is so expected by Brit artists. Of any art. What Danny Boyle proved is that his art reach is depthless. Of course his entire team of hard working illuminated colleagues who sweat alongside with Danny behind the cameras absolutely must have at least a touch of genius. Yet, it was obvious that the entire movie was the vision of a man who gave part of himself in every aspect of it. Besides direction that was so innovative by going back to basics, so was photography and editing. Every minute in the movie had a cliffhanger, shot from an anortodox angle, and the constantly moving light gave a whole new dimension into every single frame. Let's not forget the music which was more the sound of India if anything else. The colorful light of Bombay darkened and tones narrowed around grey everytime the camera went close to the gloomy life of the protagonists.
It is really amazing what a fraction of the money usually available can produce if given to the hands of an artistic genius who can tell three different stories in one. In a captivating manner as well. Let alone if given to the hands of a team of geniuses. And if these employ all these little 5-year old geniuses. These children who played in the movie - and they were so many of them - were absolutely leaving all of us breathless.
Very powerful movie. Personally I preferred the emotion I got out of Benjamin Button (remember all that crying?), but this movie absolutely was worth its 8 academy awards. Most well deserved!
In Slumdog millionaire, the brilliancy had a name. Danny Boyle. What a remarkable work has this man given us!! The story of modern India, this great country with this remarkable culture who suffers its dark side. For poverty is worse when it takes place into the world's most racist environment - the cast society. That part of it, although never directly addressed it was present throughout the movie as an accepted part of life. Every time Jamal answered correctly, the game host would remind him what a low life he is by reminding everybody his low-paying blue collar job. The cast society would not expect a slumdog (a better term would be a teenager from the slums) to know the answers of the game and he was taken to the police for interrogation. That's when the other two stories unfold. That of India's nightmare and of Jamal's destiny to happiness. At the same time relationships unfold and grow and make destiny.
Despite the fact that the film was filmed and the story was all about India, it shouted out besides British humor (the autograph scene) the kingdom's aesthetics. Of the alternative kind. Of the kind of innovation in art that is so expected by Brit artists. Of any art. What Danny Boyle proved is that his art reach is depthless. Of course his entire team of hard working illuminated colleagues who sweat alongside with Danny behind the cameras absolutely must have at least a touch of genius. Yet, it was obvious that the entire movie was the vision of a man who gave part of himself in every aspect of it. Besides direction that was so innovative by going back to basics, so was photography and editing. Every minute in the movie had a cliffhanger, shot from an anortodox angle, and the constantly moving light gave a whole new dimension into every single frame. Let's not forget the music which was more the sound of India if anything else. The colorful light of Bombay darkened and tones narrowed around grey everytime the camera went close to the gloomy life of the protagonists.
It is really amazing what a fraction of the money usually available can produce if given to the hands of an artistic genius who can tell three different stories in one. In a captivating manner as well. Let alone if given to the hands of a team of geniuses. And if these employ all these little 5-year old geniuses. These children who played in the movie - and they were so many of them - were absolutely leaving all of us breathless.
Very powerful movie. Personally I preferred the emotion I got out of Benjamin Button (remember all that crying?), but this movie absolutely was worth its 8 academy awards. Most well deserved!
Friday, 6 March 2009
Friday, 27 February 2009
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Modern unbalance
By the rate of divorce in corporate settings, I am confident - as if I had a doubt - that sardine life is not good for the spirit. With bad spirit after a long day going home and continue to behave with empathy, courtesy and a genuine care of how did the day go of the once loved one, can be difficult. Hence, there is a high divorce rate - or adultery, as the wedding ring is a surrogate indicator of maturity - in corporate environments. But this is only an indication that something goes wrong. Modern demands of having - whether money or fame - cancel the needs of being. And the turbulence of hard working people private life is only an indication of how unbalanced our modern life is - if there is any private life at all.. We are constantly stressed thin for time, always doing the things we have to do, not necessarily what we want to do, we are becoming masters in compromising. The older we get the higher the compromises. We at some point forget where we started. The greatest danger is when we convince ourselves we chose this life and we like it. And then we drug ourselves with pointless dinners with equally unhappy - yet unaware of their unhappiness - friends. Or home with DVD box sets. And we live the same day over and over and over again. And then on weekends we show off our 4WD in a crowded ski or beach resort (in this case, also the new silicone)
So there is no balance. Achieving one goal to the expense of all others is definitely not a happy life. Achieving all goals and then the world would be filled with Obermans. We are definitely not there yet - at least not as a species.
So there is no balance. Achieving one goal to the expense of all others is definitely not a happy life. Achieving all goals and then the world would be filled with Obermans. We are definitely not there yet - at least not as a species.
Monday, 23 February 2009
Oscars
I am gutted that Benjamin Button did not win best movie - or at least adapted screenplay. I mean how better can a story get????
On the ohter end, I have not seen Slumdog Millionaire but...anyways promise to see it
Of course I was happy that Heith received the post mortem oscar, that was given - I mean his performance is one of the best ever in any role. The sad thing is that he is not there and I don't think that he will ever stop being missed
Penelope rightfully got the oscar, Kate most probably (have not seen the reader but she was brilliant in revolutionary road). Sean not sure about his oscar as I have not seen the movie, but what a brilliant actor he is - we dont need an academy award to tell us that.
However, if I had to give my own oscar for most captivating cinematographic experience, I would gladly give it to 24!! (my home theater makes it cinema-like)
Congrats to all :-)
On the ohter end, I have not seen Slumdog Millionaire but...anyways promise to see it
Of course I was happy that Heith received the post mortem oscar, that was given - I mean his performance is one of the best ever in any role. The sad thing is that he is not there and I don't think that he will ever stop being missed
Penelope rightfully got the oscar, Kate most probably (have not seen the reader but she was brilliant in revolutionary road). Sean not sure about his oscar as I have not seen the movie, but what a brilliant actor he is - we dont need an academy award to tell us that.
However, if I had to give my own oscar for most captivating cinematographic experience, I would gladly give it to 24!! (my home theater makes it cinema-like)
Congrats to all :-)
Sunday, 22 February 2009
The curious case of Benjamin Button
Ever since Tender is the Night, which was the first Fitzerald book I have read, I knew that the guy was a genius and he immediately became one of my favorite authors ever. I shamefully admit that the fact that he had written Benjamin Button escaped me. Only when the end titles fell on screen and his name appeared it hit me. Of course!!! It had to be him that wrote this book which a team of people with extraordinary talent took to heart and produced the masterpiece that Elena and I watched last night. So brilliant that I feel way above my league here. Sometimes people in the presence of great talent feel particularly small. This is how I felt last night. Elated as well. I have to add that both Elena and myself kept crying for at least the last twenty minutes. And not that silent sobbing. I don't think a movie had touched me so much since the 'Dead poets society' which I had watched seven times in one month about eighteen years ago.
The three hours of the movie did not bother me at all. After all, it is hard to fit eighty years, two world wars, the loneliness of seamen, the emotional and intellectual growing of the protagonists, and the modern history from glory to gloom of one of the world's most culturally interesting cities, in three hours. The superb acting of the entire cast, the craftmanship of the photography director, the costumes, and the gentlemanship of the director gave justice to Fitzerald's original story. And what an originality did the story nurtured...A guy is born old and the older he gets the younger he looks. How many times have we wished that this happened to us? How many times have the old told the young 'Oh I wish i had your age with my experience.." Difficult to count, ain't it? Fitzerald's story reminds us once more to be careful what we wish for.
The strange story of Benjamin Button deals with a lot more than the actual strange story. It is a story of absolute love. The love of M. Gateau for his son who creates a clock that makes time go backwards. The love of Benjamin's mother who just before she dies saves his life - it was latent that the father at the moment of birth had every intention to kill the child. Instead he leaves it at the door of another loving woman, Queenie. Queenie gives all her love to Benjamin and she teaches him how to love equally strong. Benjamin's love for Daisy, Daisy's love for Benjamin and her daughter, and so on
Everything that has happened in this movie is out of love or lack of it.
The fingerprints of the modern protagonists are all over the movie. Julia Osmond, the daughter, Caroline, was a young beauty in Legends of the Fall, a movie with Brad Pitt a few years back. She looks much older now and he much younger. Katrina is present along with the imminent catastrophy of New Orleans, the city where Brad Pitt has made home for his family after the hurricane. Kate Blanchett is as Benjamin refers to her in his diary, the most beautiful woman in the world, who then calls Benjamin (Brad) perfect from her hospital bed in Paris after her accident. This was a moment of loud laughter in the theater, since she included the thoughts of the entire female audience world wide.
There is also a lot of hope in the movie. Caroline stayed with her dying mother in the hospital withpout worry, hoping that the hurricane will pass. The sunrises that Benjamin would take his people is also a great symbol of hope. But of all the symbolisms, the colibri was for me the most powerful as in this movie it symbolized infinity due to the orbit of its flying wings. The infinity of power of love and hope. Hope for reaching out a dream. Even if Elizabeth crossed the channel at 63. Her message of hope was clear.
I know that a lot of people loved this movie and there were others who did not like it. People whose' opinion I respect hated Pitt's performance and the length of the film. I think Pitt was loyal to Fitzerald's portraying of male characters - low key, intelligent, private, loyal, but somehow they can end up self destructive or self loathing. It is the women characters that are flamboyant and colorful and in a way direct the fate of the men who love them. In my view, the strongest character was that of Queenie whose love for an outcast was so strong that reversed his fate. And Daisy of course, whose beauty was second to none and her love for Benjamin lasted her entire life - without her knowing it for a great part of it.
It was an absolutely great movie and although I have not seen 'Slumdog Millionaire' I would have it as a winner tonight. For one thing I don't see it easily to have a better story to tell.
I give it top marks and I will definitely watch it over and over and over again.
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Sunday, 8 February 2009
Shame and prejudice
The last 2 years that I moved back in Vrilissia I have been buying my pet supplies from a particular old and outdated pet shop simply because the lady that run has dedicated her life in helping stray animals. In late 2008 she retired. The shop is now run by the owner. Not an animal lover as the retired lady but out of habit i kept going there. A few days ago when I went for my weekly shopping she asked me if I knew someone to run the shop in the afternoons so she does not have to do it. I told her I knew someone that I could recommend on her competence, loyalty and morality. She was excited. Really? Who is she? I told her my cleaning lady, a very sweet 23-year old albanian girl. Then the oh so shameful happened: She frawned. And gave a really ugly grimace originating from her prejudice against immigrants, especially albanians. That of discust and dismissing it without even blinking. I was so ashamed. To be of the same nationality as she was..
Needless to say, she will not be having my custom again. Prejudice walls will not fall if all of us do not make it our own purpose.
Needless to say, she will not be having my custom again. Prejudice walls will not fall if all of us do not make it our own purpose.
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